New Kid on the Blog

 Continuing the series - nearly there with what I have recorded so far! Some further thoughts on Jesus - there could be many many more, but I think there's only two more to come. Comments etc welcome!

 Theology around Jesus is a whole discipline in itself, in fact called "Christology" - I can only dip into the ocean of words and thoughts on the subject, but even then (at about 8 minutes a video) I will have to divide these thoughts up into about three or four parts. So here's the first one relating to Christology - particularly to the ideas around what we call 'Incarnational Theology'

And here's a second short video about thinking theologically - none of this is definitive, nor do I claim to have a handle on it all, and as you may have seen in the first video, I sometimes stumble and need to backtrack (3 legged Stool vs Lambeth Quadrilateral, anyone?) Anyway, again, likes and comments and reflections and discussions very much welcome.

Over the past few weeks I've been doing a few Facebook live videos with some theological reflections in them - initially in response to a friend asking for some simple, (hopefully) thought provoking and accessible, introductions to theological thinking. I have put them up on my YouTube channel, and thought I would share them here over the coming few days (or weeks knowing my usual blogging schedule!). I started off calling them 'Rambling Rector' - probably part of my overly self-effacing approach and my attachment to the 'bumbling Vicar' persona that at one time I thought served me well. I am not in that place any more, so I decided to call them (after the first few attempts) Theology Bites. I hope they offer some food for thought. Likes (on the YouTube Channel) and thoughts would be very welcome... 

So often in the Church, indeed in life, I see people taking sides, getting polarised, creating division. More often than not we hear false equivalence or other logical fallacy as the basis of this - stuff like "if you're liberal/conservative/whatever you can't believe/do x" or "if you're Christian you can't think y" or the joy of "if you really cared about y you can't do x"  What this so often stems from is a failure of imagination, an inability to see a different way of thinking or doing from your own, or a lack of empathy with others. Chimamanda Adichie describes this as the danger of a Single Story and it is the basis of racial and cultural prejudice and misunderstanding, a cause of division, and a barrier to progress and co-operation.  We have such issues in our church communities all the time. With regards to sexuality and gender identity I so often hear "if you believe in the Bible you will think...." With regards to soc...

Here's the second article I wrote for our local Times Colonist newspaper. I think I'll reproduce the whole thing here - but do go have a look at the site, there's lots of interesting and stimulating pieces on the Spiritually Speaking Blog from a variety of contributors. Link here . Over the weekend it was, as always, my privilege to publish some thoughts in Faith Forum under the title ‘Finding God is not as hard as you might think”. I’ve been grateful to those in my own faith community of The Anglican Church of St John the Divine who responded with encouragement to the ‘thinking out loud’ that makes up such articles, as well as those who on social media have shared, replied, and offered thoughtful reflection on what I wrote. One response, however, has particularly stuck with me, asked at the social time following our Church service on Sunday – “I really liked what you said about finding God, but what I really want to know is how to have a relationship with God....

Here's an article I wrote last week for the local paper, the Times Colonist. Rather than putting the full text here I'm going to put the link up and invite y'all to go visit! https://www.timescolonist.com/opinion/blogs/spiritually-speaking/finding-god-is-not-as-hard-as-you-think-1.23939156

So, I got married recently...and it was wonderful, particularly as I got to marry a wonderful, super smart, big hearted, beautiful woman. The ceremony was in church, which was not our original plan (Elvis in Vegas, or a Marriage Commissioner on the beach) - but Sabina graciously allowed us to mark this auspicious occasion in a place special to me, amongst a community I love and who have been overwhelmingly supportive of me, in a way that was deeply meaningful to me. This was indeed gracious as my now-wife is from a Sikh culture and has less-than-positive experience of the institutional church having spent time as a child in a Catholic and (not always tolerant) Anglican School setting. I worked with my Bishop in forming a service based on the interfaith liturgy of the Anglican Church of Canada, we were blessed with a speaker who is one of North America's foremost Comparative Religion scholars and who wove together Sikh and Christian tradition in a profound and thoughtful se...

Just this last week we finished the 42nd General Synod of the Anglican Church of Canada - and it was a real series of ups and downs, so much so that I wrote some pieces for our church website which I think is worth reproducing here. Firstly, though, a bit of background - this was an historic Synod for lots of reasons (which come in the second piece), but in the middle of it was an important vote on inclusivising our Marriage Canon (Canon XXI) - one of the laws which govern the church, and contain the 'Doctrine' of the Anglican Church of Canada - to take away reference to 'Marriage is between a man and a woman' and change it to 'Marriage is between two partners' - thereby enshrining equal marriage for all, including same-gendered partnerships, in Church law. The reality is that the Canon doesn't forbid same-gendered marriage, and as such I have (with the permission of my Bishop and the support of my community) already been privileged to officiate at same-...

It's been a very long time since I've used this blog, but now seems like a good time to return. I've missed writing things to throw out into the ether, and the interactions and relationships which came from them and I've certainly missed the wisdom which has been shared in response to what I post. I think I should say something of why things have been so quiet here. It's partly because this was an outlet, a way of expressing the quirky world of Clergy life in rural England - where collegial relationships were limited and a (somewhat overworked) Vicar needed to have a place to think out loud. That changed when I came here to Canada, way back in July 2013, as I found myself on a team of lay and ordained ministers who gave each other space to think, to muse, to discuss, to learn. It was, and is, a liberation - and though that team has changed composition over this past six years it continues to be a creative, supportive partnership, Another reason for les...

Actually, it was me on the radio, earlier today, talking ABOUT St Patrick, so here it is in all it's SoundCloud glory - starting at about 18 minutes and lasting for 10 or so minutes:  

A little thought for the feast day of St Patrick...

A number of conversations, particularly centered around a hymn chosen for this past Sunday, have prompted me to resurrect this blog... or a least post something, just this time, maybe with a hope to dropping by every now and then with a thought or two. Oh, I'm well, thanks. Life at St John the Divine, Victoria, continues apace.  There are some immensely good people and immensely good things going on here, and those I am privileged to work with and alongside are a blessing to me.  I have been writing every day for Lent on the church website , and often find that rather than returning here, many of my thinkings end up on the staff blog there.  You'll also find many of my thoughts on the s ermon podcast (as well as some very fine preachings from my colleagues) as well. So, back to the hymn.  The hymn in question was 'And Can It Be?' - a great Wesleyan Ode to the redemptive work of God in Christ.  Here's a Songs of Praise (UK TV show) version: It's a ...

Some reflections inspired by something our Bishop, Logan, shared this Morning at our Chrism Eucharist.  He shared a lot more than this, including a moving account of his experience at the demolition ceremonies around St Michael's Residential School (read the record of +Logan's apology at the ceremony here ) and the place of ritual in healing and calling to a new way of being. Anyway, here's my Maundy Thursday thinkings - or at least a taster, full sermon on New Kid Deep Stuff  Defined by the Eucharist - a Maundy Thursday Sermon Last year I began the sermon for Maundy Thursday (yes, I check these things, just to make sure don’t repeat myself too much) with the words “At the blessing of the oils service this morning in the Cathedral, Bishop Logan reminded us….” And though I don’t like to repeat myself, I want to start my thoughts this evening with these words “At the blessing of the oils service this morning in our Cathedral, Bishop Logan reminded us… “ that this...

Again with the sermon! Yep, for a little while I will be posting the sermons I preach here at the blog... the podcast is not being updated quite yet!  Besides, posting here gives more space for comment and conversation, should you so wish. Today's sermon was inspired by some conversations had recently at the Clergy Day for the Diocese of British Columbia , by an excellent presentation by the Rev'd Canon Dr Richard LeSueur , by looking again at the Vision for our Diocese , and by looking back at an earlier (excellent) sermon by colleague Rev'd Canon Kevin Arndt and my own sermon from a year ago ! So here's the taster, as usual click [more] to get the full text! Malachi 3:1–4 Hebrews 2:14–18 Luke 2:22–40 The Presentation of Christ in the Temple (2015) Year B RCL Principal This last Thursday we had a Clergy Day, one of our twice a year opportunities to meet up with colleagues from all the Islands of this Diocese, and to have some input and c...

I struggled with this one...

It has been quite a couple of days - just one of those 'meeting to service to meeting to visit to meeting to service to service' kind of thing.  But three things have all coalesced and my thinkings have all come together in a way that seemed to me complementary. Firstly I had the privilege of presiding and speaking again at the 12-step Eucharist which is offered by Christ Church Cathedra l, Victoria.  The Gospel reading for the day and the structure of the service seemed to me (strangely in the case of the lectionary, as you will see if you follow the link) to speak to Grace, even in Jesus' Critique of the religious leaders of the day.  Then we had a wonderful celebration of New Ministry at the Induction of Bruce Bryant-Scott here in Victoria which had a sense of joy and liberation about it which made the whole evening (despite being at the end of a long day) feel very positive.  Then I was preaching and presiding again at our early Eucharist, which remembered ...

I have been at St John the Divine, Victoria - serving as their Priest and Rector - for just over a year now. Some recent conversations I have had on Social Media, plus a blog posting which I found very moving on the dearpopefrancis.ca blog ( here ), plus some time spent with friends from my MRC (Motorcycle Riding Club) as both 'pastor' and friend have all caused me to reflect on the experience of the past year or so.  And just why I find this particular place, spiritual community and time in my life so personally and spiritually nurturing. Community That's the key.  I believe that the key to our Spiritual journey is the need to be in community.  That doesn't mean that time alone, in prayer, reading, meditation, playing guitar or riding motorcycles (my own influence may have slipped in there) is not important - but to have a sanctuary, a place to share ideas, hopes, doubts, dreams, concerns and above all, love, is crucial.  The Orthodox Church has a saying 'w...