Religion and the Church
Gordon Graham is an Anglican priest ordained in the Scottish Episcopal Church. He served for twelve years in the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, USA. He was Associate Priest at Trinity Church Princeton (2006-9), St David's Cranbury (2009-13, All Saints' Princeton (2013-18), served on the Committee for the Priesthood, and as an appointed member of the Chapter of Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, Trenton. He is currently licensed in the Diocese of Edinburgh and was Assistant Priest at Christ Church Morningside from 2018-20.
He is the author of LECTIONARY NOTES -- a weekly commentary on the Sunday readings in the Revised Common Lectionary. From 2009 to 2013 he was a columnist for the Episcopal Journal. His column 'Reconcilation must begin in our own House' won a 'Award of Merit' in the 'Editorial or Opinion Piece' category of the 2012 Associated Church Press Awards, and another 'The Church, vocal on gun control, but silent on drones' won a Polly Bond Award of Merit in 2014. He has a special interest in liturgy and drama and has devised a number of liturgies for special occasions. He has authored plays for Christmas, Epiphany, Good Friday and other occasions, aimed at performance in church by adults and children, and he has co-authored three Bible-based musicals. Two of his liturgical dramas -- A Passion Play for Good Friday and A Celebration of All Saints are published on-line by Morehead Church Publishing. Further details can be found here.
He is the author of LECTIONARY NOTES -- a weekly commentary on the Sunday readings in the Revised Common Lectionary. From 2009 to 2013 he was a columnist for the Episcopal Journal. His column 'Reconcilation must begin in our own House' won a 'Award of Merit' in the 'Editorial or Opinion Piece' category of the 2012 Associated Church Press Awards, and another 'The Church, vocal on gun control, but silent on drones' won a Polly Bond Award of Merit in 2014. He has a special interest in liturgy and drama and has devised a number of liturgies for special occasions. He has authored plays for Christmas, Epiphany, Good Friday and other occasions, aimed at performance in church by adults and children, and he has co-authored three Bible-based musicals. Two of his liturgical dramas -- A Passion Play for Good Friday and A Celebration of All Saints are published on-line by Morehead Church Publishing. Further details can be found here.
Assistant Priest, Christ Church, Morningside, Diocese of Edinburgh.
Rector: vacant
Rector: vacant
- Regular preaching and celebration of the Eucharist.
Contributor/coordinator of the Adult Forum - For further information visit the Christ Church Morningside website
Previous attachments
2013-18 Priest Associate, All Saints' Princeton, Diocese of New Jersey
2009-13 Priest Associate, St David's Cranbury, Diocese of New Jersey
2007-9 Priest Associate, Trinity Church, Princeton, Diocese of New Jersey
Assisting Priest (summers 2007-18) St Vincent's Chapel Edinburgh, Diocese of Edinburgh
This Scottish Episcopal Church in the heart of Edinburgh's 'New Town' was once a parish church, before becoming the official chapel of a Christian Military Order. A tiny Episcopal congregation continued to worship there, and finally re-established it as a non-diocesan Episcopal chapel when the Order relinquished it. Under the ministry of Canon R A Grant the life and congregation of St Vincent's grew considerably, and was re-admitted to the Diocese of Edinburgh shortly before his retirement in 2014. Under the current Rector, Canon Allan Maclean, St Vincent's continues to flourish and grow as 'a village church in the heart of the city'. The interior of the building is notable for exceptional stained glass and carved crests. St Vincent's is unusual in continuing for the most part to use the old Scottish Communion Liturgy of 1929. Since 2015 it has been an official venue for the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and the principal venue for the Edinburgh Festival of the Sacred Arts in the Fringe . For further information see St Vincent's website.
Selected Publications
BOOKS
Philosophy, Art and Religion: understanding faith and creativity, Cambridge University Press, 2017
Wittgenstein and Natural Religion, Oxford University Press, 2014
The Re-Enchantment of the World: Art versus Religion. Oxford University Press, 2007, paperback 2010
Evil and Christian Ethics, Cambridge University Press, 2001 (New Studies in Christian Ethics 20)
The Idea of Christian Charity: a Critique of Some Contemporary Conceptions, Notre Dame Library of Religious Philosophy,
Notre Dame University Press, 1990
ESSAYS
'The Worship of God and the Quest of the Spirit: 'contemporary' versus 'traditional' in church music' in God's Song and Music's Meaning: theology, liturgy, and musicology in dialogue, ed Vernon White, Ben Quash and Jamie Hawkey, (Routledge, 2020)
'The Gifford Lectures' in The HIstory of Scottish Philosophy Volume III: the long twentieth century, ed. David Fergusson and Mark W Elliot, (Oxford University Press, 2019)
'Princeton and Scotland' in Schools of Faith: essays on theology, ethics and education, ed David fergusson and Bruce McCormack (T&T Clark Theology, 2019)
'Purgatory, Atonement and the Self' in Purgatory: Philosophical Dimensions edd. Kristof K.P. Vanhoutte and Benjamin W. McCraw
(Palgrave, 2017)
'Aesthetics and Sacred Music', Faith and Philosophy, (2014)
'Nature', Oxford Handbook of Theology and Modern Thought, ed Adams, Pattison, and Ward (Oxford University Press, 2013)
‘The Theological and the Political: a philosophical critique', Scottish Journal of Theology 66(4) (2013) pp 466-76
'Altruism, Egoism and Sacrifice' in The Wisdom of the Christian Faith ed Paul Moser and Michael McFall (Cambridge University Press, 2012)
'The Christian Philosopher', in The Long Shadow of Emile Cailliet, ed Bartollas and Evans (Pickwick Publications, 2011)
‘The Sacred Beauty of Nature’ in Turning Images in Philosophy, Science & Religion; A New Book Of Nature ed Charles Taliferro and Jil Evans, (Oxford University Press, 2011)
‘Bavinck’s Philosophy of Revelation’, Calvin Theological Journal 45 (2010)
‘Kuyper and Contemporary Political Philosophy’, Kuyper Center Review 1 (Grand Rapids, Wm B Eerdmans, 2010)
‘Atonement’, Cambridge Companion to Christian Philosophical Theology (2009)
‘Theology and Religion’ in Philosophers and God ed. Michael McGhee, (London and New York, Continuum, 2009)
‘Liturgy as Drama’ Theology Today 63 (2007)
‘Sin and Salvation’, Routledge Companion to the Philosophy of Religion (2007)
'The Theology of Music in Church', Scottish Journal of Theology 57 (2004)
'Spiritual Values and the Knowledge Economy' in Breaking New Ground (Edinburgh, Mainstream, 2001)
'Politics, Religion and National Identity' in Philosophy and Public Affairs ed. J. Haldane, (Cambridge University Press, 2000)
'Biblical Hope and Moral Endeavour' Evangelical Quarterly (2000)
'Secularized Religion and Spiritualized Morality', Ratio (NS) 9 (1996)
'Religion, Secularization and Modernity', Philosophy 67 (1992)
'Our Conception of Hell and the Goodness of God', New Blackfriars 69 (1988)
'Art as a Vehicle for Religious Truth', British Journal of Aesthetics 23 (1983)
'Religion and Politics', Philosophy 58 (1983)
Philosophy, Art and Religion: understanding faith and creativity, Cambridge University Press, 2017
Wittgenstein and Natural Religion, Oxford University Press, 2014
The Re-Enchantment of the World: Art versus Religion. Oxford University Press, 2007, paperback 2010
Evil and Christian Ethics, Cambridge University Press, 2001 (New Studies in Christian Ethics 20)
The Idea of Christian Charity: a Critique of Some Contemporary Conceptions, Notre Dame Library of Religious Philosophy,
Notre Dame University Press, 1990
ESSAYS
'The Worship of God and the Quest of the Spirit: 'contemporary' versus 'traditional' in church music' in God's Song and Music's Meaning: theology, liturgy, and musicology in dialogue, ed Vernon White, Ben Quash and Jamie Hawkey, (Routledge, 2020)
'The Gifford Lectures' in The HIstory of Scottish Philosophy Volume III: the long twentieth century, ed. David Fergusson and Mark W Elliot, (Oxford University Press, 2019)
'Princeton and Scotland' in Schools of Faith: essays on theology, ethics and education, ed David fergusson and Bruce McCormack (T&T Clark Theology, 2019)
'Purgatory, Atonement and the Self' in Purgatory: Philosophical Dimensions edd. Kristof K.P. Vanhoutte and Benjamin W. McCraw
(Palgrave, 2017)
'Aesthetics and Sacred Music', Faith and Philosophy, (2014)
'Nature', Oxford Handbook of Theology and Modern Thought, ed Adams, Pattison, and Ward (Oxford University Press, 2013)
‘The Theological and the Political: a philosophical critique', Scottish Journal of Theology 66(4) (2013) pp 466-76
'Altruism, Egoism and Sacrifice' in The Wisdom of the Christian Faith ed Paul Moser and Michael McFall (Cambridge University Press, 2012)
'The Christian Philosopher', in The Long Shadow of Emile Cailliet, ed Bartollas and Evans (Pickwick Publications, 2011)
‘The Sacred Beauty of Nature’ in Turning Images in Philosophy, Science & Religion; A New Book Of Nature ed Charles Taliferro and Jil Evans, (Oxford University Press, 2011)
‘Bavinck’s Philosophy of Revelation’, Calvin Theological Journal 45 (2010)
‘Kuyper and Contemporary Political Philosophy’, Kuyper Center Review 1 (Grand Rapids, Wm B Eerdmans, 2010)
‘Atonement’, Cambridge Companion to Christian Philosophical Theology (2009)
‘Theology and Religion’ in Philosophers and God ed. Michael McGhee, (London and New York, Continuum, 2009)
‘Liturgy as Drama’ Theology Today 63 (2007)
‘Sin and Salvation’, Routledge Companion to the Philosophy of Religion (2007)
'The Theology of Music in Church', Scottish Journal of Theology 57 (2004)
'Spiritual Values and the Knowledge Economy' in Breaking New Ground (Edinburgh, Mainstream, 2001)
'Politics, Religion and National Identity' in Philosophy and Public Affairs ed. J. Haldane, (Cambridge University Press, 2000)
'Biblical Hope and Moral Endeavour' Evangelical Quarterly (2000)
'Secularized Religion and Spiritualized Morality', Ratio (NS) 9 (1996)
'Religion, Secularization and Modernity', Philosophy 67 (1992)
'Our Conception of Hell and the Goodness of God', New Blackfriars 69 (1988)
'Art as a Vehicle for Religious Truth', British Journal of Aesthetics 23 (1983)
'Religion and Politics', Philosophy 58 (1983)