st mellitus college - new courses

Things have been very hectic at St Mellitus College (SMC) over the last eighteen months but the up side is that exciting new developments are beginning to come to fruition.

BEGINNING THEOLOGY is for anyone in the London area who wants to develop a greater understanding of their Christian faith, but it is particularly aimed at those who wish to use it as a basis for developing in Christian ministry and/or undertaking theological study at diploma or degree level. The course has been designed as an Access Course for diploma and degree level courses run by St Mellitus College. Students for whom English is not their first language will be able to take advantage of modules on English for Theological Purposes, delivered by specialist teachers. For further information please contact Revd Eileeen Lockhart access@ntmtc.org.uk .


COURSES IN THEOLOGY are now being offered at the St Paul's Theological Centre (SPTC). Building on the ministerial training programmes already offerd by SMC at North Thames Ministerial Training Course (NTMTC) and SPTC, this programme is open to independent students who can study at certificate, diploma and degree level. Students can opt for accredited or non accredited courses. Full details about the courses can be found here.

Ryan Giggs - P.F.A. Player of the Year

Last night Ryan Giggs O.B.E. received his latest honour by being voted Player of the Year by his fellow professionals. It is fitting recognition of the contribution Ryan has made not only to Manchester United and Wales over many years but is also appropriate for someone who is regarded as that rare commodity 'the model professional'.

Here are some of Ryan's achievements in the game so far:
799 Appearances for Manchester Utd
10 Premier League Titles
4 F.A. Cups
3 League Cups
2 EUFA Champions League Titles
1 FIFA Club World Cup
1 EUFA Super Cup
1 Intercontinental Cup
148 Goals
64 Caps for Wales
12 International Goals

Favourite moment: Man Utd v Arsenal F.A. Cup semi-final replay 1999. Giggs intercepts the ball on the half way line, beats most of the Arsenal mid-field and defence, before smashing the ball into the net to win the game for Utd as part of the glorious treble winning season. Giggs then stripped off his shirt and ran down the line waving it above his head to the adulation of the supporters.



Favourite quote: When asked by a reporter why he decided to play for Wales Giggs replied 'Because I'm Welsh.'

good God, bad God?

Conference on apologetics and theodicy at St Paul's Hammersmith on 9th May. Speakers include Graham Tomlin and Mike Lloyd two of my colleagues at St. Mellitus College and Alister McGrath who is a visiting professor of the college.

worship star

As a former drummer in various Christain bands I found this just a little too close for comfort.



h/t Pete Broadbent

sign of the times (4)

Flag of St George flying over Chelmsford Cathedral

It's St George's Day and the blogs, tweets, newspapers, politicians, clergy etc. have all been having their say. Some have been calling for a national holiday, others want flags flying and bells ringing and some want a discussion of what it is to be English. Personally, I'm not too bothered about celebrating St. George's Day but if others want to do it then O.K., though I wouldn't mind another day off.

Here's a brief Twitter conversation I had with Pete Broadbent, Bishop of Willesden, earlier today.

pete173 It's not necessary to being English to have any kind of day to celebrate it. St Patrick's is different, cos that's how the Irish do it.

philritchie @pete173 The Q is what is necessary to being English?

pete173 @philritchie Nothing much is necessary to being English - just a certain sense of understated superiority and a joy in being different...

I realise that for others this is a more serious matter: The Bishop of Rochester has called for St George's Day celebrations. The Archbishop of York has championed the potential for St George's Day to be a unifying public holiday and The Ugley Vicar has copied out his old school song, as he argues that citizenship is principally about ownership of a story.

What I do take very seriously is the obnoxious work of the British National Party. Ministering in the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham for seven years, I had first hand experience of the corrosive and dangerous work of the BNP as they established a foothold and then expanded their work in the borough. My heart would sink each time I heard someone begin a statement with the words 'I'm not racist but...'. I keep in touch with the area and have colleagues and friends living and working there. I know that the fight against the racists and extremists is challenging and I am full of admiration for their determined stand on this issue. Many of the churches, with the rich diversity of their congregations, are modelling something very important to the wider community. Church leaders are taking a public role in standing against the BNP and taking the flack for doing so.

The BNP has chosen to run a particularly offensive campaign in the run up to the European Elections in June. Their posters carry a picture of Jesus Christ on the cross and quote part of a verse from John's Gospel (John 15:20) in which Jesus says: "If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you". So they use a poster featuring the words of someone they would not allow to be a member of their party because he would not meet their ethnic grouping membership criteria. Jesus was not an 'Indigenous Caucasian'. If you want to help oppose the BNP then check out Hope Not Hate.

A final episcopal Tweet on St George's Day from Bishop Alan Wilson :

@alantlwilson Happy St George's Day. Wrap self in flag, drink 8 tins of Carling, pop down station & vomit over ticket collector? Too early in morning...

The only other St. George's Day celebration I saw in Chelmsford today.

emmaus - rowan williams

First the sun, then the shadow
so that I screw my eyes to see
my friend's face, and its lines seem
different, and the voice shakes in the hot air.
Out of the rising white dust, feet
tread a shape, and, out of step,
another flat sound, stamped between voice
and ears, dancing in the gaps, and dodging
where words and feet do not fall.
When our eyes meet, I see bewilderment
(like mine); we cannot learn
the rhythm we are asked to walk,
and what we hear is not each other.
Between us is filled up, the silence
is filled up, lines of our hands
and faces pushed into shape
by the solid stranger, and the static
breaks up our waves like dropped stones.
So it is necessary to carry him with us,
cupped between hands and profiles,
so that the table is filled up, and as
the food is set and the first wine splashes,
a solid thumb and finger tear the thunderous
grey bread. Now it is cold, even indoors,
and the light falls sharply on our bones;
the rain breathes out hard, dust blackens,
and our released voices shine with water.

© Rowan Douglas Williams 2004

h/t Peter Carey

it's all about me

Brilliant worship cd for the narcissist in all of us!