Author Archives: fluff35

About fluff35

I blog on a range of subjects arising from various aspects of my life. On https://theretiringacademic.wordpress.com, I focus on my reactions to early retirement and think about aspects of teaching and research which I hope will be stimulating to those still working in higher education. On https://shared-conversations.com, I blog as an authorized lay preacher in a pretty standard parish church of the Church of England, who needs to write in order to find out what she thinks. I took part in the Oxford/St Albans/Armed Forces C of E 'Shared Conversations' in March 2016, worked on the Living in Love and Faith resources from 2017 and was elected to General Synod in October 2021, and continue to try to reflect on some of the issues. On https://mistakinghistories.wordpress.com I share my thoughts on various aspects of the history of medicine and the body. I have also written for The Conversation UK on https://theconversation.com/profiles/helen-king-94923/articles

Living in Love and Faith: the final documents?

Posted on September 2, 2022 by fluff35

Yesterday, without much of a fanfare, some more documents were published to add to the ‘LLF book’, and the course, and the videos, and the podcasts, and the papers only accessible through registering with the ‘Hub’. We’d been expecting two … Continue reading →

Posted in Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , , | 4 Comments

Christian dating: just try it!

Posted on August 11, 2022 by fluff35

in which I meet a man whose idea of gardening is to mow the flower beds – and marry him Continue reading →

Posted in marriage | Tagged , , , , , | 12 Comments

Alliterative Anglicans: see what I did there?*

Posted on August 7, 2022 by fluff35

real life isn’t alliterative or rhyming: so why do we act like it is? Continue reading →

Posted in equal marriage, preaching | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

From a tree to a window to an installation: the visual messages of Living in Love and Faith

Posted on July 18, 2022 by fluff35

I’m continuing to process last week’s General Synod meeting, and there certainly is a lot to process; not just the very full agenda over long days, and not just the ongoing rumblings about the confusion during the elections to the … Continue reading →

Posted in Shared Conversations | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

A Synod Divided: York Minster on Sunday

Posted on July 16, 2022 by fluff35

Is it too much to expect everyone on General Synod to be an Anglican? Continue reading →

Posted in General Synod, Living in Love and Faith | Tagged | 2 Comments

Clouds without rain: trying to explore fear

Posted on June 21, 2022 by fluff35

So here’s a question for conservatives in the CofE. What do you fear? I don’t see anyone wanting to force you to marry people or bless them if it’s against your conscience. As with divorced people. So what do you … Continue reading →

Posted in equal marriage, Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Me and Christ Church: beauty and truth

Posted on May 13, 2022 by fluff35

Even those not in the bubble of Anglican Twitter are likely to have noticed that Christ Church has been back in the news this week, and no doubt this will continue as tomorrow it’s the unofficial farewell service for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Safeguarding | Tagged , , , | 3 Comments

What do the bishops think? LLF and trans people

Posted on April 2, 2022 by fluff35

Somehow conversion therapy is still OK for trans people? Why can’t the Church of England be a beacon of welcome and support for a group of people who really need that? Continue reading →

Posted in Church of England and gender, General Synod, Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Church and the new normal

Posted on March 11, 2022 by fluff35

From one of my other blogs: some reflections, for the record, on where we are two years into the pandemic.

Posted in Shared Conversations | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

General Synod, February 2022: what felt most bizarre

Posted on February 11, 2022 by fluff35

Traumatic? A revelation? Or both? Continue reading →

Posted in General Synod, Safeguarding | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment