A short commentary on the method employed in Diarmaid MacCulloch's Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years “Of making surveys of Christian history, there is no end,” Diarmaid MacCulloch observes in his 1161-page book, Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years. Yet he suggests that his approach stands out as more daunting than certain other notable contemporary accounts.[1] As a historian, MacCulloch …
What to do about asylum seekers
A sermon by Rod Benson on Psalm 145 Muriel was a professor of art at a major university. She used to leave her office door unlocked so students and colleagues could walk in and leave messages on her mural-sized bulletin board, a collage of clippings, photographs, sketches and notes. For about a year, two items …
Gandalf, Galadriel and God
Isaiah 40:1-31 One of the sermons of Jonathan Edwards that God used to kindle the Great Awakening in New England in 1734-1735 was titled “The Excellency of Christ.” In it Edwards unfolds the glory of God’s Son by describing the “admirable conjunction of diverse excellencies in Christ.” His text is Rev 5:5-6, and he unfolds …
How to balance family and thesis writing
So you're writing a thesis or dissertation, and you want your family and significant relationships to weather the storm. Sounds legit. Here are five points to achieve balance. It's not rocket science. 1. Identify the dynamics of your research project that work against a balanced life (they may not be obvious). 2. Clarify your goals, …
Grey care: perspectives on ageing
By Rod Benson This article presents biblical, psychospiritual and pastoral perspectives on ageing and older people. It demonstrates the magnitude of the cultural shift from biblical culture to our own, summarises key gerontological theories, and examines problems and issues relating to older people in the context of pastoral care within the setting of a Christian …
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