Search results for: 'every day'

September New Releases: Tim Patrick and Mark Greene on the Depth of the Gospel and Living Faith Every Day

This September, IVP introduces two new books: Tim Patrick’s The Amazing Depth of the Simplest Truth and Mark Greene’s Fruitfulness on the Frontline (10th Anniversary Edition). Both will inspire you to rediscover the richness of the gospel and live it out in everyday ...
  • 14 Feb 2019

Four non-fiction gifts - International Book Giving Day

Today is International Book Giving Day. This is a special day dedicated to giving people access to books and the opportunity to read. Book lovers and enthusiasts join in on this annual occasion in every territory by giving the gift of books to others, especially to those who are shunned by having access to them, whether due to social ...

Five things you might be feeling on results day

Results day. Whether you or someone you love is recieving good or bad news, there are certain to be lots of different feelings going round. Our Digital Marketing Editor, Tom Creedy, takes look at five of them, and suggest some ways to process them, with the help of a good ...

L is for Lifestyle Blog for Random Acts of Kindness Day

For Random Acts of Kindness Day, I thought I’d share some tips from the new edition of my book L is for Lifestyle (out in June) on how we can make choices, big and small, to show KINDNESS to the earth, each other and ...

Treating mum this Mother's Day

Need some inspiration for Mother's Day? We have some last minute gift ideas for book-loving mums ...

Introducing Food for the Journey - 365 Day Devotional

We're celebrating the release of Food for the Journey with inspiring quotes, Scripture passages and extracts. Keep an eye on our blog and social media accounts throughout July and August to ensure you don't miss ...

World Mental Health Day 2019: A Missed Opportunity?

Sharon Hastings, doctor and author of upcoming book Wrestling With My Thoughts writes on the blog for World Mental Health ...
  • 9 Oct 2020

Resources for World Mental Health Awareness Day

For World Mental Health Awareness Day 2020, we are sharing a range of resources to encourage, equip, and inspire. ...

Celebrate International Women's Day (with good books!)

Did you know that today, Tuesday the 8th of March 2022, is International Women's ...

Why We Should Care About Earth Day

The 22nd of April is Earth Day. Should we care?  Consider a biblical perspective, and save on some key ...

Starting Your Devotional Journey

Making time for devotions each day can bring some peace and calm to our busy lives. We’ve chosen three devotional books designed to keep us connected to God and our faith, even when we’re stressed and busy. Building in time every day for devotional reading can remind us of what is most important to ...
  • 1 Jan 2019

Light up your year with a devotional

It’s 2019 and a brand new year. With all of the expectation that we place on getting off to a good start with resolutions, hopes and aspirations, where does that same enthusiasm go as the days carry on? It can feel like fireworks. We shoot our hopes to the heavens and watch them illuminate in our hearts. Yet somehow the firework disperses and ...
  • 20 Dec 2018

5 ways to keep Christ the centre of Christmas

Ruth Clemence is back on our blog with useful ways we can keep Christ at the centre of our Christmas ...
  • 4 Jun 2018

Less Isn't MORE>

We engage with our faith. We love going to church. We pray every day. We’re busy. We’re always on our phones. We’re running off to yoga class. We’re working late. We’re commuting. We haven’t got as much time to engage with the Bible as we’d like. And yet, it’s still a vital part of our lives and our ...
  • 29 Jan 2018

A Q&A with Helen Thorne

We sat down with Helen Thorne, author of Walking with Domestic Abuse Sufferers, and asked her some questions about herself and the new ...
  • 16 Jan 2019

5 Questions for Freddie Pimm

Freddie Pimm, author of The Selfish Gospel, chats with us about his book, his faith, and his work as a ...
  • 7 Nov 2019

An Award for MORE>

We are celebrating the MORE series, which has won an award for design! Read on to find out ...
  • 24 Feb 2020

Put On New Clothes

In this short blog post Paul Mallard, author of 'An Identity to Die For', invites us to consider how we can deliberately live for Jesus every ...
  • 3 Jul 2018

Celebrating MORE >

IVP Commissioning Editor Elizabeth Neep spoke at the London School of Theology last week. Here, she blogs about the event and the launch of MORE > Distinct by Calvin ...
  • 20 Oct 2020

Systematic Theology: The Playlists

For the new edition of Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology, we've compiled playlists based on the hymns and contemporary worship songs he recommends at the end of each ...
  • 3 Jul 2018

MORE > Direction Can Mean Less Stress

We live in a culture that pressures us to achieve, be constantly busy, and to never be satisfied with what we have. But what if one of the best ways to avoid burnout, achieve long-term success, and feel more accomplished was to rest, pray consistently, and make the time to really connect with God? When Ruth and Ayo Afolabi engaged more with the ...
  • 17 Sept 2018

Catching up with Catherine Campbell after CRT 2018

Catherine Campbell recently presented at Christian Resources Together. Here, we catch up with her about her time at the event and her hopes for the ...
  • 6 Apr 2020

John Stott on Prayer

In this blog post for #Seasonof Stott, Peter Harris of A Rocha remembers John Stott as a praying ...

What is Economic Justice? and What Does the Bible Have to Say About It?

What does economic justice have to do with Scripture? Economist, theologian, and church minister Andrew Hartropp is convinced that from Scripture, God loves justice. He believes that the roots of economic justice are found in God and in his character and it is vital then that we explore Scripture and let it re-shape the way we live. In the ...

IVP Author Catherine Campbell speaks at Bethany Baptist Church.

Catherine Campbell, IVP author of God Isn't Finished With You Yet, speaks at Bethany Baptist Church on February 2nd, ...

8 Questions for the new NSBT Co-editor - Dr. Benjamin L. Gladd

Ahead of announcing that Dr. Benjamin L. Gladd was joining D. A. Carson as co-editor of the New Studies in Biblical Theology series, we asked Ben a few ...

Why We Still Need the Wonder of Christmas by Catherine Campbell

In this moving Advent reflection, Catherine Campbell shares how grief, faith and the wonder of Jesus’ birth continue to anchor her through every ...

How do we mine for gold in our families?

Husband, father and grandfather Tom Camacho wants us to discover the gold that our family members carry, but how do we do that? In this blog post he discusses three ways that have helped ...

Guest Post: Finding What Barbie Was Looking For

Jon Brown unpacks why he wore pink last night, and how a cultural phenomenon reveals the need for us to be 'More Real' (Among other ...

Guest Post: On Faith and Addiction

Ally Gordon, author of 'Why Art Matters', offers up a searing and personal blog post about 'The Wolf at the ...
  • 17 Jul 2018

5 Questions for Jon Brown

Jon Brown is one of the leaders at New Community Church, SE London. He doesn’t have a wife or dog or any of the things you’re supposed to talk about in bios. His least favourite things are mornings and dinners with vegans. His favourite things are The Sound of Music and trying to be funny. Here, he chats with us about his upcoming book ...
  • 7 Aug 2018

The Road to Journey with Me

You can learn a lot about yourself as an author when you’ve published your first few books. Ideas for more spring up in unexpected places. Here, Catherine Campbell chats with us about her new book Journey With ...
  • 20 Aug 2018

The curse of ‘It’s never worked before’

Tim Gough is on our blog today, discussing how you can improve your ministry with a simple shift in your ...
  • 24 Sept 2018

Making the most of your travels

Traveling takes on a different meaning when we put God at the centre of our journey. Peter Grier blogs about travel ...
  • 11 Oct 2018

Congratulations Chris Woznicki, IVP Early-Career Philosopher of Religion 2018!

Chris Woznicki is PhD Student in Systematic Theology at Fuller Theological Seminary. He received a MA in Theology (Biblical Studies) from Fuller Theological Seminary and a BA in Philosophy from UCLA. Prior to starting his PhD he served as a college minister; he currently serves with an evangelistic ministry to high school students called Young ...
  • 18 Oct 2018

How do your values shape your professional identity?

IVP Editor and Publicist Elizabeth Neep is on our blog for World Values Day. Her strong faith and unshakable integrity guide everything she does, personally and ...
  • 12 Nov 2018

A Self Care MOT for Youth Workers

Youth workers have a lot demanded of them – socially, emotionally, and spiritually. Self-care is essential as a youth worker. Tim Gough takes us through some practical advice that will help you take care of yourself while you take care of ...
  • 15 Nov 2018

5 ways to care for ourselves with God at the centre

Happy publication day to Liz Carter, whose book Catching Contentment is published today.  Here, for self-care week, she shares her thoughts on how we can better care for ...
  • 10 Dec 2018

Putting Christ first in Christmas

Our new Web Content Assistant Glenn Cauchi reflects on the most important part of the holiday season – ensuring that, at Christmas, Christ comes ...
  • 17 Dec 2018

Catherine Campbell reflects on her journey

Catherine Campbell has enjoyed incredible success with Journey With Me, her new devotional. It makes a perfect Christmas gift.  What does she look forward to most in ...
  • 16 Jan 2019

We All Need Encouragement

Book blogger Ruth Clemence reflects on the work of Christian ...
  • 7 Feb 2019

The Cost of Forgiveness

Douglas Connelly is the pastor of Davison Missionary Church in Davison, Michigan, USA. He has written twenty LifeBuilder study guides as well as books like The Bible for Blockheads and The Book of Revelation Made Clear. Here, for Time to Talk Day, he blogs about the importance of ...

Do we want to know?

On International Women's Day, Helen Thorne asks whether in the time of #MeToo and abuse survivors speaking up, do we really want to know? What can we do to focus on and support those suffering? How do we show love to those who struggle? How do we make our churches ...

A Fresh Light on Women's Ministry

Andrew Bartlett introduces his forthcoming book Men and Women in Christ, asking the big questions and offering a fresh approach to a controversial ...

How do you handle stress?

Will Van Der Hart, co-author of The Worry Book and The Guilt Book, writes on mental health and dealing with the negative cycle of guilt for April's Stress Awareness Month. ...

Reflections on my Father

For Father's Day, Tom Camacho, author of the upcoming book Mining for Gold, reflects on his his father, the 75th Anniversary of D-Day, and the lessons we can learn from those who dedicate their lives for ...

Mining for Gold

Tom Camacho, author of Mining for Gold tells us how the book came to be, who it is for and what this journey of becoming a published author has been like for ...

Clarity Changes Everything

Tom Camacho, author of Mining for Gold tells us how God wants us to open our eyes and see things as they really are. With this clarity, we as leaders can slow down and listen to those who need help, helping them to find clarity and move ...

You are not alone - Why it's time to stop judging yourself

In a world that is hugely critical about how women look, can we really blame the celebrities for giving in to a little nip and tuck to keep themselves in the public eye? Women at war over their image is nothing new but Rachel Gardner tells us not to settle for being defined by glamour or social media status. Below is an extract from her ...

Food for the Journey - an extract from Hebrews

We're celebrating the release of Food for the Journey with inspiring quotes, Scripture passages and extracts. Keep an eye on our blog and social media accounts throughout July and August to ensure you don't miss ...

Food for the Journey - an extract from Thessalonians

We're celebrating the release of Food for the Journey with inspiring quotes, Scripture passages and extracts. Keep an eye on our blog and social media accounts throughout July and August to ensure you don't miss ...

Food for the Journey - extract from Colossians

We're celebrating the release of Food for the Journey with inspiring quotes, Scripture passages and extracts. Keep an eye on our blog and social media accounts throughout July and August to ensure you don't miss ...

Food for the Journey - an extract from Revelation

We're celebrating the release of Food for the Journey with inspiring quotes, Scripture passages and extracts. In this blog post you will find an extract from ...
  • 11 Nov 2019

Give a book, get a book

Get the ebook of some of our favourite titles for FREE when you purchase the physical book. A great way to buy a gift, and enjoy a good book yourself this ...

Remembering Mike Ovey

Tomorrow (7th January 2020) marks three years since Mike Ovey went to be with Jesus. This blog post seeks to serve as a memorial to Mike, particularly in his role as a teacher and ...
  • 18 Jan 2020

New Year, New You?

Mini-resolutions and Moral Support for the Mentally Ill - a blog by Sharon Hastings, author of Wrestling with My ...
  • 27 Jan 2020

Guest Post: Isaiah

In this guest post, All Souls Langham Place Student worker Ollie Lansdowne explores how Isaiah's view of God has helped him think through issues of evangelical identity and abuse. ...
  • 28 Feb 2020

The Boring Place? What The Good Place misses about Heaven

Our Publishing Director, Caleb Woodbridge, ponders the ending of the popular and thought provoking Netflix Series 'The Good Place', in this 'long ...
  • 4 Feb 2020

Remembering Martyn Lloyd-Jones

On the eve of the 39th anniversary of his death, we remember 'The Doctor' with this short piece by J. I. Packer. Whether you remember Lloyd-Jones' preaching, or have never heard of him, we'd love to introduce you to this great teacher and pastor. ...
  • 4 Apr 2020

Love is Great

Paul Mallard, pastor and author (most recently of An Identity to Die For) digs into what Paul meant in Ephesians 3:18-19 about how love surpasses ...

Love Means Love?

In this post for Valentines Day our Digital Marketing Editor Tom ponders a slogan dogmatically repeated in our culture today, interrogating some of ideas that float around in our culture. What on earth is being said by Love Means Love? ...
  • 20 Feb 2020

For Those Left Behind: How to Grieve a Suicide

Al Hsu's book Grieving a Suicide helps survivors to think through and live the aftermath of the event. Here, he invites us to consider what suicide means for those left behind after the death of a loved one. Grief can be an overwhelming emotion - and we think that Al's words here may be helpful to those reeling from other ...
  • 20 Mar 2020

Unimaginable Peace

In this Guest Post, Ollie Lansdown, who lives with an underlying health condition, shares about the peace he has in these uncertain ...
  • 16 Mar 2020

Perseverance in the Bible

In trying times, we are invited to persevere, to fix our eyes on Jesus, and to dig in for the long haul. In this short blog post, we think about how the Bible invites us to ...
  • 25 Mar 2020

A Letter to my Sixteen-Year-Old Self

In this special guest blog post, Sharon Hastings pens a letter to her ...
  • 18 May 2020

John Stott on Love

In this special guest post as part of our #SeasonofStott, Elaine Storkey explores John Stott's profound teaching on ...
  • 3 Apr 2020

John Stott on Devotion

In this post for our #SeasonofStott, Mark Greene from LICC ponders how John Stott's Devotion was to Christ above and in ...
  • 8 Apr 2020

What's Stopping Us?

First published in IDEA magazine, Gavin Calver invites us to consider stepping out of our comfort zone and being the church fully ...
  • 15 Apr 2020

Grief and Hope in a time of coronavirus

IVP's Publishing Director, Caleb Woodbridge, ponders the hope that he and his late grandmother have, even in this time of ...
  • 19 May 2020

Kindness and Psychosis

Sharon Hastings, author of Wrestling With My Thoughts, suggests some brave steps to break down barriers, in this guest post for Mental Health Awareness ...
  • 9 Jun 2020

Trinity: The Root of Unity

Jonathan Lamb unpacks how seeing God as God really is, Trinity, is the root of ...
  • 13 Jul 2020

Jim Packer on the Theology of Revival

As an evangelical passionate about Scripture, the church and the Gospel, Packer was concerned for a right understanding of revival. We reproduce here his contribution on a Theology of Revival to The New Dictionary of Theology: Historical and ...
  • 31 Jul 2020

Biblical Common Sense?

In this blog post, drawn from his Gateway Seven study on Proverbs, Antony Billington ponders the social background of the book of Proverbs, and whether that makes the wisdom in this book an example of Biblical Common ...
  • 18 Aug 2020

Ruth, Judges and the (mis)treatment of Women

In this edited extract from his Gateway Seven study on Ruth, Mark Greene reminds us of how far we have to go in living out the Bible's radical teaching about ...
  • 24 Aug 2020

Why bother with Bible Genealogy?

Mark Greene invites us to see 'Grace across the generations', where perhaps we've just seen long lists of ...
  • 6 Aug 2020

A Better Hope: Christ's Body, Our Bodies

In this edited extract from A Better Hope, Sam Allberry considers the practical meaning of Christ's resurrection body for us both now and in the ...
  • 14 Sept 2020

Systematic Theology: Why a Second Edition?

In this extract from the preface to the second edition of his well known 'Systematic Theology', Wayne Grudem shares what's changed, and what hasn't, in this modern ...
  • 3 Sept 2020

What does the Bible say about the foundations of our trust in God? Part I

In the first part of her mini-series exploring how students can trust God even in these strange times, Felicity MacKenzie starts with the ...
  • 5 Sept 2020

How can current university culture affect our trust in God?

What is the culture that shapes the university experience in the UK? How does it affect our faith and trust in God? Felicity MacKenzie explores and suggests a way through the ...
  • 8 Sept 2020

What does the Bible say about the foundations of our trust in God? Part II

Felicity MacKenzie continues her blog series on trusting God, by digging deeper into what the Bible ...
  • 16 Sept 2020

How might we navigate this time as a Christian community?

Felicity Mackenzie closes her mini-series on trusting God at the start of the new academic year with a call to community, honesty, prayer, and ...
  • 1 Oct 2020

Key Themes in Joel

Ahead of the publication this month of the new TOTC on Joel and Amos, here are some of the key themes of the book of ...

Key Themes in Amos

Ahead of the publication this month of the new TOTC on Joel and Amos, here's an outline of the book and a summary of some of the key themes of Amos' Prophecy. ...
  • 7 Oct 2020

IVP and SPCK - Five Years On

We don't like to talk about 'IVP' that much, because we prefer to let our books and authors do the talking. This month, though, we are marking a ...

Guest Post: Coming to grips with a COVID Christmas

In this guest blog post, by a church leader for church leaders, Esther Prior shares some thoughts about the creativity that this strange season could ...
  • 14 Oct 2020

A Poet You Should Know: Phillis Wheatley

In this blog post we highlight Phillis Wheatley, a poet whose story provides a challenging snapshot of what it means to engage with Black ...

Purposeful Sexuality: Asking the Right Questions

In this blog post, Ed Shaw explains why when we talk about sexuality, it is so important to be asking the right ...

First, comes Saturday

Jonny and Joanna Ivey have written a profound and moving book about baby loss. In this post, they share the pain of their initial grief, and point to an unexpected source of ...

Silent Cries: What does it mean to carry burdens?

God gives us more than we can carry. Joanna Ivey shares her experience in this extract from Silent ...

Why Systematic Theology Matters

In this extract from his new book, Richard Brash explains why theology, and particularly systematic theology, matters to ...

The Biblical Basis for fighting Climate Change

Wondering how to think biblically about creation care, climate change, and environmentaL stewardship? Start ...

Key Themes in Jonah

With the publication in April 2021 of the new Tyndale Old Testament Commentary on Obadiah, Jonah and Micah, we're sharing the key themes from each book, as a sneak peek into the new commentary by Daniel ...

Guest Post: Be All There

Guest writer James Lee shares why he's planning on dying in Bristol, the city he lives in. And why that's a good ...

5 Tips for Bible Study

Here are 5 tips for Bible study, drawn from the ESV Search the Scriptures Bible, which we think are a helpful reminder whether you are just starting out, or have been reading God's Word for ...

No Place for God? Civility and Cancel Culture

Author and pastor Pete Nicholas ponders if our 'cancel culture' is redeemable or ...

What will Eternal Life be like?

In this edited extract from his new evangelistic book, Martin Salter shares what he believes eternal life will be ...

Writing on Mark

Tracy Cotterell, editor of the Gateway Seven series tells us about writing Mark - Living the Way of Jesus in the World, the final title in the ...

Key Themes in Leviticus

With 'The Message of Leviticus' being published in the first batch of the updated Old Testament BST reissue, we thought we'd share a blog post digging into the shape and key themes of this dense and often misunderstood book of the Bible. ...

Key Themes in Numbers

With 'The Message of Numbers' being published in the first batch of the updated Old Testament BST reissue, we thought we'd share a blog post digging into the shape and key themes of this deep yet often overlooked book of the Bible. ...

The IVP February 2022 Releases

February 2022 sees four exciting new titles from IVP. Read on to find out ...

20% Off Mental Health Resources

May is Mental Health Awareness Month, and we've put together a selection of IVP titles that encourage and support mental health, from inspirational biographies to insightful books on mindfulness and self-care. All 20% Off this ...

W. E. Sangster: British Evangelical Theologian of the Twentieth Century

To celebrate the launch of our new Apollos title, British Evangelical Theologians of the Twentieth Century, we are sharing brief biographical sketches drawn from classic IVP resources. ...

Guest Blog Post: Why the Church Needs Reformation and Revival

Andrew Fellows, author of Smuggling Jesus Back Into The Church, explores why the church needs reformation and ...

Blue Monday Week: Save 10% on Mental Health Resources

This week is Blue Monday week, and we've put together a selection of IVP titles that encourage and support mental health, from inspirational biographies to insightful books on mindfulness and self-care. All 10% OFF This ...

An Interview with the editors of the Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, 2nd Edition

To celebrate the publication of the second edition of the Dictionary of Paul and His Letter, IVP interviewed editors Scot McKnight, Lynn Cohick and Nijay Gupta. Read the full conversation here. ...

Praying for GAFCON

Chris Green is in Kigali, for a significant Anglican event. He's shared some prayer points. ...

Guest Post: On saving lives at sea - and souls on land

Mark Broadways ponders the relationship between his ministry in the church, and his volunteering with the ...

(re)Introducing the IVP Publishing Board: Mark Finnie

As part of our blog series on the IVP Publishing Board, Mark Finnie introduces ...

Guest Post: Recovery at Christmas

In this guest post, Sharon Hastings shares six proven strategies to engage with some of the perennial challenges to our mental health that can arise around ...

Seven Questions for Beth M. Stovell

We asked the new Apollos Old Testament Commentary (AOTC) editor, Beth M. Stovell, a few questions about her, and her hopes for the ministry of the AOTC ...

IVP Authors at New Horizon 2024

Phil Knox and Catherine Campbell will be speaking at New Horizon ...

Reflections from another IVP Intern

In the run up to Christmas, we had a recent graduate intern with us at IVP. From March to May, we were delighted to welcome a mother returning to the workplace after more than a decade. She shares her experience as an intern at ...

Counter-rituals for the Christian creative

We are constantly surrounded by culture.  If you want to listen to music, you simply have to open your phone. If you want to watch a movie, or a TV show, there’s seemingly hundreds of streaming services clamouring for your attention. If you want to read a book, there’s libraries and book shops and online platforms (and the IVP website, of ...

A Brief Tribute to Gordon J. Wenham - by L. Michael Morales

  Author, and doctoral student of Wenham, L. Michael Morales, offers a brief tribute to Gordon J. Wenham, who passed into glory recently. _______________________________________________________   While sleeping peacefully on the morning of May 13, 2025, Gordon Wenham entered the glorious, heavenly presence of his Savior. He was a ...

New This November: Two Books That Show Faith Can Still Change the World

Two powerful new November releases from IVP, Whispers of Revolution and Called to Care, show how Christian faith still transforms lives, communities, and our world through the radical kingdom message of Jesus and the call to compassionate ...

Called to Care: A Conversation with Jo Knight on Faith, Justice & Creation Care

Jo Knight shares the heart behind Called to Care, exploring how Christians can respond with hope, justice, and faithful action in a world facing climate ...

Great Suffering, Greater Wisdom: An Author Q&A With Dennis Tucker

In this Q&A, Dennis Tucker invites us to wrestle with suffering through Job—and to trust that God is still good and worthy of our ...
  • 29 Jun 2018

5 Minutes With Tim Chester

5 Minutes with Tim Chester Dr Tim Chester is the pastor with Grace Church Boroughbridge in North Yorkshire, a faculty member of Crosslands Training and chair of Keswick Ministries. He is the author of over 40 books including Sent: Serving God’s Mission.  He will present at the upcoming Keswick Convention in July. Ahead of the ...
  • 9 Jul 2018

5 Reasons to get yourself to this year's Keswick Convention

Steve Mitchell is the Publishing Director for IVP. He spent many a happy year as a bookseller, but finally saw the light and moved into publishing. He lives in Cumbria with his wife Karen, three grown-up kids and a beloved bass guitar. Here, he gives us five reasons to go to the Keswick Convention this ...
  • 1 Sept 2019

The IVP September 2019 Releases

As the summer turns the corner into Autumn and winter, here at IVP we're gearing up for Christmas and the promise of a New ...
  • 24 Sept 2019

To All Who Are Stranded

Peter Grier, author of Travel: In Tandem with God's Heart offers some biblical perspective and intentional prayers for all those caught up in the news about Thomas ...
  • 20 Apr 2020

Guest Post: Panxiety

In this guest blog post, Will Van Der Hart, pastoral chaplain at HTB and author (with Dr Rob Waller) of a number of books, considers how the current pandemic interacts with ...

Guest Post: Ten things I wish I had known about mental health before going to university

Sharon Hastings, author of Wrestling with my Thoughts, offers ten points to ponder as the new University year kicks ...