John Parfitt

Gossiping the Gospel: Exploring the Gospel Readings John Parfitt

How does one 'gossip the gospel'? It isn't as odd as it sounds. A gossip (god-sib) was originally somebody related to one 'through God' - a godparent. So really, 'gossiping the gospel' is the act of trying to re-establish our connection with God through our relationship with the one we are all related to through Him: Jesus, his life and teachings. Beginning with Luke's warning to be on our guard for the coming of Our Lord, we are taken through the gospel readings for each Sunday of the Christian calendar year. As we approach the crucifixion of Christ, the underlying implications of His actions and words become alive with the problems and issues that face Christians today. Throughout these lucid and inspiring sermons are snippets of modern accounts of enlightenment, the struggles and triumphs on the path to eternal life - our own 'gossip' of the gospel. John Parfitt was educated at Bristol Cathedral School; St Paul's College, Cheltenham; Universities of Birmingham and Southampton; and Queen's College, Birmingham.