Can you understand the Psalms without understanding the first two chapters of Genesis? Much of the imagery of the Psalms is built upon a handful of core images found in Genesis that appear again and again in the Psalter and throughout Scripture. We will look at where these metaphors come from, how they have shaped biblical poetry, and what they reveal about God himself.

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What is love? What does it have to do with the ethical life of the Christian? What is at stake when we get love wrong? In an age in which love seems increasingly sentimental and maudlin, this talk aims at a course correction by first proposing a framework for the character of Christian love and then applying the proposal to cases, including war.

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As embodied creatures, to be human is to be in a particular place. But does it matter where that is? What value is there in committing to a place? We will consider the ideas shaping our decisions to stay or to go, to engage or to escape.

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We will examine the themes of dislocation and homecoming and discuss the nature of the Homeric gods. This lecture will include a comparison with and critique of the Homeric cosmos and worldview from a Biblical perspective.

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A collaborative study of Rembrandt’s artwork and exposition of the text implementing insights from Henri Nouwen and Tim Keller.

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The Gospel of John has been analysed with the help of literary categories more than any other book of the New Testament. Literary criticism is not so much about the good story, but about how the story is told. Looking at John through a literary filter shows features that would have been easily missed otherwise. In this lecture, we will develop some of the literary concepts and see how they work in reading John.

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We are living in times of polarisation. It seems that in every aspect of life, there are those who are right - us - and those who are wrong - them. What is pushing us into this position? How can we find a way to truly encounter one another? We will look at how conversation can help us to engage with others in ways that reflect reality and enable us to grow.

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For some work is about survival. For others it involves issues of identity. Many are unsure they are in the right type of work at all. Yet, almost everyone seeks meaningful work. The narratives of purpose and meaning around our work are deeply rooted in our time, place, and experience. This lecture will attempt to reframe our understanding of work as a core element of being human, yet one keenly affected by the Fall—moving from how work fits into our lives to how we fit into the work of God.
Download the Powerpoint slides: https://bit.ly/2EuQNwg
Recommended reading on the topic of faith & work: https://bit.ly/2CgoAHt

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Five hundred years ago losing one’s faith would have been unimaginable, but today it is commonplace (and even celebrated). To many, the Christian faith seems unbelievable and life seems filled with reasons to set it aside. Both belief and doubt have become increasingly fragile as individuals inhabit a liminal space between the two. What are the factors that have contributed to this shift? Can faith actually be lost? If so, how can it be found again?

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Love seems to be a very unstable feeling. What do we mean by the word? Does it have any real place in modern life?

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit englishlabri.substack.com