May 28, 2018
My afternoon workshop at the European Leadership Forum 2018 on 'Defending an Early High Christology from Archaeology and New Testament Letters (with special reference to the Epistle of James).' The idea that Jesus was divine was not invented at the Council of Nicea in the fourth century (a claim one can disprove from archaeological finds alone), nor was it a second century idea that seeped into Christianity from pagan mythology. Rather, it was an idea that burst upon the first century religious landscape amongst the eyewitness generation of Jewish followers of Jesus, as shown by the multiple independent witness of the first century New Testament letters and the early sources they quote. I pay particular attention to the Epistle of James, arguing that a) it pre-dates the Jewish war and could be as early as c. 45 A.D, b) that whoever wrote it was a Jew writing to Jews, c) that it was probably written by James the (half) brother of Jesus - a man who'd formerly been sceptical about Jesus' claims, and that the best explanation of this data given Jesus' embarrassing crucifixion is that Jesus himself laid claim to divinity and rose from the dead in evidence of this claim.
April 10, 2018
Sermon from the 11 am service at Highfield Church Southampton, 8th April 2018.
March 26, 2018
Talk from the Reality 3:16 weekend in Northern Ireland, 17th March 2018.
March 26, 2018
Talk with Q&A from the Reality 3:16 residential weekend in Northern Ireland, 17th March 2018.
March 26, 2018
Talk with Q&A from the Reality 3:16 residential weekend in Northern Ireland, 16th March 2018.
March 25, 2018
Sermon on the Lord's Prayer in Matthew's Gospel delivered at Portrush Presbyterian Church in Northern Ireland (http://www.portrushpresbyterian.org), 18th March 2018.
March 14, 2018
A debate on the existence of God between myself and Norwegian philosopher Dr Einar Duenger Bohn from the University of Agder, held at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim, 7th March 2018.
March 12, 2018
Talk with Q&A from Trondheim Universtiy's 'Skeptics Week', 8th March 2018.
March 12, 2018
Talk with Q&A at Trondheim University's 'Skeptics Week', 7th March 2018.
March 12, 2018
Talk with Q&A at Trondheim University's 'Skeptics Week', 6th March 2018.
February 4, 2018
Sermon from the 8am communion service at Highfield Church Southampton, 4th February 2018.
January 13, 2018
Seminar on the historical Jesus based on my book Understanding Jesus (Paternoster, 2011), with Bjorn Hinderaker (opening comments) and student Lars Magnus, from Gimlekollen, NLA University College, Norway, January 4th 2018.
January 12, 2018
Second of two teaching sessions on the book of Acts, from Gimlekollen, NLA University College, Norway, 4th January 2018.
January 11, 2018
First of two teaching sessions on the book of Acts from Gimlekollen, NLA University College, Norway, January 4th 2018.
January 10, 2018
An exploration of Christian identity 'in Christ'. Teaching session at Gimlekollen, NLA University College, Norway, 5th January 2018.
November 6, 2017
A better recording of John Rutter's 'What sweeter music', as sung by Southampton University Chamber Choir and additional volunteers at the 'Desert Island Discs with Paul Mealor' event at Highfield Church Southampton, 29th October 2017. The choir was conducted by George Richford and the organ was played by Merrielle Billington.
November 6, 2017
A better recording of Orlando Gibbons' 'See, see the word incarnate', as sung by Southampton University Chamber Choir and additional volunteers at the 'Desert Island Discs with Paul Mealor' event at Highfield Church, Sunday 29th October 2017. The choir was conducted by George Richford and the organ was played by Merrielle Billington.
October 12, 2017
Afternoon lecture from the Gimlekollen College UK Study Tour, 15th September 2017.
