Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 78 (March 2015)
Sacred Treasure
- Josh Byers over at Visual Theology has produced a GREAT infographic summarising all the arguments for the historicity of the Resurrection
- Cranmer rightly notes the increased levels of Christian engagement in the next UK General Election (see last month’s Q treasure). And here’s his great reflection on Andy Flannagan’s book Those Who Show Up.
- Ian Paul covers the ground on Stephen Fry and God
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 77 (February 2015)
Sacred Treasure
- Show up: a fantastic campaign endorsed by scores of different outfits – to encourage Christian involvement with politics generally, and May’s General Election specifically.
- It isn’t a battle; it’s a pilgrimage: helpful wisdom for anyone, not just those struggling with porn issues
- Michael Wenham is someone with Lou Gehrig disease and so uniquely qualified to consider the Stephen Hawking movie, Theory of Everything.
There but for the grace… pastors escaping the power-trip pitfalls
We could call them the ‘pastor’s power pitfalls.’ There are many. Too many. It’s actually scary how much power a pastor wields – for good… and ill. It’s one of the key issues that has preoccupied me a lot about in the last few years while writing my culture of suspicion book (out VERY soon at all GOOD bookshops!). And I’ve witnessed (and struggled) under power-trip pastors. The worst thing, though, is how blissfully unaware they are of it. As one friend said of a church boss he struggled under for several years, “he’s like a drunk driver who never looks in the rear-view mirror.” Read more
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 76 (January 2015)
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Have a fab 2015
watch this space because there are some big changes afoot for Quaerentia in the coming months…!!
Sacred Treasure
- AN Wilson on cracking form: it’s the Gospel truth – so take it or leave it
- Ministry through the dark night: very helpful consoling piece by someone (!?) about depression and despair in ministry
- Interesting piece in the Washington Post: Gay Christians choosing celibacy emerge from the shadows
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 75 (December 2014)
Hurrah! Q Treasure Maps have reached a 3/4 Century!
Sacred Treasure
- I know a number of the people involved in making this doc on Jesus’ claims to be the Son of God – made in Turkey for those from that part of the world. Looks great!
- The Pope draws in Tom Wright, Rick Warren, Michael Nazir-Ali and others to the discussion about family. Unprecedented?
- In particular, here is fmr UK Chief Rabbi, Lord Sacks’ remarkable speech in full.
- Ros Clarke is an old friend who recently completed a PhD on the interpretation of the Song of Songs – she’s set up a great website to offer the fruit of all her labours more widely.
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 74 (November 2014)
Sacred Treasure
- Emma Scrivener on form yet again her: lovely piece on the Both/Ands of the Christian life.
- She’s also got a great A-Z of Christianity – check it out!
- Nell Goddard writes beautifully and poignantly on When Christians cause the suffering
- The importance of plural leadership – yet another interesting thought from Chris Green
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 73 (October 2014)
Sacred Treasure
- C S Lewis on Friendship
- Are the Apocryphal Gospels true? Ian Paul picks up Simon Gathercole’s address at the recent British NT conference
- If you missed it, this is an extraordinary episode of BBC’s Panorama about the Christians working in North Korea for Pyongyang University of Science and Technology (30 minutes – definitely worth watching in full).
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 72 (September 2014)
Sacred Treasure
- Cranmer has been on form: 1. None dare call it evil, except Justin Welby; 2. I have forgiven Islamic militants
- Interesting stuff here from Tyndale House on Simon Gathercole’s work on the Gospel of Thomas
- “Your liberal and democratic principles are worth nothing here…” from the Chaldean Catholic Archbishop of Mosul
- The stigma of being an atheist in the USA…
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 71 (August 2014)
Sorry this late – It’s been an absolutely CRAZY month (including finishing a job, moving house and going on a couple of week long meetings.) Soon, normal Q service will resume, I promise!
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER, I SUPPOSE.
Sacred Treasure
- This is important: Paul Vallely’s much linked (rightly) article: Christians: the world’s most persecuted people
- Nice interview with my Langham US colleague, Ben Homan, on preaching globally
- Damian Thompson as provocative as ever – about that other agent provocateur, Richard Dawkins, and his new offensiveness to the Left.
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 70 (July 2014)
Sacred Treasure
- We refuse to be enemies. This is an astonishing story from a family of Palestinian Christians living in Bethlehem.
- Dominic Lawson (son of former Chancellor Nigel, brother of celeb chef Nigella) writes wonderfully about his 19 year old daughter with Down’s Syndrome.
- Abp Justin Welby’s address at the National Prayer Breakfast, on 17th June – some great stuff
- Chris Green asks whether or not we should preach like TED talks
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 69 (June 2014)
Sacred Treasure
- God raises the dead – even for preachers like Chris!
- Why Emily Letts filmed her own abortion…
- The Twitter Disconnect: Why Christians are more loving in real life… some good stuff here
- A Nick Cave service??! Looks a lot of fun (H/T Maggi)
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 68 (May 2014)
Sacred Treasure
- This is good: John Piper gives 10 lessons from a hospital bed
- I’m not busy… so says Ian Paul apparently
- Larry Hurtado deftly sorts out the whole Jesus Wife document farrago here and then a follow-up here
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 67 (April 2014)
Sacred Treasure
- Giles Fraser nails it on euthanasia
- Kevin de Young on celebrity pastors etc
- Andrew Brown writes an inspiring obituary of Margaret Spufford (mother of one of my literary heroes, Francis)
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 66 (March 2014)
Sacred Treasure
- Why Benedict Rogers, a Christian, opposes the very idea of a Christian political party
- So a mural artist in Montenegro considers Tito, Marx and Engels deserves to be depicted in hell… what do you think?
- Some good news from Cranmer: highlighting all the UCCF outreach efforts this term
Q marks the spot – Treasure Map 65 (February 2014)
Sacred Treasure
- Mikhail Kalashnikov was apparently in ‘spiritual pain’ over his (in)famous invention
- Dave Criddle has some wisdom about engaging with the likes of Ricky Gervais on Twitter
- Andrew Brown is pretty good here, at least in what he affirms (if not in what he denies).
Why should we trust the gospels?
As part of a new series to prepare for/coincide with UNCOVER happening at All Souls over this year, I did a talk on Sunday evening on the question of the historicity of the gospels. It’s a contentious issue, full of mantraps and perilousness, not least because of the short length of time available to address it. But I had a stab, and aimed to touch on what I sense are the key issues, in the hope that the serious inquirer or thinker will follow whichever (or all) of them is important to them. Read more 
Why getting popcultured is no bad thing: thoughts on Steve Turner’s latest
Regular Q readers will know that matters pop-cultural are regularly considered here. And one of my favourite books of recent years on any subject is the brilliant Popologetics by my friend Ted Turnau. But regulars will also know that I am a fan of Steve Turner’s books, not least because he has a great way with words (I only wish he’d apply that to poetry again!) and has unrivalled experience in writing about the world of popular culture from a deeply theological perspective. So I was very excited by the arrival of his latest: Popcultured. Read more
CS Lewis exposes the humbling reality when anyone prays
C. S. Lewis was a great burster of pride’s balloons. His Screwtape Letters are a masterful model in how to do that. But he was only able to take aim with such accuracy that because he had come face to face with his own pride. And these two poems illustrate that perfectly. They take seriously the distorting effects of our own self-centredness, which warp our perception of reality and God, even when we pray. Read more
The Rebellious Privacy of God: Rowan Williams on Narnia in “The Lion’s World”
I’d heard good things of this book: Rowan Williams’ surprisingly readable appreciation of CS Lewis’ Narnia, The Lion’s World. It seemed appropriate to move on to this having relished Francis Spufford’s recreation of his childhood delight in Narnia. And there are loads of good things about it for he is simply seeking to be an exegete of Lewis’ creativity. I especially appreciated this comment on how the whole experiment works (and thus why it is inappropriate to squeeze details too much into an allegorical mould).
Some thoughts on Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing
Having spent the last four posts talking about childhood reading in general, it seems appropriate to move onto this. Those familiar with the Jesus Storybook Bible will know (and no doubt love) the style. That is easily the best of its kind for young children. Sally Lloyd-Jones and artist Jago have followed up with Thoughts to Make Your Heart Sing. It’s ostensibly for children – though it mustn’t be reserved only for children. I found it thrilling – having expected just to dip and out, I found myself reading cover to cover.
