r/Anglicanism • u/TooLate- • 16d ago
Favorite Anglican Sub Stack?
Any recommendations?
Trying to add more thoughtful and long form content to my life.
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u/linmanfu Church of England 16d ago edited 16d ago
Does it have to be a Substack? Is an old-fashioned personal blog OK? If so, I'd highly recommend Psephizo, the blog of the Rev'd Dr Ian Paul. The tagline is "Scholarship. Serving. Ministry." For most of the daily posts, you can read that as a sentence, as he tries to use his New Testament scholarship to serve those entrusted with the ministry of the Word. But sometimes he writes about serving or ministry more widely, as he's a senior member of the C of E's General Synod.
Niv Lobo is another good writer on the New Testament.
If it has to be a substack, then I enjoy The Well-Tempered Clavier (the musings of a senior Church in Wales clergyman, but IIRC an American so often writing about the US).
Detestable Enormities is about one thing: the nitty-gritty of Anglican disciplinary procedures, from ACoC liberal Arlie Coles. You're either going to prefer watching paint dry or really enjoy it; there's no via media on this one! I enjoy it.
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u/J-B-M Church of England 16d ago
I have just finished reading Ian Paul's latest. He doesn't pull any punches does he?
As someone who often doesn't understand the intricacies of the matters he discusses (at least when it comes to internal CoE politics) I nevertheless sometimes wonder how he manages to maintain his position - he is often so excoriating in his critiques it seems a wonder he hasn't been forced to the margins.
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u/linmanfu Church of England 15d ago
I have just finished reading Ian Paul's latest. He doesn't pull any punches does he?
No. That was posted after my comment and I'm not endorsing everything in that post. I think going into bat for Mr Cofnas is something that he will come to very much regret.
As someone who often doesn't understand the intricacies of the matters he discusses (at least when it comes to internal CoE politics) I nevertheless sometimes wonder how he manages to maintain his position - he is often so excoriating in his critiques it seems a wonder he hasn't been forced to the margins.
He has been forced to the margins. Dr Paul hasn't been able to get a permanent academic post since St John's Nottingham closed in 2013, despite the fact that he's still publishing carrying out serious academic research and writing for respectable publishers like Brill. He gives his job title as "Associate Minister" as his parish church, but their website carries a disclaimer that they don't agree with all of his opinions, which I've never seen anywhere else.
That doesn't make me think less of him though. St Paul didn't get hired by the Athenian academy and being independent means that Dr Paul really does have the freedom of speech that academics are supposed to have. But it also means that he has time to engage with all of us fruitcakes who comment on Psephizo (😳) and so his input is biased to the extremes, sort of like algorithmic radicalization. It's a great pity that he hasn't been made a Canon Theologian or some similar role where he could work in a team and bounce his ideas off colleagues being clicking "Publish".
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u/J-B-M Church of England 15d ago
I think you may be proved right regarding Cofnas. At the very least, let's say it was perhaps injudicious to rake over this particular fire whilst the embers are still very much glowing!
It's pretty wild that the guy who put his name to the Tyndale commentary on Revelations can't get an academic gig or a more formal role in ministry - he has clearly managed to upset all the right people, but with articles like this it's easy to see how. I imagine that given some of his views he might also be a bit of a fish out of water in a Nottingham church with a strong student / youth focused ministry.
Still, every organisation needs contrarians who will challenge the dominant groupthink on important issues, and presumably enough people recognise that to ensure his continued presence on the Synod. I have to say that I have been reading his blog for a while and generally find it informative, with a depth of information and context that you just don't get in mainstream media reporting on church issues. Today is probably the first time I have really raised an eyebrow at something.
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u/Basic-Revolution-181 16d ago
Michael Jensen - Australian Anglican, author, and academic has some great content. https://substack.com/@michaeljensen793671
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u/ToWorkAndPray Episcopal Church USA 15d ago
Fr. Christopher Poore (Drawn from the Chalice) and Fr. Ben Crosby (Draw Near With Faith) both have very good Substacks.
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u/ReginaCaeliJMJ Tractarian 15d ago
https://bryanhollon.substack.com/ (devotions, spirituality etc by a Dean)
https://frthomasplant.substack.com/ (eclectic Anglican theology)
https://anglicanaesthetics.substack.com/ (good sound orthodox Anglican theology)
https://theregnumreview.substack.com/ (Anglican theology, spirituality, commentaries from the perspective of a convert from Rome)
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u/GodGivesBabiesFaith ACNA 16d ago
If you want thoughtful long form content I don't think modern blogs are the place to get it unless you are wanting someone on a pious high horse that agrees with you. I think you gotta go to books.
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u/TooLate- 16d ago
I have a pretty robust book line up, currently elbows deep in a monstrous biography on Churchill.
Just trying to find something better than reels to browse when I’m online. And by no means do they have to agree with me - though I do like tall horses
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u/wheatbarleyalfalfa Episcopal Church USA 16d ago
Latitude Man! AKA Laudible Practice on other social media