One of the fruitful ideas I keep returning to in my life and scholarship is how stories or narratives or dramas shape us. They form our imaginations and – even when we’re not conscious of it – they influence how Read more
Sustainability is the watchword of our time. I wonder if it is the most widely shared ethic in today’s world; certainly it is seems to pop up frequently in the aspirations of people and organisations in the English-speaking world. From Read more
Consider two conversations about motorbikes on the streets of Leeds. Less Fruitful Conversation “My name is George. I love my Honda Goldwing motorbike. What would Jesus say about that?” “Talking about motorbikes is worldly. Can I tell you about Jesus?” Read more
This is the second installment of my series of reflections on Herman Dooyeweerd’s little book, In the Twilight of Western Thought. If you’re following along in this series or you’re part of the Kirby Laing Centre’s Junior Scholars Hub, welcome back! Read more
The KLC Junior Scholars’ Reading Group looking at Herman Dooyeweerd’s book In the Twilight of Western Thought has begun, and our first session proved fascinating and thought-provoking for me. Besides Mike’s monthly posts going through each chapter ahead of our Read more
As we tiptoe tentatively through the first weeks of 2022, wondering what lies ahead for us this year, I’ve been musing on an attitude which I’ve seen cropping up in a few different places recently – most obviously in the Read more
RealityBites is now working in one of the most deprived areas in Leeds. When my good friend and co-worker, Mark Yeadon invited me to bring my storytelling gift to the Welcome café in Burmantofts I was excited but also apprehensive. Read more
When I was a young child visiting my grandparents, they often had a detective show on the TV. I can still picture Perry Mason encouraging some distraught woman to give him, “Just the facts, ma’am.” It was believed that if Read more
I’m recovering from a Covid infection as I write. It’s been a mild one, like a dry flu, and for this I feel grateful for the vaccinations I received back in the summer. Even before contracting Covid-19, I was planning Read more
Chat about Gangster Films Consider two conversations about Gangster films on the streets of Leeds. Less Fruitful Conversation “Hello, my name is Derek and I love watching gangster films. Is that ok if you are a Christian? “I believe that Read more