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. What comes to mind when you hear the story of King Saul ?
King Saul & Moral Injury
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
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
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 Sunday (Pentecost 7; Proper 10). We have two posts on 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 parts of the book rather than a verse-by-verse approach which can
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 power. One search engine suggests that there are over 20,000 hymns
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 honey. Of course, there’s more to it than that. Saul makes