It is a beautiful day on the campus of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam! My Systematic Theology and Contemporary Theology students are writing their first exams today! I arrived early to prepare the room for them. Please say a little prayer for them, and their examiner!

A blessed Pentecost, and Aldersgate Sunday! In Wesleyan and Methodist circles the 24th of May is remembered as Aldersgate Day. It was a significant turning point in 1738, in the life and spiritual journey of John Wesley. Attached is an extract from his journal on this day.

What does Christian hope require when the past is not past? A new reflection on reparative memory, concrete justice, and realistic hope, asking how churches, theologians, and Christians might act across the publics of church, academy, and society. open.substack.com/pub/digitald...

Please join me in wishing the love of my life, my darling Megan a blessed and happy birthday! 🎉🎁🎂🎈🎊 We love you so, so much Megie! Thank you for who you are! You are a gift!!! We love you! Happy Birthday our legend!

Today is Liam’s very last day of High School! He writes his final Mathematics paper this morning, and then he is done! Wow! Primary school, through Covid, a great High School, the move to the Netherlands, and International Baccalaureate at International School Laren! 🙏

A blessed Ascension Day to my Christian friends - we are tasked, trusted, and empowered to work and serve for blessing, justice, wholeness, and love for all! For more about this Cameroonian painting, see diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/act-imagelin...

And so the conference on Testimony, Confession, Truth comes to an end! It was amazing to listen, to learn, to ‘turn to one another’. Thanks Frederike van Oorschot and Hannar Reichel for an amazing event with remarkable people! Now, the train(s) back to Amsterdam and my darlings!

A beautiful morning! I am on my way to Zurich by train to participate in a conference on Testimony - Confession - Truth. I was asked to speak on ‘Confessing as theo-political act? Learnings from the anti-apartheid movement.’ I am very grateful and looking forward to learning.

Where is the church on Monday? For Workers’ Day, I reflect on faith, work, vocation, dignity, and the common good. Work is never merely economic. It is spiritual, moral, social, and deeply theological. substack.com/@digitaldion... #Substack #work #mayday #theology

Happy Worker’s day to all who work, to those who long to work but cannot, to those who are doing their dream job, and to those who feel stuck, and who work to survive. Can our work have a deeper meaning? www.counterpointknowledge.org/a-spirituali... #Theology #WorkersDay #Work

May the 4th be with you! 😝🙌

Prof Dirkie Smit, one of my dear mentors and later a colleague at Stellenbosch University, gave his retirement lecture at Princeton Theological Seminary last week. It is a beautiful, challenging, deep and rich theology. It is well worth watching! www.youtube.com/live/DfSEBtx...

#oldmanrunning Freedom Day 🇿🇦 Koningsdag 🇳🇱

'This distance between how we live and what we know to be true is painful and tempts us to change the truth rather than change our lives.’ - Hauerwas, Stanley. The Character of Virtue: Letters to a Godson.

The Wesley House, Cambridge team was well represented at the ‘Political Theologies of Constitutions, the Rule of Law, and the Common Good’ conference at the University of Cambridge. From left to right are Richard A. Davis, Jonathan Chaplin and Dion Forster.

The ‘Political Theologies of Constitutions, the Rule of Law, and the Common Good’ started at the University of Cambridge. Ian presenting a paper entitled: ‘ Reimagining a Democracy and the Common Life? African Christianities and Political Theology Beyond the West.’

I spent the past of days on a ship! We had an indaba to reflect upon, and be inspired for environmental justice, with Archbishop Thabo Makgoba and colleagues from various faiths and institutions around the world. It was inspiring! Today is earth day! Here is a lovely liturgy commonprayer.net

The Netherlands is so incredibly beautiful! These tulips 🌷 are blooming along the roadside near our home. There are many patches of beautiful flowers planted by people all over the place! They are even more beautiful with my yellow Vespa in the photo! 🛵 Ha ha!

On Friday we were privileged to welcome His Grace, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba and Mrs Lungi Makgoba to the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Archbishop Thabo will spend approximately 3 months with us in School of Religion and Theology as a visiting researcher. We are very grateful!

So, if I have been quieter this last week or two, it is not because I am in an intensive teaching time, it is because (apparently) I was a member of the Artemis II crew (2nd from left! Ha ha! According to my friend, Rudolf for sending me the joke! Ha ha!) 🤣👆Space Theology!

#oldmanrunning stop and smell the tulips! 🌷💐

He is risen! "The Good News of the resurrection is not that we shall die and go home with him, but that he is risen and comes home with us…" - Clarence Jordan, co-founder of Koinonia Farm

This is going to be a wonderful service to kick off the sabbatical visit of Archbishop Thabo Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU Amsterdam) - I will be there! I hope you can join us! www.linkedin.com/posts/jan-jo...

Happy April Fool’s day!

‘What is the sense of our small effort? … God will take them and multiply them…’ - Dorothy Day

How wonderful that the Margaret Fell's 'Women's Speaking Justified', an important historical text in Quaker feminist political theology, was gifted to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Revd Sarah Mullally. I was grateful to write one of the endorsements for this new edition, thanks to Paul Anderson.

My thanks to Julie Clague for inviting me to teach on how Africa and Africans shaped Christianity throughout history. And also to Doug Gay for a deeply meaningful Eucharist service with Trinity College, Glasgow. It was a stunning day with colleagues and friends! I am grateful!

It is such a joy to be visiting my dear friend Prof Scott Spurlock at the University of Glasgow. Scott has been a close friend for many years! Yesterday I read a paper, had meetings with colleagues, and toured the campus. Today I will teach and attend a Eucharist service. I am very grateful!

Spring is springing! We went for a beautiful little walk after work!

Much wisdom, many blessings, for my Dutch siblings who will vote today! Cast your vote for a safer, more sustainable, more peaceful, more inclusive society. In the end, love wins! It is a strong and durable political force.

Today I give thanks for the life and witness of a mentor, and dear friend, Prof John de Gruchy. It is his 87th birthday today! Happy birthday John! You are a gift!

It is important that we name the genocide in Gaza for what it is. We have heard the lived experiences from Palestinian siblings for more than two years now. It is devastating. Continue to pray, support, and act for justice and true peace. Do what you can. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...

Today, there is mourning in the public sphere. A great tree has fallen. www.nytimes.com/2026/03/14/b...

Last night Megan and I attended a beautiful Iftar dinner hosted by the Centre for Islamic Theology from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam The friendship, food, and the lecture were wonderful! We are very grateful! See more about CIT here: vu.nl/nl/over-de-v...

I believe in the separation of Church and Hate…

The promise of spring in Amsterdam! It was so beautiful on my ride home from the office this evening! Flowers everywhere!

You cannot love your enemies by killing them. Prince of Peace, raise up women and men who will wage peace, and not war. Give us courage to join them.

Imagining Lent… Let us prepare well.

“The nation needs Christians to believe killing is necessary; the church exists to produce people who cannot believe that lie.” - Stanley Hauerwas

Just about as Dutch as it gets! 🇳🇱 Wow, the promise of spring! Sure it was only 3 degrees, but +3 instead of -3 🤣 and the birds are chirping! Stunning! 🤩

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was born on this day (4 February 1906). What can we do today, that can secure peace, justice, and flourishing for coming generations? Here are a few ideas from Dietrich Bonhoeffer and Steve Biko. www.researchgate.net/publication/...

‘More than ever before in our history, we need a new kind of personal and social fuel. Not the spirit of hostility, but the holy Spirit of hospitality.’ - Brian D. McLaren, We Make the Road By Walking

Today my darling Megan Forster and I celebrate 32 years of marriage!!! Please join us in giving thanks! Wow! What an immeasurable blessing!! Megie, thank you for being my best friend, my co-adventurer, and the most wonderful partner anyone could wish for! I love you SO much! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Sunrise 🌄 So beautiful, sure it is 8.20 am! But Ja! Any sun is a blessing! 🤣😆🙌🔥

Off to Church 🥶🥶🥶🥶🥶 -2 C! The train will be warmer!

My last day at Wesley House, Cambridge started with an early morning run. Then a discussion with my dear colleague Dr Jonathan Chaplin about last night’s lecture, and my scholarly focus and journey. After that we had worship in the chapel - a perfect day of scholarship, fellowship, and worship.

The day in Cambridge started with a lovely run on my familiar route! Then worship at Wesley Methodist Church! Then, I returned to Westminster College to prepare my sermon for the next Sunda, then grading of AUC papers. Now, Wesley House, Cambridge for pizza! A perfect day!

I am so grateful to work alongside my amazing colleagues and serve gifted and dedicated students! This was written last year, and it remains a great reflection on our work at the School of Religion and Theology Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam www.rd.nl/artikel/1090... #Theology #study #VUAmsterdam

Is it time to "un-think" the West? My newest article explores the future of Public Theology, decoloniality, and the rise of "theme park theology." I’m interested to hear from fellow theologians and practitioners: Read it here: doi.org/10.51619/stk... #PublicTheology

“For hate is strong and mocks the song Of peace on earth, good will to men.” Then pealed the bells more loud and deep: “God is not dead, nor doth he sleep; The wrong shall fail, the right prevail, With peace on earth, good will to men.” - Henry Wadsworth Longfellow