Albert of Cologne ( known under 3 names) was a German Dominican friar, philosopher, scientist and bishop. An encounter with the Blessed Virgin Mary convinced him to enter Holy Orders. In 1223 or 1229 and he became a member of the Dominican Order. He lectured in Cologne, Regensburg, Freiburg, Strasburg and Hildesheim. He became a full time professor at th e University of Paris holding the seat of the Chair of Theology at the college of St. James. Thomas Aquinas was one of his students. In 1254 he was made provincial of the Dominican Order and fulfilled the duties of the office with great care and efficiency. In 1258 he sorted out the* der Grofie Schied*- the big verdict- to sort out the conflict between the citizens of Cologne and the archbishop. In 1260 Pope Alexander IV made him bishop of Rogensburg. To enhance his reputation for humility, and in accord with the dictates of the his Order, he refused to ride a horse, he walked his huge diocese on foot. In 1263 Pope Urban IV asked him to preach the eighth Crusade in German speaking countries. He became known as a mediator between conflicting parties. He founded Cologne University, German’s oldest university. In 1274 he grieved when his former student Thomas Aquinas died. In 1278 he became ill and died on 15th November 1280. He was possibly 87 when he died. During his life time he studied many different subjects. For the breadth of his achievements he was bestowed the name Doctor Universalis. His knowledge of natural science was considerable for the age and remarkably accurate. In 1899 his writing were collected and went to 38 volumes. Scholars have referred to Albert as the greatest German philosopher and theologian of the Middle Ages. In 1931 the Catholic Church distinguished him as one of the 37 Doctors of the Church ). Source Wikipedia

John Alcock was born in Beverley, Yorkshire.and educated at Cambridge University. His greatest achievement was the building of Jesus College, Cambridge which he established on the site of the former Convent of St. Radegund. He made a rapid rise in both the church and the state. 1461 he was made dean of St. Stephen’s Chapel , Westminster. 1462 was made Master of the Rolls. 1470 he was sent as ambassador to the Crown Court of Castile. 1472 8th January, nominated to see at Rochester 15th March, consecrated Bishop of Rochester 1476 15th July, transferred to see of Worcester 1486 6th October, moved to see at Ely H e was the first president of the Council of the Marches in Wales from 1473-1500. H e was Lord Chancellor twice in 1475 and 1485/7. On 7th November 1485 he opened King Henry VII’s Parliament. He was also tutor to Edward V. John was one of the leading pre-Reformation divines. He was a a man of deep learning and had great proficiency restoring many churches and colleges as an architect. Source Wikipedia

Richard Allen was a minister, writer and one of USA’s most active and influential black leaders. He taught himself to read and write. He founded the African Methodist Episcopal church (AME) - the first Black denomination in the USA. He opened the first AME church in Philadelphia in 1794 and in 1816 he was elected their first bishop. He was born into slavery. His family were sold to Stokley Sturgis who had a plantation. Having financial problems Sturgis later sold his mother and two younger siblings,keeping him and his older brother and sister. The three attended the local Methodist Society. The Revd. Freeborn Garrettson came to preach in Delaware in 1775.He preached at Sturgis’s plantation and convinced him that slavery was wrong, This resulted in him giving Richard the chance to buy his freedom. Aged 17 he joined the Methodists Society and began to evangelize which angered the slave owners . In 1780 he bought his freedom having done extra work for Sturgis. He changed his name from Negro Allen to Richard Allen. With his future Flora they establish a church (1787-1799). They married in 1790. In 1800 he met Sarah Bass who became his second wife after Flora, died in 1801 after a long illness. They moved to Philadelphia, married and had 6 children. Sarah was highly active and became in the AME Church the* Founding Mother.* December 1784 he went to the Christmas Conference of the Episcopal Church in North America. Along with harry Hosier they were the only 2 black attendees. In 1786 he became a preacher at St. George’s Methodist Episcopal church but was restricted to the early morning services. Along with Absalom Jones he resented the white leaders segregation of blacks for worship and prayer. They decided to leave St. George’s to create an independent, self-reliant worship for African Americans. 1787 Allen and Jones led the Black members out. They formed the Free African Society (F.A.S.). ( White ministers had to consecrate the bread and wine.) In 1793, during the yellow fever epidemic, Allen and Jones, helped to organize free blacks as essential workers. Allen caught yellow fever and nearly died. 1794 he founded the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and opened his first church. 1799 ordained as first Black Methodist minister in recognition of.his leadership and preaching (The Blacks still had to negotiate with the white leadership). 1816 he proposed the uniting of the 5 African-American Congregations. The first fully independent Black denomination was created -the African Methodist Episcopal Church (A.M.E,). Richard was elected as their first bishop. From 1797 until his death in 1831 Richard and Sarah operated a station in the City of Brotherly Love on the Underground Railroad for fugitive slaves. Richard died in 1831 having firmly established a separate Black Methodist denomination. The A.M.E. is the oldest and largest formal institution in Black America. Source Wikipedia

Michael, born a Jew, became the first Anglican bishop in Jerusalem. He was born into a Jewish family in Prussia and emigrated to England in about 1820. His education in the Talmud began when he was a child. From 16-20 he was a teacher in the community teaching the Talmud and the German language. In Norwich he became a rabbi. While there he came into contact with William Marsh a stalwart of the London Society for Promoting Christianity Among the Jews.- (now known as Church’s Ministry Among Jewish People (CMJ)) He attempted to escape the Christian influence by moving to Plymouth to teach. In 1825 he converted to Christianity. In 1827 he moved with his wife, Deborah, to Dublin. In the same year he was ordained into the Anglican church. From 1827-30 he worked for CMJ in Danzig and from 1827-41 in London. In 1841 a unique agreement was reached between the British and Prussian governments - the establishment of a Protestant Bishopric in Jerusalem. Michael - the Jewish born Christian -was appointed bishop in 1842. His position was always controversial - the Jews called him an apostate. He died just 3 years later but by that time he had set up a School of Industry, an Enquirers house, a Hebrew College and the first Hospital in Palestine. Note The Christ Church - a simple Gothic building- was completed in 1849, 4 years after Michael’s unexpected death. Outside it differs very little from many Anglican churches but inside the building has more similarity to a synagogue, Source Wikipedia

Johann or Johannes Agricola (originally Schneider, than Schnitter) was a German Protestant Reformer during the Protestant Reformation. He was born at Eisleben where he is sometimes called M agister Islebius. He studied at Wittenberg where he gained the friendship of Martin Luther. Together, in 1519 they attended the great assembly of German divines at Leipzig where he acted as recording secretary. After some time in Wittenberg he went in Frankfurt in 1525 to establish the Protestant mode of worship. Within a month he was called to Eisleben where he taught at St. Andrew’s school and preached in the Nicolai church until 1526… In 1536 he was recalled to Wittenberg and initially welcomed by Luther. Back in 1526 they had controversial disagreement over the binding obligation of the law on Christians- this broke out more violently then before. He was unable to appease the Adiaphoristic controversy. (See * Controversyand note from Britannica) He wrote an attack shortly after Luther had given him shelter when he was fleeing persecution. Luther had nothing further to do with him. He escaped to Berlin where Joachim II, Elector of Brandenburg, appointed him court preacher and general superintendent. He held both posts until his death 30 years later. His career there was one of great activity and influence. He died during an epidemic of plague on 22nd September 1566. He wrote a number of theological works (See Writings) Sources Wikipedia Britannica

George Abbot was an English divine who was Archbishop of Canterbury form 1611-1633. He was a translator of the King James Version of the Bible. He also served as the fourth chancellor of the University of Dublin from 1612-1633. He was a conscientious prelate , though narrow in view and often harsh towards both separatists and roman catholics. He wrote a large number of works and was one of the translators of the 1611 King James version of the Bible. George accidently shot a gamekeeper in 1621. A commission met to consider whether he was fit for the primacy- King James exercised his vote in his favour. Gustavus Paine notes that George was both translator of the 1611 Bible and the only Archbishop Canterbury to kill a human being. He was born and buried in Guildford. His legacy there is a hospital, a secondary school, a pub and a statue in the High Street. Source Wikipedia

Pierre Abelard, born Pierre ie Pellet, was a French scholastic, philosopher, leading logician, poet, composer and musician of the 12th century. He is considered a forerunner of Rousseau, Kent and Spinoza. He is sometimes credited as a chief forerunner of modern empiricism. He is considered to be the most significant forerunner also of the modern self-reflective autobiography - The History of my Calamities -his publicly distributed letter. In history and popular culture he is best known for his passionate and tragic love affair with his brilliant student and eventual wife, Heloise d’Argenteuil. They had a son, Astrolabe, before he was castrated by her uncle Fulbert’s men. In shame he embraced the monastic life. Afterwards both went into monasteries. In Catholic theology he is best known for his development of the concept of limbo, and his introduction of the moral influence theory on Atonement. He wrote a number of books and modern editions and translations of his work are available. (See List) Pierre is considered one of the founders of the secular university and pre-Renaissance secular philosophical thought. Sources Wikipedia Britannica

Denis was a French Catholic who served as Archbishop of Paris (1840-8). He was killed by a ‘stray’ bullet during the June Days uprising in Paris. On June 23rd 1848 a large segment of the citizens of Paris rioted because the French government had decided to close the National Workshops it had recently created. Paris was facing starvation. Denis, as archbishop, was begged by Frederic Ozanam to intervene to stop the bloodshed. He mounted the barricades bearing a green branch as a sign of peace. He was lead to believe his personal involvement peace might be restored between the military and the insurgents As he began to speak there was an exchange of fire arms - a ‘stray’ bullet hit Denis which would prove fatal. He was taken to his palace where he died on 27th June. A public funeral was held on 7th July. The crowd following the cortege was estimated at 200,000. His cause for canonization has commenced and he is venerated as a Servant of God within the Catholic Church. Source wikipedia

Aelred of Rievaulx was an English Cistercian monk, abbot from 1147 until his death (20 years later) . He best known as a writer. Both Anglicans and Catholics regard him as a saint. His early education was probably at the cathedral school in Durham. From about the age of 14 he spent time at the court of King David I of Scotland in Roxburgh, rising to the rank of echonomus (steward or master of the Household)… He left the court aged 24, in 1134, to enter the Cistercian abbey of Rievaylx in Yorkshire. He was the son of Eilaf, a priest, so he was forbidden, when he became an adult, by the 1095 Council of Claremont, ordination as a priest so he became a monk. ( This was done in part to prevent the inheritance of benefices.) In 1142 he travelled to Rome. On his return he became novice master at Rievaulx. In 1143 appointed abbot of the new Ravesby Abbey. 1147 elected abbot of Rievaulx, a position he held until his death in 1167. All of Aelred’s works have appeared in translation, most in English and French. ( See Writings) David Knowles, a historian of monasticism in England , describes him, for efforts in writing and administration, as the St. Bernard of the North, a singularly attractive character, no other English monk of the twelfth century so lingers in the memory.

AElfric was an English abbot and student of AEthelwold of Winchester. He was a prolific writer in the Old English of hagiography, homilies, biblical commentaries and other genres. He wrote 2 sets of 40 homilies and then wrote 3 works to help students learn Latin - the Grammar, the Glossary and the Colloquy. A third set ,* Lives of Saints* dated from 996-7. AEthelwold asked him to translate from the Old Testament the beginning of Genesis from Latin into Old English. This was the very first time the Old Testament was translated into Old English. Rather than translate it verbatim he translated it by its meaning. In 1005 he moved to AEthelwold’s new monastery in Eynsham where he was the monastery’s first abbot. He died in 1010… He left careful instructions to future scribes to copy his work carefully. He did not want it marred by the introduction of unorthodox passages and scribal errors. AElfric was the most prolific writer in Old English.His main theme was God’s mercy. In 2022 a blue plaque was unveiled in Eynsham in recognition of his work. According to Claudio Leonardi he represented the highest pinnacle of Benedictine reform and Anglo-Saxon literature. Source Wikipedia

50 years after *The Chronicles of Narnia *by C.S. Lewis were published Natalie Gillespie wrote her book Believing In Narnia. Believing in Narnia is the author’s interpretation of and commentary on the C.S. Lewis’s set of 7 books. The author’s audience is meant to be older children/ young teenagers but all those interested in the Christian faith will find the commentary useful and thought provoking. The book has been divided into 7 keys. Key 1 shows the symbols she has used for the book. Key 2 is a two page summary of each of the 7 books - excellent Key 3 looks in detail at many of the good and bad characters (80 pages) Aslan, the lion is compared to the life of Jesus (7 pages) Each of the Pevensie children are given several pages) (see contents page) Key 4 looks at the props and their meaning (36 pages) - excellent Key 5 looks at the places visited (8 pages) Key 6 looks at further reading Key 7 is a brief biography of C.S. Lewis’s life The 7 books make more sense when the commentary is also used. The book gives you the impression that Natalie Gillespie first of all enjoyed reading the books as a child, then enjoyed sharing them with her children. The book is dedicated to Joshua and Justin, two of her children, and there are passages where they ask questions and Natalie gives them an explanation. The opening chapter This Book is for Brave Kids ONLY! (see contents) explains the book beautifully. Other authors have also written about the Chronicles

John Hillery Osteen was an American pastor and founding pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas from its beginning in 1959 until his death in 1999. His television program , John Osteen, ran for 16 years and was broadcast to millions in the USA and nearly 50 countries weekly. John was born in Paris, Texas. He earned a BA, MA and DrD. degrees from John brown, Northern Baptist Seminary (NBTS) and Oral Roberts University. According to his biography it was not until 1939 that he began to think seriously about God. Shortly before his 18th birthday he was ordained by a church affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention. He served in various churches during the 1940s . He married and divorced his first wife, Emma Jean Shaffer, while at Central Baptist Church (CBC), Baytown, Texas. 17th September1954 he married Dolores ‘Dodie’ Pilgrim. Their first child Lisa had severe health problems. As a result John’s theological beliefs began to shift and he had ecstatic religious experiences based on what he called ‘baptism of the Holy Spirit’. In 1955 he resigned from his pastorate at CBC. He moved to Hibbard Memorial Baptist Church, Houston Texas but left in 1958 On Mother’s Day,10th May, 1959, he and Dodie started Lakewood Baptist Church in a ‘dusty, abandoned feed store’. The church dropped ‘Baptist’ from its name and became nondenominational. In the mid 1980s John launched the Lakewood Bible Institute (LBI). He served as LBI’s president until its closure in the late 1980s. John and Dodie developed Lakewood into a body of approximately 15,000 members with active ministries in televangelism, conferences, missionary support and food distribution He was author of over 50 books, edited 2 magazines ‘Praise’ and ‘Manna’ and numerous teaching materials and audio tapes. Dodie wrote* Healed of Cancer* - the story of her miraculous healing from metastaic cancer of the liver after being ‘given up’ by the doctors. Dodie’s genuine warmth and compassion is one reason Lakewood is called* An Oasis in a troubled world.* He hosted the weekly 'John Osteen’ television and his son Joel was his television producer. For 16 years they reached millions in the USA and beyond. Before John’s death in 1999 he had become known as a ‘pastor’s pastor’ and was constantly busy leading conferences and seminars at home and abroad. He had established a great reputation as a fiery preacher, impassioned evangelist and author. He died, unexpectedly, on 23rd January, 1999 aged 77. Lakewood, 2011, was the USA’s nation’s largest megachurch. Today, their youngest son Joel. the ‘smiling preacher’, with wife Victoria, are senior pastors. Lakewood’ Church has regularly 52,000 attendee. Media broadcast has expanded into 200 million households in the USA and an audience on 6 continents, thanks to television and other media. They are sharing the message of hope found in Jesus with a new generation. Sources used Gospel Channel Lakewood Church History Wikipedia

I recently started to read in a theological book that there was a lot of significance in the fact that the Gospel of St. John has only seven signs or miracles. I have printed out, in full, the seven signs/miracles, so the pupils can study them in detail. The significance can be read about on Google. I have used the Message Bible for the passages I have copied.

I have created 10 Bible word searches. 4 on the Old Testament, 4 on the New Testament, 1 about Animals and Birds and 1 about Plants and Trees. There are three word searches about the books of the Old Testament and one about Moses and the ten plagues. For the New Testament there are word searches about the 12 disciples and the books in the New Testament . I created only two word searches to go with St. Paul's three missionary journeys because two and three look very similar. Answers are included.

We celebrate St. Luke, the evangelist, on October 18th. I have found a picture and written a a brief history of St. Luke. I have included the collect for the day. There is also a short crossword and word search -answers provided.

John Wycliffe was the first to translate, or inspire, the Bible being translated into English. He, with his associates, John Purvey and Nicholas Hereford, set about the task between 1381-1384. At the time it was regarded as heresy. The Roman Catholic church in the UK did not want it translated into the common vernacular so that the general public could read it - it would have meant the church losing some of its power and influence. John Wycliffe escaped being burnt at the stake during his life time but in 1428 his body was disinterred and burned. I have included most of the article from Visionmedia - it covers all I wanted to write. I found on Utube that there are useful clips to use about his life under the title Church History in 3 minutes. There is also a lot of information on Wikipedia

John Calvin was the Reformations supreme Bible teacher. Young John had originally planned a life of of quiet scholarship but a ‘sudden conversion’- his phrase- at age of 20 led him to want God’s will rather than his own. Born a French man he found himself exiled in Geneva, Switzerland for most of his adult life. With maximum public exposure he became a preacher and teacher of the Bible, pastor. reformer, theologian and universal Christian counselor. In the book *Great Leaders of the Christian Church James I. Packer lays a very sound foundation. He writes about Calvin the man, his will. sudden conversion and called to Geneva and Calvinism in Europe (See notes). He also covers John’s Geneva, theology and knowledge of God. John developed hie theology in his biblical commentaries as well as his sermons and treaties but the most concise expression of his views are found in his magnum opus * Institutes of the Christian Religion* It was and is Protestantism’ s classic statement. Over the years the book grew! Edition 1 was 6 chapters (1536), edition 2 - 3 times larger (1539), edition 3 added new material (1543) and finally edition 4 - consisted of 4 books of 80 chapters each (1559) Book 1 God the Creator, bk.2 Redeemer in Christ. Bk.3 Receiving the Grace of Christ through the Holy Spirit bk.4 Society of Christ or the Church The theology of John Calvin has been more influential in both the development of the system of belief now known as Calvinism and in Protestant thought more generally. Anchored in Geneva John became an international figure in his own life time. The modern world can hardly be understood without some knowledge of Calvinism. Sources used wikipedia Great Leaders of the Christian Church edited by Woodbridge Christianity Today What is calvinism? by John Piper Note The wikipedia site has a fantastic amount of information about John and Calvanism.

Thomas Becket is one of the most famous men in English History. Henry11 asked, ‘Who will rid me of this traitor?’ Four of his knights took at his word and went to Canterbury Cathedral and in front of the high altar murdered Thomas. Henry 11 and Thomas had been friends. Henry 11 had appointed him to be his royal chancellor. He performed his duties very capably and became the king’s trusted servant and friend. On the death of of Archbishop Theobald of Canterbury Henry11 appointed Thomas his successor. He believed Thomas would serve the state as well as the church. On appointment Thomas changed his allegiance and his life style. He abandoned his worldly materialistic ways and became a saintly soul living a disciplined , pious and austere life. He steadfastly resisted all efforts to impose the royal will on the church. Discord developed over how the church and state dealt with clerics convicted of crimes. Following a quarrel Thomas, the Archbishop of Canterbury, was forced into exile in France (1164-1170). On his return to England in 1170 he met with his death. Henry11 when he heard the news was distraught - what he had said in anger he now regretted. Henry was forced to do penance because there was such an outpouring of rage from the public Thomas was sainted in 1173 and became the most popular saint in English History. His Legacy is enormous. In the ‘Canterbury Tales’ by Chaucer a group of pilgrims are on their way to worship at his shrine. (Read Legacy) Sources used Great Leaders of the Christian Church - Woodbridge contribution from Robert G. Clouse wipedia BBC History

Edward the Confessor was a king who later became recognized as a saint He lived in the eleventh century . He died shortly before the Battle of Hasting between King Harold, his successor and William 1, William the conqueror. There are differences of opinion as to whether he was a weak or a strong king. Confessor reflects his reputation as a saint who did not suffer martyrdom. Wikipedia uses the work ’ nickname ’ to reflect the traditional image of him as unworldly and pious. He did reign for 24 years It is said because he was unable to fulfill a vow to go to Rome that he built a monastery. The monastery we call Westminster Abbey. He re-established the Abbey of Westminster on a site of a church built 400 years earlier. It was the first Norman Romanesque church in England. Building began in 1042 and consecrated on 28th December 1065. Edward unfortunately was too ill to attend the ceremony and died the following week - 5th January 1066. Edward was buried at Westminster Abbey. His body was exhumed a number of times and was finally given a centerpiece, in a magnificent tomb, in the new thirteenth century ( present day )Abbey. Edward can be seen on the famous Bayeux Tapestry. Edward the Confessor was for many years the patron saint of England until Saint George, during the time of the Crusades, replaced him. HIs feast day is 13th October. Westminster Abbey was finally completed in 1090 some 25 years after his death. In 1245, during the reign of Henry111, it was demolished and replaced by today’s present building.

Saint John was one of original twelve disciples Jesus chose to be an apostle. He was probably a disciple of John the Baptist first. John along with the other eleven spent a great deal of time with Jesus. He with older brother James and Simon Peter were part of of an inner circle. He is known as the ‘disciple Jesus loved’ because that is how he describes himself in the gospel of John. After Christ’s resurrection he was ‘number two’ to Peter. They are mentioned together on a number of occasions. He is recognised as the author of the Gospel of John, the epistles of John and the book of Revelation. Revelation begins with him saying he is on the island of Patmos ( ch.1 v.10), where it is believed he was being held prisoner for being a follower of Christ. He may have died a martyr. Sources suggest he lived until he was 90+ I have included, in full, all the Biblical references to John. Plus information from Wikipedia and Britannica