This review of my book, A Secret History of Christianity, is in the latest edition of the Journal of Inkling Studies. Huge thanks to Jacob Sherman for engaging with it so fully. And I agree: here’s to Owen Barfield’s vision! In ‘Philology and the Incarnation’, one his most provocative and theological essays, Owen Barfield describes… Continue reading “Eloquent, accessible, & richly stimulating work”
Category: Blog
Did Jesus Bungle the Resurrection?
His re-appearances were questioned by the disciples. Only, it wasn’t about proof at all. One of the most initially perplexing moments described in the gospels comes from the morning of the resurrection. Mary Magdalene is in the garden and sees Jesus raised before he promptly says to her, “Do not hold onto me!”. It must… Continue reading Did Jesus Bungle the Resurrection?
Easter And The End Of Christianity
If Coronavirus turns Christian leaders into exemplary citizens, the gospel is lost Will Covid-19 change our way of life, our politics, maybe even our civilisation? Personally, I doubt it. Business and political leaders are already charting a course back to familiar waters. But Eastertime is a festival of novelty. It celebrates spiritual liberation not social… Continue reading Easter And The End Of Christianity
Inferno – discussion invite
I’m proposing to have a discussion about Dante’s Inferno on Saturday 11th April at 5pm BST. If that’s of interest, do email me, mail@markvernon.com, and I’ll get back to you.
Zoom fear and Skype fatigue
What we lose in online meetings and how to survive them. Zoom drinks and Skype dinners were fun at first. And essential. Office life now revolves around online meetings. But as the coronavirus crisis lengthens, and the lockdown extends from days to weeks or more, what might we lose to virtual communication? At one level,… Continue reading Zoom fear and Skype fatigue
The plague that changed the world
For some, probably most, the Covid-19 pandemic is a question of massive mitigation. The aim is to learn lessons and return to business as usual, as soon as possible. For others, it’s different. It’s not just a disaster to get through, but a moment to seize and change the world. The latter response interests me.… Continue reading The plague that changed the world
Freedom in a time of crisis
This piece was written for the Idler. The monastery has come to us. Life has gone on retreat. For the next period, we’ll be living in the refectory and cloister. And, as transpires when you go on retreat, strange things will happen. Part of that will be anxiety. There are those for whom Covid-19 gives… Continue reading Freedom in a time of crisis
How to survive a group panic
The world is in a collective panic. The coronavirus Covid-19 is the understandable cause. Crises precipitate shared alarm when the groups to which we belong, from family to nation, realise that the terms of engagement have suddenly, unexpectedly, dramatically shifted. The group then regresses into primitive states of anxiety at not knowing who’s in control,… Continue reading How to survive a group panic
Plato and the Music of Death. A talk in a time of crisis
Download MP3 here. All the great wisdom traditions tell us that death is an opportunity to reflect on life. Leaning into death reveals more about life, including the perception that life is underpinned by what’s deathless. Today, all around the world, death seems close. Many of the distractions that can keep us free of such… Continue reading Plato and the Music of Death. A talk in a time of crisis
Subtle energies and healing
Psychotherapies that work, though with no agreement about how they work, are becoming mainstream. For example, EMDR is widely used in the treatment of trauma. So what can be said about their efficacy and what, if anything, do they have to do with subtle energies, morphic resonance, quantum phenomena or even the soul? In this… Continue reading Subtle energies and healing