Lent is a season of renunciation, when we embody Jesus' fast in the wilderness, preparing ourselves for Easter. Though Jesus never commands us to fast, he does give us teachings about how to do so. There is an element of secrecy in the way he wants us to do it. It is a prayer which … Continue reading Fasting in Obscurity →

I am very happy to share a conversation I had recently with my friend Kevin Johnson. We discussed Christian animism and it's relevance for the modern world. Sharing from our personal experiences as well as our own study and research, we explore the need for, and the possibility of, new forms of Christianity rooted in … Continue reading Christian Animism: Learning From the Land in Our Modern World →

The recent sermon delivered by Episcopal Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde at the US presidential inauguration has created quite a stir. With repose and precision, she preached the good news of justice for the poor and oppressed. Directly addressing President Trump, she pleaded for mercy and shared the teachings of Jesus. Some of her critics suggest … Continue reading Saint Basil’s Sermon To The Rich →

The harmony of nature is an ancient dance to the song of creation, sung by the choirs of angels. The angels are musical by nature, orchestrating the movement of the spheres with the beauty of their love. This harmonious music, underpinning the entire cosmos, is a song of praise to the creator. Reality reverberates with … Continue reading The Song of Creation →

This essay follows off the conversation with Ian Mobsby I shared last week. You can watch it on YouTube by clicking HERE. “I am about to do a new thing; now it springs forth; do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.” (Isaiah 43:19) In … Continue reading Rivers in the Desert: Reflections on New Monasticism →

I am well pleased to share a conversation I had recently with my new friend Ian Mobsby. Ian was awarded the St Dunstan's medal by the Archbishop of Canterbury in 2019 for services to the church in developing new forms of religious/spiritual communities. In 2023 Ian moved to Canada to take up the senior position … Continue reading New Monasticism: Post Secularism, Contemplative Theology, and Spiritual Formation →

Have you recently made some New Year’s resolutions? Are you hoping that this year they will be easier to follow than in previous years? In this article I explore some wisdom from the Celtic tradition which can help you to rise up to meet the challenges you have set for yourself. The circumstances of human … Continue reading New Year’s Resolutions: Some Advice From Celtic Monks →

While we await the incarnation of Jesus during the Advent season, it is also good to remember that creation itself is an act of incarnation. Eriugena, an early medieval Irish philosopher, said that every creature is a theophany - a manifestation of the divine. God and the world are not separate things shouting across an … Continue reading Image of an Image: The Incarnation and Human Nature →

Advent and Christmas are imbued with the presence of angels. The angel Gabriel's annunciation to Mary and her beautiful response speak to us through the ages, teaching the inner prayer of Advent: “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Zechariah also met an angel, who … Continue reading The Angels Within: Consciousness, Fractals, and Spirals →

The Nag Hammadi library, discovered in Egypt in 1945, was a major revelation in our understanding of early Christian history, theology, and practice. This large collection of texts mostly otherwise unknown, dating from the first few centuries, has been received in a wide variety of ways. For some, the texts in this library represent an … Continue reading Thom’s Gospel: A Contemporary Rendering of the Gospel of Thomas →