thoughts on how people see and understand the world we all inhabit
The sun came out yesterday, the sky filled with cotton wool clouds, and birds chirped merrily. An idyllic English afternoon in early Spring, in fact. Edward Thomas (1878-1917) in 1905 Rupert Brooke (1887-1915) in April 1913 - colourized by jecinci…
Today's reading is neither poetry nor fiction but is prose of a different sort. It is one of C. S. Lewis's great essays, one which feels more relevant today than ever. But it will make you think a fair bit.…
Apologies for being lax yesterday. Normal transmission can now be resumed. I'm hoping to be daily but it's funny how busy things are even during this extended home assignment! Today I'm going to read some poems from someone who is…
William Cowper by Lemuel Francis Abbott (1792) Q regulars will know that William Cowper has been a personal favourite for years. He had to navigate the storms of mental illness throughout his adult life, without any of the understanding, support…
It seems strange to continue this series while the coronavirus is uppermost in our minds, but with the growing need for self-isolation, it is perhaps all the more important to continue long-standing online conversations. Last weekend was Purim. It's an…
Sacred Treasure There has been much heat and hurt recently about power abuse and church ministry. It is something that I've been working on and engaging with for the last 10 years or so. Here are some of the better…
Tom Stoppard is one of the greatest living playwrights. End of. His output has been remarkable so I've always been excited when news of new work starts doing the rounds. I adore Rosencrantz and Gildenstern are Dead and the truly…
Previous posts Anti-Semitism in the UK: 1. 75 years after Auschwitz...Anti-Semitism in the UK: 2. The challenge of definitions Now I'm super-conscious that the previous post is controversial. But here's one difficulty with it in particular. Supposing, then, that it…
The president of Poland Andrzej Duda walks with survivors through the gates of Auschwitz to attend the 75th anniversary commemorations (AP) I started working on this short series of posts while sitting in Frankfurt airport, en route to Ukraine. Just in…
Sacred Treasure This is an extraordinary story that reads like a whodunnit: the stolen early manuscript of Mark? (long read but worth it)I'm an unashamed John Dickson fan - his new book on the historical Jesus looks great: here he…