The Vikings are back - why can’t they just leave York alone!

A mass of snowdrops in Kirby Underdale churchyard; the slightly snowy church; the landscape from Garrowby Hill; and the view down the hill - visibility limited. Quite misty.

On my way to take a service at Kirby Underdale - in rather wintry pre-Lenten weather.

@yorkminster.bsky.social first thing this morning - glad to see the sun.

A bit wild on the beach at Sandsend this morning - although low tide a strong wind blowing in the waves.

Tempus Fugit The village churches of Yorkshire possess some exceptional art that has survived across the centuries. They are also surrounded by wildlife protected from modern developments and offer a habitat for nature to thrive.

Delighted to be working this year with the wonderful Kabe Wilson, artist-in-residence at Jesus College Cambridge, who will be creating new Sterne related works to exhibit at #ShandyHall. #LaurenceSterne #art #exhibitions #literature www.jesus.cam.ac.uk/articles/mee...

Snittering Language has a powerful way of expressing our visceral experiences in general, and the weather in particular. A memory from Iona in winter is a reminder of the rich vocabulary we have the basic elements in which we live.

Glen Baxter (who exhibited at Shandy Hall earlier this year) has interview on Earlier with Jools Holland on BBC Radio 3 at 12.00 - 13.00 this Saturday 22nd Nov #glenbaxter #cartoons #surrealism #joolsholland @ianduhig.bsky.social @constantgardener.bsky.social @internationaltimes.bsky.social

York getting some of its first snow this season - but always looking good. Congratulations to all graduating today in York, Sheffield & everywhere else.

Lovely autumn colours in York.

The Sun Rising Luke Jerram's 'Helios' installation at Fountain's Abbey brings an extraordinary light into a place once dedicated to prayer.

Lovely to be at St Andrew Bugthorpe this morning - my first visit. Grade 1 listed since the 1960s with a central altar created by Lord Halifax in 1937.

The continuing drought impeded my walk today #york.

The Aftermath of Absence As we near the announcement of the next Archbishop of Canterbury it's time to reflect on the state of the Church of England, and what might arise from the Church's long decline.

Met an amazing woman during a visit to SOWETO today. Mama Sithole - gentle, humorous and forgiving. Standing before the iconic photo of her and her brother on that horrific day 16.6.76

Tonight's lunar eclipse draws attention to earth's constant companion, and the interplay of human understanding and the vast universe in which we are set.

Why are the tabloids so enraged about every aspect of Angela Rayner’s life? | Zoe Williams

Drastic steps to remove poverty out-of-sight betray a particular kind of aesthetics. One with no interest in the complex realities of poverty and homelessness.

What’s Theology Ever Done for Us? A debate has been initiated by Sarah Coakley about the place and value of theology in the life of the church. This sees a much more significant place for theology, and a broader range of people involved in creating it, and debating it.

Church keys have a character all of their own - and are still in use.

Thought Forgery I have begun experimenting with artificial intelligence. Using the available free programmes I am exploring how AI might be used, and what risks or concerns need to shape my approach. It is fascinating - if a little disconcerting. For example, last week I resurrected the towering…

Language-bearers Our capacity to create story & express it in ritual is perhaps the continuous defining characteristic of being human.

Good to hear one of the @yorkminster.bsky.social ringers speaking on the Sunday programme on Radio 4 this morning.

Faith and the City This year marks the 40th anniversary of the publication of Faith in the City, begging the question as to what the Church is doing in our cities in 2025.

Glen Baxter has arrived! Meet him tomorrow, 1pm at Shandy Hall for the opening of 'Glen Baxter - Prints and Drawings' Signed books to buy too @yorkshiredays.bsky.social @yorkgin.bsky.social @theartnewspaper.bsky.social‬ @stephenclift.bsky.social @tonyfoth.bsky.social @northyorkmoors.org.uk‬

War with Trolls Not discussing theology is not the same as an absence of theology. The Church in particular always makes decisions - for better or worse - that are theological in nature. Discussing this adds value and understanding, even though it may not make life easier for the institution. It…

Do we need theology and, if so, what kind?

The cathedral of Trondheim.

Power & Glory? Power isn't all it's claimed to be - and theology offers alternative ways of understanding its purpose.

#sunrise on the east coast on the final day of May.

Behind York Art Gallery is a new wildflower meadow for 2025 which incorporates 27 native wildflowers that are superb nectar sources for butterflies, bees & other pollinators during their most active time of the year from mid-June to mid-September. Not what you might expect to find in a city! Fab.

Barns and Bull-Boxes Retreating to a remote place, immersing ourselves in the natural world, has a long history. Even at a time when we are most conscious of our mortality, this experience can be healing and uplifting.

A very enjoyable walk today from/to Muker via Keld with @canonmaggie.The Dales looking at their best with a mixture of light & shadow. Dry underfoot & still some flow in the Swale & its feeder streams.

Pillow Talk A sofa in the garden might be regarded as a good example of English eccentricity - a bit of living room cast among the herbaceous borders.

Golden Silence can be an attractive and rewarding part of life, but it can also be a form of oppression and, sometimes, a dereliction of our duty.

God in the City - when divisions between rich and poor are both vivid and in close proximity, what is the role of the Church?

The ritual Easter blessing of iPhones requires them to be raised at the start of the service… Cathedral at Santiago de Compestela.

Fear and Joy chrisswift.blog

The Art of Not Taking the Deal Holy Week begins with adulation and ends in silence. The state of the world today requires each of us to reflect on the nature of power and how God calls us to follow in the steps of a Saviour whose work is only complete in the moment when he has lost everything -…

I'm very much enjoying the Lent book "A Sterne Lent" by @cswift1.bsky.social. A quote from today: "...in the scheme of the universe, we have but a few days. How we live sanely, faithfully and creatively with this truth is perhaps the greatest test of who we are." #CofEpeeps

My day with @clarebalding.bsky.social @bbcsounds.bsky.social @caminodesantiago.bsky.social @yorkminster.bsky.social Chatting about pilgrimage, vocation and life. On #Ramblings late May 2025.

Exposed Public witness of faith feels natural to some and disconcerting to others. When it is led by those who feed the hungry and spend time with damaged souls most people cross the street to avoid, it comes from a place of authenticity.

A starry night above the Chapter House roof @yorkminster.bsky.social - with the brightness of the crescent moon revealing the entirety of its earth-facing surface.

Today, on Refreshment Sunday, my Lent book I offered a stencil of a marbled page @lsternetrust.bsky.social reflecting Sterne’s use of one in Shandy, unexpectedly, to show the limits of language. One reader took me up on the offer to colour her own page & this is the pleasing result.

Ceasing to be Eathbound Gaining a sense of perspective is a basic requirement for a well-adjusted life and a menaingful future.

Sweet Flying Baby Jesus As we approach the Feast of the Annunciation it is a fitting time to ask the question: 'What was going on?'

Where the Heart is On holiday I am enjoying the time to read three very different books. One is poetry; another a novel; and the third theology. Despite being different, I am also seeing (or making) many connections between the narratives. This is unsurprising in one sense as I am their common…

Blue skies behind: dark skies ahead.

Sins of the Fathers Lant can be a time to face difficult issues and collective responsibilities - not least in how society is and what it might become.