Cathy Higgins’ “Churches in Exile”: Book Review and Book Launch 22 May – What’s Emerging among Churches in Ireland?

higgins coverCathy Higgins’ new book, Churches in Exile: Alternative Models of Church for Ireland in the 21st Century (Columba, 2013) starts from the premise that churches in Ireland are in crisis, wedded to an outdated ‘Christendom’ model of church that has … Read more...

Exploring the Significance of Peter Rollins and the Ikon Collective – Talk on Sunday 12 May at UCD

imageI’ll be presenting a paper titled, “Northern Ireland, America and the Emerging Church Movement: Exploring the Significance of Peter Rollins and the Ikon Collective” on Sunday 12 May at the Clinton Centre, University College Dublin, in a panel from 12.00-1.30 … Read more...

Ryan Bolger’s The Gospel After Christendom Book Review–Part 3

beanToday is the third and final post taking in my review of Ryan Bolger’s edited collection, The Gospel After Christendom. In my first two posts, I provided a general outline review, and then descriptions of three of the chapters Read more...

Ryan Bolger’s The Gospel After Christendom Book Review–Part 2

paasLast week I wrote an initial overview review of a new book edited by Ryan Bolger, The Gospel After Christendom: New Voices, New Cultures, New Expressions (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012). The book contains 28 chapters by scholars and practitioners, … Read more...

Ryan Bolger’s The Gospel after Christendom–Book Review, Part I

bolgerThe Gospel after Christendom: New Voices, New Cultures, New Expressions (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2012) is an ambitious attempt to conceptualise, synthesise, and internationalise the Emerging Church Movement (ECM). Edited by Ryan Bolger, co-author of one of the earliest books Read more...

Jay Bakker – Faith, Doubt, and Other Lines I’ve Crossed: Book Review and Interview in Belfast Tues 23 April

bakkerfaithdoubtWhat is God like? Is doubt harmful to faith? Who do Christians marginalise? Those are just some of the questions explored in a new book by Jay Bakker, Faith, Doubt, and Other Lines I’ve Crossed: Walking with the Unknown GodRead more...

What We Talk About When We Talk About God by Rob Bell – Book Review and Talks in Manchester and Edinburgh Tues and Wed

robbelltalkRob Bell’s latest book, What We Talk About When We Talk About God (Collins, 2013), can be read on a number of levels.

First – there is the level of pure enjoyment, which even some of his critics are willing

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The Idolatry of God (with Peter Rollins) Starts Next Week in Belfast … tickets still available

5201192908-5.pngIn my review of Peter Rollins’ latest book, The Idolatry of God, I wrote that debate should focus on:

“ … whether or not Rollins’ articulation of what it could mean to live authentically as Christians in a world

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The Catholic Church in Ireland in Transition – Reflections for Zimbabwe, Published in Mukai/Vukani

mukaiI have had an article published in the latest issue of Mukai/Vukani (meaning “Wake up!”), the Jesuit Journal for Theological Reflection in Zimbabwe. This edition (volume 64, April 2013) discusses “The Church in Transition.” With kind permission from the editor, … Read more...

Kester Brewin’s After Magic: Book Review – What can Batman Teach us about Christianity?

AfterMagicCoverFrontIt turns out Batman has a lot to teach us about Christianity.

The latest book from Kester Brewin, After Magic: Moves Beyond Super-nature from Batman to Shakespeare, takes us into the worlds of literature and comic book heroes in … Read more...

Tweet if you Love Jesus by Elizabeth Drescher: Book Review

TweetCoverArt What is God up to online? In Tweet if You Love Jesus: Practicing Church in the Digital Reformation (Morehouse Publishing, 2011), Elizabeth Drescher tells us that he’s up to quite a lot. She also warns that if churches don’t … Read more...