I apologise to all readers for the non-appearance of the blog on the past three Fridays. This was partly caused by holiday, and partly by a technical problem on the site: now thankfully fixed I think by the lovely Studio Renton. Particular apologies to my...
I frequently enjoy and am often challenged by Rev Ian Paul’s award-winning blog Psephizo, which ranges over all matters theological and church-related. The other day his post was entitled, provocatively, “Did Jesus come to bring good news?” In it he quotes, apparently with approval, one John...
I promised to come back to the theme of servants in literature. (The patchiness of my reading will doubtless be very obvious.) This is my investigation on whether a servant can be a hero. Let’s make a list of types. Traditional servants. These, going back (I believe)...
I’ve recently been reading the book of Job. Everyone loves this book in theory, because it reassures us that it’s Biblical a) to notice that life isn’t fair, and b) for suffering people to resent being told to cheer up or repent; and because some of...
Regular readers of this blog may have noticed a lack of reference to current affairs lately. This is partly because the intricacies of Brexit negotiation and government meltdown are too confusing for a simple person to follow; and partly because current affairs are currently almost...
Regular readers of this blog's comments section will have become familiar with the thoughtful and thorough contributions of Stephen Sheridan. He somehow discovered the website and the concept of SWM in December 2017, and has been encouraging me and it ever since. His entry for...
As a dyed-in-the-wool Tolkien fan, I have read the Silmarillion, which covers arguably the whole history of Middle-Earth. It doesn’t just tell us the First Age legend of Beren and Luthien, and the Second Age drama of Numenor’s downfall. It also contains a delightful section...
Dear friendly readers. I have decided to extend your opportunity of naming a character in "The Servant's Voice" until the end of Monday 2nd July. The naming rules are here: https://www.penelopewallace.com/naming-people-in-ragaris/ but if you ignore them I can always adapt your suggestion! Love from the PPI Blogger, back from Italy...
Last weekend the weather here was absolutely beautiful, which was good news for the local celebration known as the Beeston and Chilwell Garden Trail. This is one of my favourite events of the year, though I don’t always manage to attend. In the interests of impartiality, I’m...
I cannot remember how long ago I invented Ragaris, the medieval continent with equal rights for women – it was before I met my husband, so maybe about thirty years ago. And I certainly can’t remember why. You would think that by now I’d have sorted...