The similar phrase 'Worldly Christianity' is one used by Bonhoeffer. It's J Gresham Machen that I want to line up most closely with. See his Christianity and culture here. Having done commentaries on Proverbs (Heavenly Wisdom) and Song of Songs (Heavenly Love), a matching title for Ecclesiastes would be Heavenly Worldliness. For my stance on worldliness, see 3 posts here.

Happy 40th Ian


Last Saturday we travelled down to Wiltshire to join my wife's brother-in-law*, Ian, marking his fortieth birthday. A number of family and a few close friends gathered in North Bradley to chat, to eat, etc.

The "etc" included watching rugby. Wales were playing Scotland, which after last week didn's seem so important though we kept a radio handy to know the score, which didn't sound too encouraging. Ian's friend Chris lives in North Bradley and so he invited us (about 10 or 11 of us I think) to watch the last 30 minutes in his front room. Well, as we all know now it was an incredibly nail biting close and Wales got it - just! Great jubilation from the Welsh men, an the English were happy enough too.

Ian is a cricket fanatic so it also included more or less the same bunch heading across to a nearby park to play a modified cricket game in which (mostly Ian) furiously hurled the ball at a basket ball post hoping for an edge off the batsman. Great fun. As light faded we lost the ball.

Great to be with all the family - ours and Ian's (all believers upwards of their teens). Every blessing for the future Ian. I chose the Emily Maguire song for the tune mainly but it's all about heaven I guess - no place we'd rather be.

(* excuse the pedantry)

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