Poetry has always been the means by which human beings have creatively expressed that which is outside ordinary everyday speech. ‘Poetry’ in this sense encompasses poetry as we know it, but also plays, songs, and even some forms of prose; anything which seeks to use metaphors and similes, symbolism and imagery, hyperbole, creative contrast, rhyme, … More Theology and Poetry
I’m reading Pat Pattison’s wonderful book, Writing Better Lyrics. One of the many, many great things about this book is its inclusion of useful exercises to do as you go along. I have devotedly set aside a notebook for the purpose; it lives with this book, getting pig-eared and dog-chewed as I read and re-read … More Lyric writing: A window on a coffee shop
A gift for all my readers (all three of you). While not strictly about Christmas, this poem concerns something I have been reflecting on quite deeply for a while and may blog about (if I have time) next year. In the meantime, enjoy, and see what it speaks to you about. I give you: The … More The Three Strangers
Well, I have an excuse. I have had possibly one of the busiest years of my life: my wife and I bought a house, got pregnant, and all while I was working full-time for church (a change that took place just over a year ago; my first full-time job since 2008). That said, I did … More My year in blogging – a poor show
I’m looking forward to launching (the hard copies of) my new EP ‘Where I Am Free’ this evening. As part of the time I’m hoping to read a couple of pieces of psalm-writing (or rather rewriting) that I’ve done lately. One is based on Psalm 139 which I posted recently. The other is based on … More Who Am I? (My take on Psalm 8)
Fully known. Perfectly loved. Incomprehensibly understood. Every step – counted. Every word – breathlessly anticipated. Every thought – an open book. Fully known.
This morning at 7.30am we proudly took delivery of the hard copies of my new EP, “Where I Am Free”. I recorded the EP during the Summer of ’14 and blogged about it at the time. It’s always exciting to release a fresh set of songs after the loving process of recording, mixing and mastering … More New EP release just around the corner!
As readers will know, last year I released my second EP Invitation, and was very involved with two other big releases from our church – an album of live worship, and an album of Christmas Gospel arrangements. These were exciting projects, and the EP especially pushed me to be expanding my listening and assessment of … More 2013: Music I discovered last year
Well, if NT Wright’s life work has taken a step nearer completion with the publication of Volume 4 of his dogmatics/institutes/magnum opus on Jesus, Paul and the New Testament, my life’s work has just been expanded to encompass trying to read the thing. This latest edition heaves its way in at nearly 1700 pages, according to … More Tom Wright and the many volumes of God
(*From a non-anthropologist) There is a grand cultural switch taking place, in which the old consumer formats of (for example) books or CDs are being traded for digital copies, for the sake of the inevitable benefits: price, portability, accessibility. Why go out and pay more for a hardback which takes up space when you can … More eBooks or Paperbacks – an anthropological answer*
Ben David Trigg 