Living well in trouble times.

Croeso. Welcome. Howdy.

I’m very pleased that you’ve stopped by my blog, if only out of a fleeting sense of curiosity. There are a heck of a lot of us windbags pontificating through the medium of blogs, so I don’t take it for granted that something has drawn you here. Whatever it is, I hope it’s something good.

I hope Well-Tempered is a space for those drawn to the grace-filled work of living well—with God, with creation, and with each other. In an age of haste and growing anxieties, the Church finds itself in troubled waters, wrestling with both its past and its future. Yet this is no new thing. Throughout history nations and societies have faced their own reckonings, their own moments of crisis and renewal. The world changes, but the deepest call remains the same: to seek wisdom, to practise faithfulness, and to learn again how to love what is good, true, and beautiful.

Living well is about the slow, steady work of tending to the life we’ve been given to live together. It’s about paying attention to where we are, about rooting ourselves in the given-ness of things—of land, of history, of community. It’s about delight in God, creation, and each other for their own sake, even in the midst of uncertainty, and knowing that real hope is something hard-won and weathered, not a passing sentiment.

But what can be better than simply to delight…

What I do here.

Here, I reflect on where we are, how we got here, and where we might yet go, drawing on history, theology, my experience of ministry, and the rhythms of ordinary life. I hope that here my writings will attend only to the things that matter—the shape of a faithful life, the habits that nourish it, the communities that sustain it. I write about the Church’s place in the world, surrounded by the great cloud of witnesses, as it discerns her calling for the future. I write about the things that make for a life well lived, from prayer to politics, from liturgy to landscapes.

And I write with a longing for the Church to do her job well.

Why you should subscribe.

This is a conversation, not a lecture. If you’re looking for quick fixes or grand theories, you might be disappointed. But if you’re interested in the slow, steady work of faithfulness—thinking deeply, asking good questions, and learning from the wisdom of those who’ve gone before—then I hope you’ll subscribe, read along, and, when the time is right, add your voice to the mix.

Well-Tempered is absolutely free. I wouldn’t charge even if I thought my insights worth the price of a cup of coffee. But a few do generously pledge financial support for my writing, which is much appreciated.

A well-tempered Clavier.

I’m a theologian, writer, and Anglican priest with a background in history, pastoral ministry, and theological education. My work has taken me from the pit villages of County Durham to the chapels of Oxford, from parish churches in America to a cathedral in Wales. I now serve as Canon Theologian and Vicar of St Mary’s Brecon. Along the way, I’ve taught theology, led retreats, contributed to BBC Radio Wales, and written on faith, culture, and the shape of a life well lived. My aim, in all of this, is to help people think deeply, live faithfully, and recover a sense of joy in the things that truly matter. You can find out more about me and my writings at my author website.

Diolch yn fawr. Thanks for reading. I’m glad you’re here.

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