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  • Gaslighting God?
    The Old Testament readings in the semi-continuous option for the RCL in September are from the Book of Exodus. Carmen Imes invites us to pose the question as to whose version of reality we are going to trust.
  • Luke 19 and Post Colonial Preaching
    Drawing on different readings of the Zacchaeus story, Augustine Tanner-Ihmn invites us to consider the post-colonial context of our preaching.
  • Suffering in Silence…?
    1 Peter’s call to endure unjust suffering has often been misused to justify domestic (and other) abuse. Writing from different perspectives, Steve Carter and Steve Finamore challenge that use of the text.
  • ‘On us and on our children’: Repenting of the harm caused by Matthew 27:25
    Ann Conway-Jones invites us to reflect on how we respond to Matthew’s accusation of deicide against the Jews.
  • The Fall Revisited
    The Old Testament reading on 26th February is the story of the Fall. Debbie Rooke invites us to revisit our assumptions about the story and what it says about responsibility.
  • The Lure of Violence 
    In this post guest blogger Christine Redwood uses Judges 3 as a way in to asking ourselves the question: Is Violence Ever OK? 
  • The other side of Christmas…
    Guest blog from Sarah Travis considering the story of Jesus’ birth and the potential trauma that existed through his life.
  • Becoming the New Humanity: Preaching and Cultivating the Seeds of Ephesians 2
    Research Associate Kristin Caynor shares her journey with Ephesians 2, with attention drawn to the New Humanity.
  • Prayer in the Ruins: Psalm 137
    Research Associate Trevor Laurence wrestles with Psalm 137 and offers insight into its meaning.
  • Preaching Between the Wound and the Promise – Finding God in Texts of Terror
    Guest Blog from Hannah Wilkinson considering how to preach both the wound and the promise when preaching with difficult texts.
  • Hearing the Voices of the Silenced – Creative Empathy and Texts of Terror
    Charlotte Thomas invites us to exercise creative empathy when reading Biblical “texts of terror”, and asks what we might hear if we listened for Sarah’s voice in Genesis 22.
  • X Rated Readings?
    Emma Ham-Riche asks whether there are lessons the church can learn about ways to present Biblical violence to children.
  • Only the Good News?
    CSBV Research Associate Peter King asks whether it is a good idea that the Lectionary silently omits verses we might not wish to hear.
  • Preaching on the Book of Revelation
    For anyone setting out to preach on this strange and mysterious book, Ian Paul offers some much-needed help.
  • The Blessing of Ishmael
    CSBV Research Associate Ashley Hibbard invites us to read Genesis 16 and to consider the place of Ishmael in the Old Testament story and beyond.
  • The Lure of a Happy Ending – Making Space for the Traumatised
    In this guest post Dr Sarah Travis invites us to consider how much our worship and preaching makes space for those who have experienced trauma.
  • King Saul & Moral Injury
    Research Associate Peter King suggests that we might look at King Saul in a new light, finding new insights in his story for preaching and pastoral care.
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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:
  • King David’s toxic masculinity
    CSBV Research Associate Ceri Webb invites us to revisit the story of David and Bathsheba and its aftermath.
  • Uzzah and the Ark
    The Old Testament story of Uzzah, apparently killed by God for steadying the Ark of the Covenant in transit, is one of the set readings in the RCL for this
  • Arming Wall Builders with Swords
    I recently preached on Nehemiah 4:13-23 at my church, St Nics Durham (CoE), as part of a sermon series on the book of Nehemiah. The series covers the major
  • Power from on high …
    If there’s one word we all associate with God it’s the word “power”.   Week by week, hymns and prayers and liturgies remind us that God is a God of
  • Jonathan and Jephthah’s Daughter
    My family and I recently read 1 Samuel 14, the second half of which contains the somewhat odd story where Saul almost kills his son for sampling some local
  • “Greater love … ?”
    A few weeks ago in the UK there was an understandable outcry when the former chief schools inspector appeared to suggest that teachers should be prepared to sacrifice their
  • Not Necessary But Inevitable
    As we approach another Easter, and prepare to tell again the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus, what message will we give about the reasons for the
  • Preaching Judas
    “The Chernobyl of Christian anti-semitism” This is how the late Israeli writer Amos Oz described the figure of Judas in the gospel stories.  As we approach Easter, and our