Just so y'know ...

On this blog you'll find a variety of stuff. Most of it seems to have ended up as political, theological, cultural, philosophical, spiritual and occasionally linguistic and environmental too. Some of it's somewhat academic, some less so and occasionally polemic. All of which is probably a fair indicator of my interests which are eclectic.

You may, with careful perusal, discover that I'm married and have grown-up children, have had a dog and cats. You'll also realise I'm ordained and Anglican of a 'catholic Evangelical' cast, that I've worked as a theological educator and I'm currently the Anglican Attache to Northumbria University: that's a title I quite like as alternative to 'chaplain' or 'faith advisor'.

My education has included a first degree in Linguistic Science, postgraduate work in Theology, Pastoral Studies, Cultural Studies, Education and Reflective Practice. I've also done some life-coaching and offer spiritual-accompaniment and life-amendment coaching. I've been a parish priest in several urban settings as well as a chaplain to Bradford University. I love teaching (that is stimulating and resourcing learning) and enjoy the occasional forays I get into classrooms and other places of learning especially if I have the opportunity to do it creatively, interactively and over time so that a learning community can be formed -however temporarily.

I'd love you to read my book "Praying the Pattern" which is sketching out a spirituality of the Lord's prayer and offers some preliminary liturgies based on its pattern (and you can find a review by Scot McKnight here and a nice comment on part of it here). You can find an excerpt of it which was used in a Canadian church education resource, here. I'm working on a 'Breviary of our Common Prayer' at the moment to develop and enhance some of the work you can find in Praying the Pattern. I also Wrote "Demolishing Strongholds: Evangelism and Strategic Level Spiritual Warfare' (a bit of a review here) which is proving to be a launch-point for one of my current research/writing projects on ministering among the powers.

I have been involved in creative worship as a participant and designer/leader for more than 20 years. You can catch a little glimpse of this in an article which others have sometimes commended as having advice for wider use than just the 'alternative worship' label originally attached to it.

I also nurse a practical interest in visual arts, I sing in a choir and enjoy walks along footpaths among fields and trees.