Easter greetings from Southampton!
Previously, I wrote in light of hearing that my part-time job with NLA University College in Norway is to be axed as of this July (due to the Norwegian government changing their funding formula for research publications). I explained this would result in the loss of about a third of my monthly income, and that to sustainably continue ministering in the arena of Christian philosophy and apologetics would mean somehow replacing at least some of this lost income. The question was, of course, how…
The first thing to note here is that I have been immensely encouraged by the generosity of several folks who have signed up to donate ongoing monthly support to my ministry (alongside those who have faithfully been doing so for many years now) through my Stewardship Services Giving account (www.stewardship.org.uk/partners/20036214). Between them, these additional supporters now mean I can keep the ship (of ministry) sailing, for which I’m incredibly thankful!
I’ve also been encouraged to receive an offer of occasional “piece work” from the Scotland based Christian Charity the Solas Centre for Public Christianity (https://www.solas-cpc.org/, not to be confused with The Society of Law Accountants in Scotland!). Solas (its the Gaelic word for “light”) say they can pay me on an occasional basis for short articles to go on their website.
With a view to writing an article for Solas, I’m currently reading cultural theorist Greg Dember’s recent book Say Hello to Metamodernism!: Understanding Today’s Culture of Ironesty, Felt Experience, and Empathic Reflexivity (Exact Rush Multimedia Publishing, 2024). I wrote about metamodernism in the first chapter of Behold the Man: Essays on the Historical Jesus (Wipf & Stock, 2024), and have given a couple of talks on this in-search of a post-postmodernism movement. Dember’s book looks set to bring metamodernism to the notice of a broader and more “popular” audience.
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A Primer on Metamodernism Williams, Peter S. “Atheism Today: The Collapse of the New Atheism & the Rise of Metamodernism.” (2024) http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/atheism-today-the-collapse-of-the-new-atheism-the-rise-of-metamodernism/ Williams, Peter S. “Christian Spirituality at the Cutting Edge of Contemporary Culture.” (2024) http://podcast.peterswilliams.com/e/christian-spirituality-at-the-cutting-edge-of-culture/ Flight, Thomas. “Why Do Movies Feel So Different Now?” www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xEi8qg266g&list=PLQhh3qcwVEWhCn7rqlW7UsvFNRjQ9wxoH&index=22 Andersen, Lene Rachel. Polymodernity: Meaning and hope in a complex world (Nordic Bildung, 2023) |
I didn’t hear back anything from my application for a casual job as an exam invigilator for a local sixth-form college, but some retreat centres I contacted have shown some interest in partnering with me and have indicated they’ll get back to me after Easter. I’m also awaiting information from NLA University College about their intention to give me some “piece-work” from August onwards.
If you have any contacts with churches etc. who might be interested in using me as a speaker, please do let them know of my availability! If you book me to do a talk (on-line or in-person) through the Montgomery Trust, they’ll not only cover any travel expenses for me, but give me a payment for serving you! I recently updated my speaker page with the Trust:
montgomerytrust.org.uk/book-a-lecturer/lecturer-profiles/peter-s-williams/
Talking of the Montgomery Trust, I just accepted their invitation to become a trustee.
Let me end by telling you about some of my recent activities:
I’ve finally submitted my paper on “Christian Leadership in 3D: Leading and Following in the Spiritual Footsteps of Jesus” to the Scandinavian Journal of Leadership and Theology (https://sjlt-journal.com/index.php/sjlt/index). This is round three of the peer-review process!
I’ve begun editing together my next book: Stepping Stones to Christ: Reflections on Intelligent Design, Natural Theology and the Historical Jesus (Resource, 2025). This brings together lightly edited versions of the three chapters of new material I wrote for my last three “Essays on…” books with Wipf & Stock. I hope this will a) reach a broader audience with a rounded apologetic for Christianity, and b) might lead to publishing a Norwegian translation…
I’ve been writing more apologetic material aimed at Muslim viewers of The Legacy of Adam video series (thelegacyofadam.com/). Having already written material on Adam and Eve, and on Abraham, I’m currently a couple of episodes in to the King David season, after which there are two seasons about a certain craftsperson from Nazareth to cover…
The European Leadership Forum decided they wanted to re-organize my nine section power point on Old Testament history for my pre-forum conference in May into a five section power point, so I spent a morning doing that and re-working my handout!
Finally, your prayers would be valued for things to move forward on recording the twelve-episode podcast based on my book Outgrowing God? An Introduction tot Richard Dawkins and the God Debate (Cascade, 2020), which is being co-produced by Damaris Norge and Norwegian apologetics ministry BioCosmos. The road-block is finding amateur actors willing and able to play the five roles involved in this (in English!).
With many thanks for your partnership,
Yours Sincerely,
Peter S. Williams (MA, MPhil, PGCert),
Southampton, England.