British/European theo-bloggers
For reasons explained in the previous post, I would like to start to construct a list of British and European blogs with theological content. Nominations are hereby invited.
I guess we need to define ‘theological content’. I would go for something like this: ‘a majority of the posts would be interesting to someone, educated to higher degree level, who is generally interested in theology and wants to keep abreast of contemporary developments and discussions.’ So a blog that offers informed and reasoned posts on a particular theological topic, and a blog that serves to alert its readers of upcoming publications, lectures, and conferences, both make the cut. I would generally like to err on the side of generosity, also: it is a list inviting people to explore, after all, and I don’t think it is going to be excessively long…
(‘British/European’ also invites some analysis; what of Brits now living abroad, or Americans temporarily resident here to do a doctorate? The test is content, and again to be applied generously. Suggest away.)
I have ten or so candidates in my own head, but I’d like to hear others’ proposals, so I’m not even going to start a list. Tell me what should be included!
Steve. I like this idea, and your reasons for proposing it.
FWIW, here’s a few to consider:
– http://nothing-new-under-the-sun.blogspot.com (Byron Smith is an Aussie but blogs out of Edinburgh)
– http://blog.christilling.de (Chris Tilling)
– http://www.jamesalison.co.uk (James Alison’s site is not exactly a ‘blog’ but he does at least update it with new material from time to time)
– I second adding Jim Gordon and Andy Goodliff to your list
– http://christpantokrator.blogspot.com (Terry J. Wright’s blog)
– http://www.transpositions.co.uk (An ITIA venture)
– http://theologicalscribbles.blogspot.com (Robin Parry’s blog)
– http://narrativeandontology.blogspot.com (Phil Sumpter’s blog)
– http://blogs.abo.fi/phagman (Patrik Hagman’s blog)
– http://cruciformphronesis.blogspot.com/
Would a Brit currently plying his trade in Australia count? http://johnnymcdowell.wordpress.com
Whether it’s worthwhile I’ll leave it to others to judge but i do post on theological themes, although perhaps less frequently than I once did and live in England.
Recommend you include David Bunce (http://www.dodifferent.org.uk/) and maybe even my own meagre writings (http://jesterpilgrim.wordpress.com/)
Good idea!
Jon Horne blogs at http://theoblogica.blogspot.com/
I might be coming too late to the party, but whatyouthinkmatters.org/blog ?
I’m confused. I normally find the ‘theological content’ of this blog and others very helpful and thought provoking as I try to live faith in my workplace, family and church. Unfortunately I don’t actually have a higher degree, merely an ordinary one. Given your definition, the fact that your thoughts have interested someone of my educational standards,must mean that you don’t spout as much theological content as you first thought? Are you talking about professional theologians blogging to each other? Surely the audience is wider.
Colin, thanks for commenting, and for your honesty. I think I would say something like this: the audience may well be wider – if a blogger writes well, the audience should be wider, but what makes someone a theological blogger rather than a general Christian blogger is the test in the o.p. above.
That is, lots of people blog about (say) Calvinism vs Arminianism or (say) the question of the ministry of women and men in God’s church; many of those blogs (in my experience) are not theologically informed, by which I mean that current scholarship on this text or that is not in view, or important distinctions (the possibility of a compatibilist account of human freedom, e.g.) are not recognised. This doesn’t make them bad, but does mean that for the ‘professional theologian’ (which I hope I am not…) the comments are unlikely to be greatly interesting.
To use a metaphor I’ve used before about this blog, I conceive it as being like a research seminar I am convening; a research seminar is not better or worse than a local church homegroup, but it is different. In St Mary’s, where I teach, several of the research seminars make a point of inviting local ministers and interested lay people, but they still work on the assumption that standard academic positions may be assumed, referenced in shorthand without being explained, and so on. The conversation in a homegroup would not assume these things. This would make it better in the sense of being more accessible, worse perhaps in the sense of being less likely to break new ground.
So in imagining the category of ‘theo-blogs’ I am certainly not trying to exclude anybody, or to commend obfuscatory posting; rather, I am trying to acknowledge the existence of an online conversation which, whilst certainly seeking to be clear in expression, is nonetheless comfortable, where helpful or necessary, in assuming a certain degree of specialist knowledge.
Does that help?
Steve
Note to self: http://www.arnizachariassen.com/ithinkibelieve/