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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · 1h

"One of the greatest acts of pick-pocketry!"
I agree with the commentator, but who cares! 😀
Scotland 3 Greece 1
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #SCOvGRE

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Reposted by Paul Middleton

Yale Classics Library @yaleclassicslib.bsky.social · 23d

Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus Vol. 23, No. 2-3 (2025) brill.com/view/journal... @dgb-relbibtheo.bsky.social They Suffered Under Pontius Pilate: Jewish Anti-Roman Resistance and the Crosses at Golgotha @robertjmyles.bsky.social @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Sep 2

The British New Testament Society conference is taking place in Manchester. Tonight, we have a panel on decolonising New Testament Studies. #bnts25
@bntsoc.bsky.social

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Aug 30

The way to challenge the racist, far-right, anti-immigration, anti-asylum seeker rhetoric is not to say extreme plans won't work, but pander to the sentiment and offer a 'softer' version; it's to declare that it is wrong.
www.thenational.scot/politics/254...

John Swinney: Under the SNP, refugees will always be welcome in Scotland

The scenes we have witnessed in recent weeks demonising migrants and refugees have been deeply depressing. And while these are clearly the actions…

www.thenational.scot

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Aug 30

My most controversial (but correct) view is the moment racism became mainstream in British (English) politics (under the circumlocution "concerned about immigration") was during the 2010 Election Campaign, when Gordon Brown did not say: "I called her a bigoted woman because she was a bigoted woman!"

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Aug 6

It's hot here in the South of France, but there are wasps floating in the pool!!

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Aug 1

The new Archbishop of Wales is The Rt Rev Cheery Vann, who was the first woman ordained priest by the Church of England, is the first woman Archbishop of Wales, and is (I think) the first LGBTQ+ primus of an Anglican Province.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Cherry Vann announced as new Archbishop of Wales

Cherry Van was the first woman ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1994.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Jun 21

Assisted Dying is often seen as a clash between religious and secular world views. The Church of Scotland's report argues there is theological integrity in a range of positions. Assembly narrowly voted to remain opposed, but commends the report for study.
www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/asset...

www.churchofscotland.org.uk

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · May 18

General Assembly of the Church of Scotland service about to get underway.
#GA2025

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · May 17

The Rt Rev Rosie Frew becomes Moderator of tge General Assembly of the Church of Scotland, and the King has affirmed his Coronation Oath to uphold Presbyterian government in Scotland.
#GA2025

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · May 17

The General Assembly of the Church of Scotland gets underway.
#ga2025

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · May 13

A very rare occurrence. I've just submitted the third of my overdue articles, meaning I currently have nothing overdue.
It won't last long, but for the moment, may the saints be praised!
#AcademicLife

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · May 10

The Church of Scotland's report on Assisted Dying urges participants in this kind of debate to listen to what those who disagree with them are actually saying. It sets out theological arguments to support a range of positions.
www.churchofscotland.org.uk/__data/asset...

www.churchofscotland.org.uk

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · May 8

Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony.

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · May 8

A surprisingly quick election of the next Pope.
Robert Prevost, the first American to be elected, will be known as Leo XIV.

Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · May 7

Nicola Sturgeon says the early responses to the Supreme Court ruling risks making the life of trans people "almost unliveable" and "doesn't make a single woman safer."

I entirely agree. The Supreme Court judges ruling rendered the 2004 Gender reform Act obsolete.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Court ruling could make trans life 'unliveable' - Sturgeon

The former first minister has spoken for the first time about the Supreme Court's judgement on the definition of a woman.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · May 3

The best part of this story is the farm owner's impressive Biblical literacy (with no reference in the article). The foal which both donkeys think is theirs is called Solomon!
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Donkey has two mums after 'one in a million' birth

Two donkeys gave birth at exactly the same time leaving their carers with a mystery to solve.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Apr 29

Cutting frontline teaching staff is always a choice and inevitably damages student experience. The tragedy is when many academics leave the profession their disciplines are the poorer. That can rarely be said of the managers who make these decisions.
www.walesonline.co.uk/news/educati...

Cardiff University warned of 'spiral of decline' risk over job cuts plan

The way Cardiff University announced planned cuts has 'seriously damaged' its reputation, academics have warned management

www.walesonline.co.uk

Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Apr 20

Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but risen! (Luke 24.5–6)
Happy Easter!

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Mar 29

When I was a student at Princeton (hundreds of years ago), the fact it was pitch dark at 8pm in early September had me checking the globe in the library. I'd not realised how far south the US was!

Mark Chadbourn @chadbourn.bsky.social · Mar 29

The US and Canada mapped at equivalent European latitudes. (via Amazing Maps)

Map of US and Canada overlaid across Europe and North Africa

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Mar 29

The elephant in the room is much of Makin's criticism of Welby is fanciful. The 'case' against Welby is beyond confirming it had been reported to the police, he didn't follow it up. Makin's fanciful conclusion is had he done so, it might have made a difference.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Justin Welby tells BBC abuse in Church was 'overwhelming'

In his first interview since resigning, the former Archbishop of Canterbury tells Laura Kuenssberg about his failures on the John Smyth case.

www.bbc.co.uk

Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Mar 20

Scotland has been uncharacteristically jammy (and I mean lashings of jam) in this match! 😆
FT: Greece 0 Scotland 1
#GreSco 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 #UEFAnationsleague

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Mar 19

This lunchtime, I'm speaking in the second of five Chester Cathedral Lent Bible Talks on the Nicene Creed in Biblical Perspective.
Today, we believe in One Lord Jesus Christ.

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Mar 11

Elaine Graham says Don Cupitt's Sea of Faith project was a serious attempt to marry 'religious seriousness and critical faith.' However, she notes it lacks political engagement at a time the Church of England was politically engaged.

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Paul Middleton @profpaulmiddleton.bsky.social · Mar 11

"The only test of faith now is how it works out in life." (Don Cupitt)
Folk in Scotland might recognise the way the Sea of Faith developed in Richard Holloway's thinking, and his question of doctrine: "What's the cash value."

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