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Crispin wrote a new post, On good and bad arguments 10 months, 1 week ago
Thank you Paul Graham for this Hierarchy of Disagreement. Full explanation here.
Apologies for all those times I have resorted to poor, disrespectful and lazy, forms of disagreement
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Crispin wrote a new post, On the Meaning of Christmas (2015) 3 years, 10 months ago
The clip below captures the spirit of Christmas beautifully. You may need to think about it. And, if you are a Christian who believes that the Incarnation is at the centre of everything, the implications for our l […]
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Crispin wrote a new post, Clarity in Writing 3 years, 10 months ago
My writing is a so often a battle to organise the chaos of the thoughts in my mind. They are all exciting, or troubling, or “true”. So they all demand to have their say.
Clarity of expression is easier when I […]
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Crispin wrote a new post, On Empathy and Sympathy for the Terrorists 3 years, 10 months ago
We should not sympathise with the terrorists.
But if we do not empathise with them, we will not understand them and our actions to defeat them will be misguided and ineffective.Please do not mistake my […]
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Crispin wrote a new post, On Brother Lawrence 3 years, 11 months ago
Brother Lawrence (d. 1691) wrote a famous book entitled in which he described the habits of a life of worship (a “practice”) focused on the presence of God.
The practice (noun) of the presence of God is a […] -
Crispin wrote a new post, The Temple and Cosmology: Recommended Reading 3 years, 11 months ago
I am often asked if I have published anything that would give people, in an accessible form, a written version of what I teach on the OT Temple and the cosmos. Alas, I have not.
But now somebody else has p […]
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Crispin commented on the post, Bill Johnson and Tom (N. T.) Wright in Conversation 3 years, 11 months ago
Karl, sorry to take so long to reply. Sadly, this important piece of research is not going forward. Greg has turned his sights to another research topic. Crispin
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Crispin wrote a new post, On the necessary balance between the Incarnation and the Cross. 3 years, 11 months ago
We are so fearfully and wonderfully made that he honoured us by becoming human like us. We are so flawed and fragile that he rescued us by dying for us.
The first proposition states the deeper reason for the […]
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Crispin commented on the post, Paul's Jesus Code: An Exciting Discovery 5 years, 2 months ago
Hi Elizabeth, yes, of course. I didn’t mean to say that we believe in ONLY two divine persons. This post is engaged is concerned with the remarkable fact that first century Jews who were followers of Jesus came to […]
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Crispin wrote a new post, Theology and Marketing 5 years, 7 months ago
I returned last Thursday from a trip to Las Vegas (with my friend Bill Westwood) for a Round Table conversation on the nature of marketing, organised by my old friend Flint McGlaughlin. To the casual observer not […]
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Crispin wrote a new post, On my theological work and patience 5 years, 11 months ago
I am enjoying writing a book on Jesus’s identity in relation to God (Christology). I have learnt much and am grateful for this season. I confess I have slightly shifted my position on some texts and the overall […]
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Crispin wrote a new post, Revolution, Reformation and Entrepreneurs 5 years, 11 months ago
Revolutionaries fight for control of what already exists. The battle can be short, but it is always costly. There have to be losers. Much usually gets destroyed in the fight, including the victor’s moral, and […]
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Crispin wrote a new post, Codependancy on Church: There is Hope 5 years, 11 months ago
This week a friend (Claire Debnam) sent me this moving video story of the rise, fall, and rise again of Carl Tuttle.
Tuttle was rescued from a disastrous life trajectory by the group that became the Vineyard. […]
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Crispin wrote a new post, Bill Johnson and Tom (N. T.) Wright in Conversation 6 years ago
For some time I’ve been saying (to myself and occasionally to others) that somebody ought to bring into creative conversation the work of Bill Johnson (lead pastor of Bethel, Redding, California) and of N. T. (aka […] -
Crispin wrote a new post, Starting with our 'why'. Thank you Simon Sinek. 6 years ago
I am enjoying, and being deeply impacted by, Simon Sinek’s bestselling Start With Why (2009). His succinct and eloquent TED talk is justifiably the second most viewed of all time.Sinek argues that a key to a […]
John Lewis is a good example of a successful business that has goals and values beyond just profit and today’s share price
Mix & mash up John Piper, Bill Johnson & Tim Keller – lethal combination (in a good way) Throw in a bit of John Eldredge & Leanne Payne too. Would like to see a convergence of all 5 brains.
Hi,
Encouraging to read this – back in December I got a bit steamed-up about the commercial world and posted a blog about it; not in the same league as the Vegas gathering…., very much a ‘starter’ but for what it’s worth here it is! ;
One of the things that marked Jesus out was His readiness to speak up about the systems operating in the Society of the time. His observations often cut across the accepted norms and emphasised the need for the structuring of civil, military and religious life to serve the needs of the people rather than the other way round. For example He said that the Sabbath was given as a helpful thing for us to use, rather then it being there as a ‘Task Master’ to determine what we do….., or at least that’s my take on what He said in Mark 2;27!
To my eyes however it seems in the ‘Westernised’ World more common today for ‘systems’ to exert a tyrannical domination over us. An example that has come to me often recently is the ‘domain’ of Commerce. I’m a firm believer in business, manufacturing and trade – they’re the necessary wheels that go round to give each of us what we need to survive and thrive in body, soul and spirit. They’re also the arena where many people can most readily exercise their skills and abilities. It seems to me though that rather than Commerce existing to support the needs of the population, the population now exists to support the needs of Commerce. I’m not pointing a finger of blame at ‘Governments’, ‘Bosses’, ‘CEOs’ ‘Boards’ and ‘Managers’ here……., I believe they’re as much a victim to this as anyone else!
I well remember School classrooms I went through in the late 60′s and 70′s breeding an expectation of future ‘sufficiency’; that as population increased and resources were tapped into we’d all have enough to live and develop as human beings, valued for who we are rather than what we do. We’d all be working a couple of days a week and be able to live a non-employed life for the remainder. As well as enabling leisure, such ‘free’ time would allow people to contribute to Society in new and unforeseen ways to the benefit of both the Developed and un-Developed World.
The reality is that we occupy a world that sucks us into an ever-increasing workload for fewer and fewer, the rejection of the contribution of others and a bizarre belief that we’ve got it ‘right’. Society seems to exist in a state of stagnation determined by the prevailing circumstances of 50 years ago! The most imaginative solution to the difficulties facing the UK is exemplified by the pushing of the pensionable age further and further back – a move denying the chance of older people to contribute in ways other than work and making it even more difficult for the young to access work in the first place.
Maybe it’s time for those of us who believe we have a relationship with the Creator of the World to raise some more creative options to set alongside the current headlong dash into more-of-the-same?
When You say we are monotheistists who believe in TWO DIVINE persons… That is very confusing for me if you are a Christian? Christians believe in THREE DIVINE persons in ONE BEING. Some feedback please… THE HOLY SPIRIT WAS THE DIVINE PERSON THAT JESUS LEFT FOR US (the Church) The problem with our church today is exactly what you stated… we have forgotten 1/3 of the Godhead!
Hi Elizabeth, yes, of course. I didn’t mean to say that we believe in ONLY two divine persons. This post is engaged is concerned with the remarkable fact that first century Jews who were followers of Jesus came to believe that the one God included Jesus. Historically and theologically that has been rather had to explain. Many scholars have even doubted that the NT actually proclaims that view of God.
I did not mean to exclude the Holy Spirit from God’s triune identity, it’s just that the post is focused on another issue. My apologies for giving the wrong impression.
Crispin
Yes!!! I agree!
Curious to know if you have any updated thoughts on all of this.
I’m a fan of Wright, and appreciate and am concerned about what’s happening in Redding.
Karl, sorry to take so long to reply. Sadly, this important piece of research is not going forward. Greg has turned his sights to another research topic. Crispin
I am actually re-reading this book now. As you describe the starting point – of the practice of the presence of God – i would describe the word practice here as a verb – it is as act of heart and mind – a leaning towards God, an active seeking and then resting/living in his presence. But yes of course this joyful restoring, re-building of our true image bearing ability must be seen by the cultivation of habits that make the presence of God in our lives also present to those around us.
Thanks Crispin, I’ve ordered it and looking forward to reading it.
Brilliant – just ordered it too!
Crispin, you have said it in such a beautiful way that it is difficult to add to: but I would like to say that it is because we are so part of Him that He cannot but love us. And you are right to say that we are fragile. Jesus knows that we are fragile and our flaws are disgusting to others: but He created us to be His image and He will do anything to rescue us from Satan’s damaging entanglements – even as far as dying for us, and continuing to die for us through the dying of His faithful people. He wants us to love each other with the same love, concern, that He had, and to give support and encouragement so that we may lift ourselves out of our frailty and inclination to sin. It is by this compassion for each other that we portray Jesus to the world so that they may long after Him.
Thanks Crispin. These quotes are really helpful in distilling the definition of ’empathy’, (something that has been on my mind over the last two years in a different context). The video is inspiring, both regarding her incarnational approach, but also the discussion regarding the different aspects of creativity and how it can be used. Thank you.
Inspiring stuff – have shared with my Designer son. Certainly demands a level of engaging with other’s lives that goes well beyond glib soundbites!
Terrorism is a big thing. If it were just a few, over a long period of time one could speak of empathy: but when there are an overwhelming number opperating constantly and consistantly, then there is no time to do more than defend oneself as best we can. True empathy can only be achieved by praying earnestly for them, and if we pray for them then we will love them: but sadly loving a terrorist takes away from the victims our empathy for them. That is how our human nature works. On the other hand, if we exercise empathy for the victum and pray for them, God will deal with the terrorist. I prefer to leave that up to God and He will raise up some one to love the terrorist if it is His (God’s) will to have compassion on him.
Jesus asks us all ‘ Am I not enough for you?’ how do we answer?
An amazing testimony from Carl