You might have heard of Christianity Today’s podcast, The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill. The series is now coming to a close, and has detailed the implosion of North American megachurch Mars Hill, alongside the downfall of its disgraced
Abuse and its angles of power
On 25th November, 2021, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, CSBV director Helen Paynter was keynote speaker at the launch event for Corrymeela Community’s “Seed of Sequoia” domestic abuse resource. She spoke on the overlap between
A Prisoner of War Opens The Door
This Remembrance Day we share this personal family story from Revd Glen Robins. There has always been something enigmatic about my Uncle Roy. I wore his winter jacket when I was in high school. And his pictures were always faithfully
Avoiding Advent Anti-Judaism
How do we preach from the Old Testament in ways that avoid anti-Judaism? In this latest blogpost for our Sunday Sermon Monday Mourning series, Revd Robert Parkinson reflects on the question. Advent and Christmas provide rich occasions for preaching and
Can the message of God as an avenger comfort us?
The Book of Nahum presents both a God of love and a God of vengeance. In this guest post, Professor Dr Klaas Spronk of the Protestant Theological University in Amsterdam raises the question “Can the message of God as an avenger comfort us
A woman of valour?
On September 19, one of the RCL OT Readings (Proper 20, Pentecost 17) is Proverbs 31: 10 – 31. CSBV Research Associate Ashley Hibbard invites us to a new way of reading this text. It’s a bit of a joke
What does a peacemaking church do with the armour of God ?
On 22nd August the RCL readings include Ephesians 6, the ‘armour of God’. CSBV research associate Peter King reflects on the challenges this presents. August 22 – Ephesians 6: 10 – 20. RCL Year B I have to admit that
Signs of Contradiction
Shouldn’t a revolution … differ vastly, in action and feeling, from the forces it seeks to dismantle ? Kathleen Alcott, America Was Hard To Find (Harper Collins, Ecco, 2019), p. 227 Today is the 77th anniversary of the failed July
King David’s toxic masculinity
For the next two Sundays (Propers 12 and 13, Pentecost 9 and 10) the RCL Old Testament readings cover the story of David and Bathsheba and its aftermath (2 Samuel 11:1-15 & 26 – 12:15). CSBV Research Associate Ceri Webb invites us
Black and “Blue”
It’s been said that America, as South Africa did, must confront its past, especially in terms of white supremacy and racism, and hopefully through honest, deep dialogue across the chasm of race. How do you do that? Well, maybe a