Author Archives: John Baxter

About John Baxter

John Baxter Teacher of Religious Education for 25 years and professional photographer for 16 years. Degrees from Rhodes (SA) Oxford and Bristol in Religion, Theology and the Philosophy of Education. Qualified as a Licentiate with the British Institute of Professional Photography. Interests Art, Photography, Religion and the issues it raises, Politics, Poetry, Writing.

IS WRIGHT WRONG? In Belief in a Physical Resurrection of Jesus.

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IS WRIGHT WRONG? The Biblical and Historical Case Against Belief  in a Physical Resurrection of Jesus. Written in 2018, Revised 2022 by John Baxter

Wright, Williams, McGrath and Welby
My paper takes issue with the formidable biblical scholar, former Bishop of Durham and Professor of Early Christianity at St Andrews, N.T.Wright.  Now (2022) at Wycliffe Hall Oxford.

I do so with trepidation. He is also not alone in his views which on the resurrection appear to be shared by both Dr Rowan Williams, Professor Alister McGrath and Archbishop (Former Bishop of Durham) Justin Welby. Despite my respect for much of their work and many of their opinions I find I cannot agree with them on the nature of the resurrection of Jesus. This then of course raises the whole issue of the credibility of miracles and special divine action (SDA).

My paper however, influenced particularly by reading Geza Vermes, and Karen Armstrong and Wright on Paul, and Professor John Barton on dating attempts to suggest that historical and biblical study can be used to justify a very different conclusion to that of Wright. Continue reading →

ANVIL and COP26 17-11-2021

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CLIMATE CHANGE, SCIENCE, SPECULATION AND PROPAGANDA

We had an excellent session with our two speakers kicking off not they said as Climate Change deniers, but as questioning science driven voices.  After their 40 min and 30 min talks, everyone who wishes spoke  out their views and a vigorous discussion followed.  I only gave bits of the paper I had prepared but here it is with responses from Greg and Iain to make of it what you will.
John Continue reading →

CC The Gov Climate Change Committee Latest Predictions

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CCC Climate Change Committee                                                                                The Sixth Carbon Budget. The UK’s Path to Net Zero  Predictions made in 2020, CONFIRMED 2021
The need to adapt to a changing climate This section summarises the evidence that indicates climate impacts will continue to increase even under a rapid reduction in global emissions and could be greater still if global emissions reductions are not sufficiently rapid to achieve the Paris Agreement. Continue reading →

BREAKING BOUNDARIES The video and book you must not miss.

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Please be ready to  copy and forward this on to your friends –  try and engage them in discussion. We can all get engaged in waking people up to how serious the situation is so they will accept and work for change.

At the instigation of the authors of THE FUTURE WE CHOOSE  (Figueres amd Rivett-Carnac. Summary attached) who organised a webinar I watched on Zoom, I have now watched and commend for you a quite exceptionally important video entitled:

                                          BREAKING BOUNDARIES
                                           The Science of Our Planet
and have bought and read  the excellent book with the same title. Continue reading →

ANVIL Covid 19, Inequality and the Relevance of Liberation Theology Wed. 12th May

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letter for general useJoining us via ZOOM from Durham we had as our main proposer Dr Sarah Pearce who is a retired medical consultant  currently working on a Graduate Diploma in Theology and Religious Studies at Durham. She gave what everyone found an excellent, clear and shocking paper based on the Marmot reports which analyses how Covid has laid bare the extent of poverty and inequality in Britain and how this has been getting worse. . Continue reading →

Responses to David Warden. JOHN BAXTER.

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The Search for JESUS YESHUA  

Reflections on David Warden’s paper for ANVIL April 2021   John Baxter 4-5-21

This essay, which has kept on expanding and being rewritten, is my reaction to David Warden’s carefully researched paper which argues that Jesus is no more an historical figure than Romulus or King Arthur.  It is restricted to considering that question and is not an attempt to write yet another version of the historical Jesus.  JESUS YESHUA

Please feel free to add your own comments to this discussion .  To do so email johnbaxte119@nullgmail.com 

A Resilience Service. A suggestion

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The aim of this paper is to encourage the setting up of a national resilience service to prepare for and deal with pandemics and climate change.

There will be no return to business as usual. Covid-19, flooding, drought, extreme weather, air and plastic pollution,  all threaten our lives, health, and work.  Covid has rudely woken us up to the fact that we face a radically different future from anything we have known, imagined or prepared for, despite the warnings scientists in many fields have been giving us for years. Continue reading →

ANVIL 14th April. David Warden leads on the HISTORICAL JESUS History or Myth

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ANVIL Associates and friends
This Wednesday 14th April 7pm Meeting on ZOOM we had our biggest turnout every, 35.  This included Dorset Humanists.
Our subject was “The Historical Jesus.” and we were very glad to have as our main speaker David Warden, Chair of Dorset Humanists.   Our first Responder was Alison Way, rector of Wincanton, followed by John Baxter.  Continue reading →