SYCAMORE SEEDS
"About God, for adventurous, 'Good News', open, inclusive, twenty-first century Christians"
The Website of John C Henson
Introduction - what's it all about?
'Sycamore Seeds' is a small website with two principal aims.
Firstly, it's designed to provide a window on the work of John Henson and an introduction to his published books, studies, articles and hymns .You will find within these pages some samples of John's published work together with details of how to find out more and obtain his books.
The second aim of this site is to share more widely the work of like-minded Christians world-wide. To this end, other Christian thinkers will provide materials - for example, in the form of a 'Sermon of the Month' or a yet unpublished hymn.
Visitors to the site are welcome and encouraged to provide feedback - please click on the 'contacts' button to the left.
Biographical Note
John Henson is a native of Cardiff and a son of the Manse. He graduated in history and theology at the universities of Southampton and Oxford (Regent's Park) respectively and was ordained to the Baptist ministry at Carmel Baptist Church, Pontypridd in 1964. He was responsible for the formation of Pontypridd United Church a union between his own church and the United Reformed Church in 1969 (now ‘St David’s Pontypridd’ with the addition of the Presbyterian Church of Wales). He has since given assistance to other churches seeking to make similar unions at the local level.
He taught history in Cardiff High School from 1970 - 1973 and then resumed ministry at Glyncoch, Pontypridd in cooperation with the Anglican Communion. From 1980 John was largely freelance, acting as pastoral befriender to people in minority groups while continuing to assist in the conduct of worship in the churches. He served as the Chairperson of ONE during which time he produced "Good-As-New", a radical retelling of the Christian Scriptures, with the support of that community (now no longer in existence.)
His interests include left-wing politics, penal reform, peace, the quest for truly contemporary and inclusive worship and gender issues. A member of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement from its early years, for many years he assisted the movement as the contact person for the South Wales group and as a counsellor. He has lectured on faith and gender in Strasbourg and Oslo at the invitation of the European Union and the World Student Christian Federation, at universities, retreats and conference venues in the U.K., and at Greenbelt.
He is happily married to Valerie, his partner for over forty years, They have three adult children, Gareth, Iestyn and Rhôda, and nine grandchildren- Aidan, Bleddyn, Carys, Gwenllian, Dyfrig, Iona, Isobel, Tomos and Ffion-Medi. John is a cousin of Gavin Henson, one of the heroes of the Wales Rugby Grand Slams!
John Henson's books include ‘Good As New’ (2004) ‘The Gay Disciple’ (2007) the ‘OTHER’ series, ‘The Other Temptations of Jesus’ (2004) ‘The Other Communions of Jesus’ (1994 & enhanced 2006) and ‘The Other Prayers of Jesus’ (2008). Due March 1st 2009 the second, updated and enriched version of ‘The Bad Acts of the Apostles (1st ed. 1996). In progress, a new edition of ‘Gems Reset and Buttons Polished (1st ed. 1999), ‘Heaven and Hell – a dish of hot potatoes’, ‘The Other Friends of Jesus’, ‘The Love Line – a Biblical Theology of Gender’ and the Welsh version of Good As New, ‘Fel Newydd Sbon’.
Gems Reset and Buttons Polished
Buttons Polished- the Complete Set
Good As New - English version.
Articles, lectures, talks etc.
