The Household of Cornelius and the Conversion of Peter

Bishop Steven delivers his sermon at the clergy conference 2025diocese of oxford

The Household of Cornelius and the Conversion of Peter In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian cohort as it was called. So begins the third in this sequence of stories of conversion. Again the Holy Spirit is at work beyond and outside the Christian community. Again the Holy Spirit […]

/by

Wisdom at the crossroads

A sermon at the institution of the Revd. Dr. Will Lamb as Vicar of the University Church of St. Mary the Virgin with St. Cross and St Peter in the East

An Easter Jubliate

Matins on Easter day is a song of joy.  Heart deep, world wide, heaven high, life long. For forty days the Church has fasted.  We have denied ourselves the Alleluia and the Gloria. We have walked the way of the cross.  We have journeyed…
Reconciliation

Reconciliation : a profound gift

On Good Friday, Christians everywhere will take time to reflect and remember the events of that Friday long ago when Christ was crucified.
Oils

Lift up your hearts

Thank you for your welcome to the Diocese over these last seven months. Thank you for your encouragement and prayers. I have been asked many times “How can we pray for you?” I have normally quoted some words spoken by the Bishop in the ordinal:…

On Fragmentation

A Presidential Address to the Diocesan Synod “They have treated the wound of my people carelessly” says the prophet Jeremiah of the leaders of his day. “They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying “Peace, peace”…

A week in the House of Lords

In case anyone might be wondering what bishops do in the House of Lords, here’s a summary of my week. I was then "duty bishop" from 5-10 March 2017. We each do a couple of weeks of duty a year and then serve as we can in various ways. Our…

Supermarket Flowers

Ed Sheeran released his third album, Divide, a few weeks ago. It went straight to Number 1 and 2 in the download album chart (there’s a deluxe version which costs a bit more). Just about every song was in the top fifty singles the following…

Mercy and Judgement

A reflection for Ash Wednesday “Blessed are the merciful”, says Jesus, “for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5.7). “Mercy is the very foundation of the church’s life” writes Pope Francis (Amoris Laetitia, 310) I want to…

General Synod and ways forward

  Dear Friends and Colleagues Thanks for your prayers for the General Synod as we met this week. It was a good meeting, in the end, with a good but difficult debate on human sexuality at its heart. Emotions were understandably…