Centre for the Study of Bible & Violence
Palm Sunday sermon, based on Mal 3:1-5; Luke 19:35-45, by the director of the CSBV, Helen Paynter. I’ve got a problem. Or, rather, I’ve had a problem trying to prepare this sermon. I thought I knew what I wanted to
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
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
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
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
By CSBV director Helen Paynter The writer of the book of Kings gives us a glimpse of what you would have seen if you had been present in Jerusalem on a particular day in 970 BC. You would have heard
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
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 lives in face of the Covid pandemic: “They’ve [health workers] gone
This reflection is based on Psalm 59 (see also 1 Sam 19:11), and Luke 22:39-53. In the message below, the word ‘men’ is being used as a gender-inclusive term. To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Miktam of David, when Saul sent
By CSBV research associate Brandon Hurlbert Should Christians join the military? A Forgotten Perspective. I have hesitated to write this post for some time now. Military service holds a special place of honor in American society. Veterans are our heroes,