My Writings
I've always wanted to be a writer. Way back then, somewhen, I thought I was going to be a poet. And though it's only a very occasional indulgence nowadays, some of those old pomes still make me feel 'Ah yes, there was something there...'
You want to read some of them? Well, strangely enough I just happen to have a few of them with me.
The reason I put my ambition to rival Shakespeare on hold, is that in 1971 I began to try and write a novel about a young man who set out to discover the meaning of life. The only problem was: I didn't know what he could possibly find, that would be a convincing explanation.
When I got back to Oxford where I was studying for my final year of a B.A. in Modern Languages, I started reading the New Testament and found it convincing. It felt like I was faced with an existential choice. (Serious people, these undergraduates.) Either this story I was reading was a pack of lies, in which case I must give up any pretence at being a nominal Christian, and maybe even become a militant campaigner against it. Or it was all true, and I would have to change my life and live like it was true. I chose the latter.
And so, 35 years later, here I am.
So click here to read some of the things I've been writing recently.
Dark Messiah. November, 2005: Took part in NaNoWriMo, and won! by writing a
50,000 word novel in a month. My novel, Dark Messiah, is a
re-telling of the story of Saul, the first king of Israel, from 1
Samuel.
You can read it here in PDF
(recommended) or plain
text.
The Man Who Looked On His Face In A Mirror - A new story composed for the Oxford Storytelling Society, October 23, 2003.
Worldmaker's Greatest Adventure
A Letter from India (April 2002, from Bangalore)
About my Sabbatical on Storytelling
Poems (Mostly written a long time ago)
One of my more quixotic efforts, and one of the few things I've had published, was a Grove booklet on the Rosary, entitled Reconsidering the Rosary, designed to persuade Evangelicals to use the rosary, including the Hail Mary. I don't think it was ever one of their best sellers... but you can read it on the Web, all the same.
What Is Christianity All About? A sermon preached at Marston, May 16, 2004
Sin A sermon preached at Marston, June 13, 2004
Making Void the Word of God: A sermon on biblical interpretation, especially with reference to the continuing controversy about the Church's attitude to homosexuality. Preached at Marston, July 11, 2004
What Should We Do With Our Money? : A sermon on Jesus' Parable of the Dishonest Steward. Preached at Marston on September 16, 2004
We Who Are Strong: A sermon on how we should use the Bible following the Windsor Report. Preached at Marston and Elsfield on October 24, 2004
A Life-Giving Way?: A Sermon to reclaim John 14.6 for thoughtful Christians, and challenge us about whether the Jesus we offer is really a life-giving way.