Peter
Peter is remembered by Christians as a saint; the fisherman who became the right-hand man of Jesus himself, the leader of the early church and a father of the faith.
Of all the disciples that Jesus chose we know most about Peter. He is one of the most carefully described
Blog: Pictures-Books-Reflections
Caught between relevance and identity?
Posted on by James Woodward
But many sensitive pastors today feel at sea.
The familiar horizons seem to become more distant as assumptions about the Church and the contexts in which it works are challenged and adjusted. At the same time the sands begin to shift under our feet. Turmoil in theology is not
darkness
Posted on by James Woodward
the sun remarked, the other day,
'really, I am just a shadow.
yes, really. I wish I could show you
the infinite incandescence
that made me.'
when you are in the dark,
the lonely, doubtful darkness,
I wish I could show you
the amazing light
of yourself.
Hafiz
Pastoral Theology
Posted on by James Woodward
The theological undergirding of his grasp of the mystery of God in a systematic exploration of the Christian faith:
It is said that souls are not saved nor the Kingdom advanced by academic rigour, intellectual openness or the need to ask the awkward question. True enough. But
answer
Posted on by James Woodward
.
"Yes, love is the problem. Love, also, is the answer. It's a complicated story. You'll like it."
From Actors, eat no onions!
Garter Day 2011
Posted on by James Woodward
The crowds gather and the Royal Standard is raised!
The bands play!
Pictures taken by Marc Claire Panton
Preparations
Posted on by James Woodward
Friday marked a day of preparations for garter Day here in the Castle. An early start for those involved in the military duties of lining the route of the procession, providing music for the day and leading the processions.
Here are a few snaps from my window!
The precision
green
Posted on by James Woodward
Leafy-with-love banks and the green waters of the canal
Pouring redemption for me, that I do
the will of God, wallow in the habitual, the banal,
Grow with nature again as before I grew.
The bright stick trapped, the breeze adding a third
Party to the couple kissing
The tasks of theological reflection
Posted on by James Woodward
The tasks of theological reflection
The induction and nurture of members What does it mean to be a Christian? Who am I as a Christian believer?
Building and sustaining the community of faith. What does it mean to be the ‘body of Christ’ in this place and time? How are
dance
Posted on by James Woodward
To fling my arms wide
In some place of the sun,
To whirl and to dance
Till the white day is done.
Then rest at cool evening Beneath a tall tree
While night comes on gently,
Dark like me- That is my dream!
From Langston Hughes, Dream Variations
God Talk?
Posted on by James Woodward
Actual human speech about God, thus, is not abstract logical talk about an 'ultimate limit' but rather talk about life and the world, about our deepest problems, about catastrophe and triumph, about human misery and human glory. It is about what is really important in life, how
The purpose of theology?
Posted on by James Woodward
As a result of these various trends, Christian ministry comes to be understood as being less about the application of expertise and more about facilitating the vocation of all Christians through processes of understanding, analysing and reflecting. The purpose of theological edu
eyes
Posted on by James Woodward
Love is the cure.
Your pain will keep giving birth to more pain.
Just let your eyes breathe out love
as easily as a flower breathes out its sweetness.
Rumi, Love is the cure,
Discovery?
Posted on by James Woodward
In other words: the process of finding ourselves through narrative, not mathematics, is the most trustworthy form of access to truth, and finally the one our humanity cannot do without.
Chartwell
Posted on by James Woodward
Chartwell was the principal adult home of Sir Winston Churchill. Churchill and his wife Clementine bought the property, located two miles south of Westerham, Kent, England in 1922. Extensive renovations simplifying and modernising the home were undertaken directly, completely t
Beatitudes for the Ageing
Posted on by James Woodward
Blessed are those who have the courage to do nothing.
They demonstrate to us a different level of living for one another.
Blessed are those who no longer expect anything and yet are able to smile.
God's goodness is shining through them.
Blessed are those who are able to l
A Trip down the River!
Posted on by James Woodward
Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, Greater London; it has not been inhabited by the British royal family since the 18th century. The palace is located 11.7 miles (18.8 km) south west of Charing Cross and upstream of Central L
Henry Moore – Figure in a Shelter (1983)
Posted on by James Woodward
Moore's Figure in a Shelter 1975 finds its origins in the Helmet Head series first produced in 1939-40. By making the central figure smaller, widening and dividing the space around that figure, and even eventually removing it entirely from its' protective armour to produce Bronze
awakened, lips parted
Posted on by James Woodward
This form, this face, this life
Living to live in a world of time beyond me;
let me Resign my life for this life, my speech for that unspoken,
The awakened, lips parted, the hope, the new ships.
From T.S.Eliot, Marina
Henry Moore
Posted on by James Woodward
Perry Green is the name of Moore’s former estate, which includes the farmhouse home of Hoglands and garden, his studios, and less formal gardens and fields containing many of his larger sculptures. The grounds also feature the Sheep Field Barn gallery with changing exhibits o