Author Archives: JT

Of Towers and Temples: The Flesh, the Spirit, and True Reconciliation in Ephesians 2

“Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves…”— Genesis 11v4 Some churches are bitterly and openly divided, congregations of hostility and suspicion, factions and power plays. These churches often end up splitting, with ugly results. Other churchesContinue reading “Of Towers and Temples: The Flesh, the Spirit, and True Reconciliation in Ephesians 2”

Choosing a Reliable Guide: Bishop Steven Croft or St Paul the Apostle

‘I must go on boasting. Though there is nothing to be gained by it, I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord…’— 2 Corinthians 12v1 Last week, the Rt. Rev. Dr. Steven Croft, the Bishop of Oxford, published a pamphlet entitled Together in Love and Faith, in which he argued that the time hadContinue reading “Choosing a Reliable Guide: Bishop Steven Croft or St Paul the Apostle”

Did the Thief on the Cross Need to be Baptised? He Was. 

And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”— Luke 23v43 All Christians agree that baptism is important, Getting us to agree on what it does, how to do it, and to whom we ought to do it is a different matter. Still generally speaking, we know thatContinue reading “Did the Thief on the Cross Need to be Baptised? He Was. “

Within the Love of God: A Sermon for the Feast of Pentecost

The readings:Acts 2v1-21Psalm 104Romans 8v14-17John 14v5-24 There is a beautiful line in the marriage service that is commonly used in the Church of England as part of the vow that the bride and groom make to each other. Man and wife promise each other: all that I am I give to you, all that IContinue reading “Within the Love of God: A Sermon for the Feast of Pentecost”

The Year of Our Lord: Why Observe the Whole Liturgical Calendar?

Time waits for no man, and it is already June. In the Western liturgical calendar, we have just passed the Feast of Pentecost, leaving only Trinity Sunday ahead of us before we return to ordinary time, and the slow and quiet growth of ordinary Christian life. Of course, that is the Western ecclesial liturgical calendarContinue reading “The Year of Our Lord: Why Observe the Whole Liturgical Calendar?”

Jesus’ Trial: How to Submissively Resist Authority

Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. In fact, the reason I was born and came into the world is to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me.”John 18v37 The question of Christian submission to authority is becoming a more and more pressing one. While, in the UK atContinue reading “Jesus’ Trial: How to Submissively Resist Authority”

To Know and Yet to Love — A Reflection for Maundy Thursday

Obviously, this is a few days late for this year. The following is the transcript of a reflection I wrote and gave for a church on Maundy Thursday. Some details have been generalised or anonymised, as I saw fit. I want to draw your attention tonight to two verbs: to know and to love. ThoseContinue reading “To Know and Yet to Love — A Reflection for Maundy Thursday”