Helen O'Sullivan
@helenosullivan.bsky.social
Priest in the CofE, theological educator and supporting ministry in four rural churches. I love theatre, good books, long walks by the sea and am looked after by my bossy cat.
Driving to work this morning as the sun rose, painting the sky pink and orange over the frozen fields and the mist lay heavy on the stream I caught a flash of iridescent blue which danced ahead of me. My first Kingfisher. Unexpected beauty in something so small and fragile - a perfect gift.
November 26, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Driving to work this morning as the sun rose, painting the sky pink and orange over the frozen fields and the mist lay heavy on the stream I caught a flash of iridescent blue which danced ahead of me. My first Kingfisher. Unexpected beauty in something so small and fragile - a perfect gift.
Reposted by Helen O'Sullivan
I hope this reaches you.
November 18, 2025 at 3:11 PM
I hope this reaches you.
Reposted by Helen O'Sullivan
Whatever you think the church's position on same-sex relationships should be, the decision-making of the House of Bishops shouldn't be informed by advice which tries to claim a consensus which doesn't exist, even among the theologians quoted supposedly in support of it.
Any #CofEpeeps following the sorry saga of #LLF should read this powerful response by Professor Mike Higton to the "misappropriation" of his work in the recent Faith and Order Commission paper on doctrine, intended to inform the House of Bishops decision-making. viamedia.news/2025/11/17/c...
Cries of Suffering: A Response to ‘The Nature of Doctrine and the Living God’ - ViaMedia.News
by Mike Higton, Professor of Theology and Ministry at Durham University The Faith and Order Commission’s recent document on ‘The Nature of Doctrine and the Living God’ (GS Misc 1429) is not, in my jud...
viamedia.news
November 17, 2025 at 2:10 PM
Whatever you think the church's position on same-sex relationships should be, the decision-making of the House of Bishops shouldn't be informed by advice which tries to claim a consensus which doesn't exist, even among the theologians quoted supposedly in support of it.
I was very restrained at the bookshop this morning but excited to read both of these. One inspired by last week’s conversation between Katherine Randell and @jdcrawf.bsky.social and the other a delightful discovery ready for Advent.
November 17, 2025 at 1:03 PM
I was very restrained at the bookshop this morning but excited to read both of these. One inspired by last week’s conversation between Katherine Randell and @jdcrawf.bsky.social and the other a delightful discovery ready for Advent.
Reposted by Helen O'Sullivan
Loved this episode exploring the importance of fantasy, storytelling an imagination. ‘The Prince Caspian’ choice reminded me of Jem Bloomfield’s book ‘Gold on the Horizon’ which follows the Take Four books USP by tracing Lewis’ literary influences in Caspian and Dawn Treader.
If you are interested in books, reading and the power of story, then listen to this BBC R4 chat I had with the brilliant Katherine Rundell. We're talking about her new @bloomsburybooksuk.bsky.social novel The Poisoned King, but much more too, from Hamlet to Le Guin! 📚👇🎧
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
November 10, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Loved this episode exploring the importance of fantasy, storytelling an imagination. ‘The Prince Caspian’ choice reminded me of Jem Bloomfield’s book ‘Gold on the Horizon’ which follows the Take Four books USP by tracing Lewis’ literary influences in Caspian and Dawn Treader.
Echoes of the past carried on the wind,
As waves shape granite
Birds wheel on thermals above
And the heart is at rest in the wildness.
#Cornwall #WestPenwith
As waves shape granite
Birds wheel on thermals above
And the heart is at rest in the wildness.
#Cornwall #WestPenwith
October 27, 2025 at 6:45 PM
Echoes of the past carried on the wind,
As waves shape granite
Birds wheel on thermals above
And the heart is at rest in the wildness.
#Cornwall #WestPenwith
As waves shape granite
Birds wheel on thermals above
And the heart is at rest in the wildness.
#Cornwall #WestPenwith
Led a study day today with our final year ordinands today. In the midst of *waves hands at everything* spending time with these humble, open and faithful people brings so much hope and joy. #TiredButHappy
October 4, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Led a study day today with our final year ordinands today. In the midst of *waves hands at everything* spending time with these humble, open and faithful people brings so much hope and joy. #TiredButHappy
One of the best things about my job is that my students teach me far more than I ever teach them. A great start of term weekend exploring Bonhoeffer, St Benedict and the work of God in a pretty amazing group of people. Looking forward to the year ahead.
September 6, 2025 at 7:31 PM
One of the best things about my job is that my students teach me far more than I ever teach them. A great start of term weekend exploring Bonhoeffer, St Benedict and the work of God in a pretty amazing group of people. Looking forward to the year ahead.
Planning the first session of a new academic year for our final year ordinands. Bonhoeffer on community and Peterson on the vocation of telling the story of ‘command, promise and invitation.’
September 1, 2025 at 10:07 AM
Planning the first session of a new academic year for our final year ordinands. Bonhoeffer on community and Peterson on the vocation of telling the story of ‘command, promise and invitation.’
A lovely impromptu birthday adventure. Sea, sunshine, cake and Benedictine worship. What more does a birthday need?
August 21, 2025 at 6:57 PM
A lovely impromptu birthday adventure. Sea, sunshine, cake and Benedictine worship. What more does a birthday need?
A long train journey means starting another pick from Take Four Books with @jdcrawf.bsky.social Looking forward to this one.
July 16, 2025 at 5:58 AM
A long train journey means starting another pick from Take Four Books with @jdcrawf.bsky.social Looking forward to this one.
@hannahswiv.bsky.social saw you post about this book earlier so thought you might be interested in this.
Listen now to my chat on Radio 4's #TakeFourBooks with Madeleine Thien about her new, time-warping @grantabooks.bsky.social novel of war, exile and refugees, 'The Book of Records' - and her three influences, including the evergreen 'Invisible Cities' by Italo Calvino...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
June 29, 2025 at 3:18 PM
@hannahswiv.bsky.social saw you post about this book earlier so thought you might be interested in this.
A wonderful weekend celebrating those of our students being ordained priest and deacon this year. And the icing on the cake was having all but one of my curacy cohort together for the first time in four years. #grateful
June 29, 2025 at 3:17 PM
A wonderful weekend celebrating those of our students being ordained priest and deacon this year. And the icing on the cake was having all but one of my curacy cohort together for the first time in four years. #grateful
Some moments make you stop, breathe deeply and rejoice in the wonder of creation. The world may feel heavy at the moment but a pause on an evening walk back to the car can be long enough to let in a glimmer of hope and a promise of peace.
June 17, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Some moments make you stop, breathe deeply and rejoice in the wonder of creation. The world may feel heavy at the moment but a pause on an evening walk back to the car can be long enough to let in a glimmer of hope and a promise of peace.
I loved this episode, an exploration of what sounds like a beautiful book about storytelling & interconnection The comment “the same water we might have shed as tears yesterday may be the same drop that fell on the head of a mighty king in Ancient Assyria” may have led to a few tears itself.
Listen to us chat to Elif Shafak behind the scenes at @hayfestival.bsky.social on R4 #TakeFourBooks: talking 'There Are Rivers in the Sky' & 3 influences including the earliest recorded poem The Epic of Gilgamesh - along with first national poet of Wales, Gwyneth Lewis! www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...
June 15, 2025 at 7:38 PM
I loved this episode, an exploration of what sounds like a beautiful book about storytelling & interconnection The comment “the same water we might have shed as tears yesterday may be the same drop that fell on the head of a mighty king in Ancient Assyria” may have led to a few tears itself.
Rest in peace and rise in glory - a faithful servant and inspiring theologian.
The death of influential Old Testament scholar Walter Brueggemann has just been announced:
www.walterbrueggemann.com/2025/06/05/i...
Our condolences to his family.
scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/authors/walt...
www.walterbrueggemann.com/2025/06/05/i...
Our condolences to his family.
scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk/authors/walt...
Walter Brueggemann
Walter Brueggemann (1933-2025) was William Marcellus McPheeters Professor of Old Testament Emeritus at Columbia Theological Seminary.
scmpress.hymnsam.co.uk
June 5, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Rest in peace and rise in glory - a faithful servant and inspiring theologian.
Reposted by Helen O'Sullivan
Annual anniversary reminder that Sojourner Truth didn’t speak the way we thought. A white woman doctored Sojourner Truth’s speech so it sounded more the way white people thought it should.
Professor Nell Irvin Painter was the first to bring awareness to this:
www.thesojournertruthproject.com
Professor Nell Irvin Painter was the first to bring awareness to this:
www.thesojournertruthproject.com
The Sojourner Truth Project
Read the most accurate version of Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a woman” speech. And hear it as she would’ve sounded, in her upper New York State low-Dutch accent. Sojourner Truth’s original “Ain’t I a ...
www.thesojournertruthproject.com
May 29, 2025 at 10:03 PM
Annual anniversary reminder that Sojourner Truth didn’t speak the way we thought. A white woman doctored Sojourner Truth’s speech so it sounded more the way white people thought it should.
Professor Nell Irvin Painter was the first to bring awareness to this:
www.thesojournertruthproject.com
Professor Nell Irvin Painter was the first to bring awareness to this:
www.thesojournertruthproject.com
‘Placing the biblical narratives in the streets of the city [medieval mystery plays] implied a relationship between the here and now with the there and then…making the lives of the people part of the fabric of salvation history’
Todd Johnson- Performing the Sacred
Todd Johnson- Performing the Sacred
May 14, 2025 at 4:42 PM
‘Placing the biblical narratives in the streets of the city [medieval mystery plays] implied a relationship between the here and now with the there and then…making the lives of the people part of the fabric of salvation history’
Todd Johnson- Performing the Sacred
Todd Johnson- Performing the Sacred
A sad thing to see on a Wednesday.
May 14, 2025 at 3:12 PM
A sad thing to see on a Wednesday.
Today is this sort of a day (out of shot are coffee and book - of course)
May 2, 2025 at 11:37 AM
Today is this sort of a day (out of shot are coffee and book - of course)
It was somewhat disconcerting to discover E.M. Forester’s book ‘The Machine Stops’ on the same day that power failures brought Spain and a Portugal to a stop.
April 29, 2025 at 7:34 AM
It was somewhat disconcerting to discover E.M. Forester’s book ‘The Machine Stops’ on the same day that power failures brought Spain and a Portugal to a stop.
Hermes seems to have a divine vocation to keep telling the tale “regardless of how it ends” until it changes. This act is presented to us as faith, hope, resistance…the tale might turn out differently upon the next telling, & so Hermes strikes up the band once again.
A great piece on a show I love.
A great piece on a show I love.
Hadestown hints at so much more | Seen & Unseen
www.seenandunseen.com
April 23, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Hermes seems to have a divine vocation to keep telling the tale “regardless of how it ends” until it changes. This act is presented to us as faith, hope, resistance…the tale might turn out differently upon the next telling, & so Hermes strikes up the band once again.
A great piece on a show I love.
A great piece on a show I love.
A joy to preach & preside today at Twyford, the church which supported me through so much of my pre-ordination journey. Old friends & new celebrating & reflecting on the breaking open of the tomb & the breaking open of our own imaginations when it comes to the gift of new life.
(Words by Ann Lewin)
(Words by Ann Lewin)
April 20, 2025 at 11:56 AM
A joy to preach & preside today at Twyford, the church which supported me through so much of my pre-ordination journey. Old friends & new celebrating & reflecting on the breaking open of the tomb & the breaking open of our own imaginations when it comes to the gift of new life.
(Words by Ann Lewin)
(Words by Ann Lewin)
