One of the ‘in’ songs during my student radio days was Enigma’s “Return to Innocence” (along with “Something Inside so Strong” by Labi Siffre, which seemed to have some deep significance for a lot of my peers that I never quite got the bottom of!). It’s a song that particularly resonated with me at the […]

One of the questions that the Bishop asked me in the pre-ordination interview was “Where was God in Grenfell Tower?” The context was a reporter from Sky News (say) holding a microphone up to my face. The question stayed with me throughout my pre-ordination retreat – not so much because of theodicy (aka “why does […]

In honour of my pending ordination (tomorrow!!) I have set up a new blog, which will (hopefully) be a bit deeper than my ramblings on here. It’s at revjameshandley.wordpress.com I intend to keep this site going with photos, reviews, random thoughts (not that there has been a lot of that recently – doing a theology […]

I understand the appeal of poetry – it provides a way to express something that you can’t necessarily put into words, or pin down. However, it’s never been my strong point, so I’m not going to even attempt it, and try and use prose instead!! Tomorrow afternoon I am going to be ordained Deacon in […]

Last weekend I left St Hild College, after completing three years of pre-ordination training, and a theology degree. I have never formally studied theology before, and it was been a remarkable journey, as I have learnt a whole lot more about the Bible, the Church, and God – although it is probably more accurate to […]

Welcome to my new blog, which I’m putting together in anticipation of my pending ordination as a Deacon in the Church of England, 1st July 2017 at Bradford Cathedral. I plan to use it for blogging once I’m ordained about matters ecclesial, spiritual, and theological (you have been warned). Pictures of birthday cakes I’ve baked […]

Well – it’s all real now. I am going to be ordained Deacon at Bradford Cathedral on Saturday 1st July 2017, to take up my curacy at St Mark’s Harrogate one day a week (plus Sundays). While the journey is by no means ending on the 1st July, it is a significant milestone, and many […]

While I was at this year’s Easter School in Durham, I have the chance to attend the book launch of a new book, which has several contributions from YMC tutors. The book looks excellent, and is available now in paper and Kindle format from Amazon. Once I’ve read a bit more of it I’ll do […]

So far in my ordination training, the vast majority of assessed work has been via a written essay, usually of 2,500 words. UPDATE: By the look of this year’s handbook, the citation rules have changed, and we are allowed to use the altogether more sensible Harvard referencing system. The styling also seems a lot more […]

I think Life Verses are probably a bit of a marmite thing – you either love the idea, or hate it/don’t see the point. I must confess that I haven’t read any direct explanation of what they are, so I’ve inferred it from some of the youthwork books I’ve read and my own personal experience. […]