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Mark Laynesmith

@marklaynesmith.bsky.social
352 followers 915 following 12 posts

Anglican priest diocese of Oxford, Academic Dean Lambeth Research Degrees in Theology, early medieval church historian

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Mark Laynesmith @marklaynesmith.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
The three earliest Irish vitae are fun: Cogitosis's Brigit, Muirchu's Patrick, Adomnan's Columba . Don't forget this resource: cultofsaints.history.ox.ac.uk?page_id=144 (in which my own translation of the earliest Britsh text, a life of Alban(us), features...)
cultofsaints.history.ox.ac.uk
About the Database | The Cult of Saints
The Database At the centre of the project is a searchable database on which all the early evidence for the cult of the saints is being collected, whether in Armenian, Coptic, Georgian, Greek, Latin or...
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Mark Laynesmith @marklaynesmith.bsky.social · 04/06/2026
Of Western-influential texts: Athansius's life of Anthony, Sulpicius Severus's life of Martin, Gregory Great's Benedict. The anglo-saxon nexus of Bede's Life of Cuthbert, the anonymous Cuthbert and Stephen's Wilfrid.
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Mark Laynesmith @marklaynesmith.bsky.social · 26/05/2026
For Anglican geeks wanting to dwell with St Augustine of Canterbury on his feastday, an open access article on why the mission install stalled in 596. doi.org/10.1017/S002...
doi.org
Why Did the Mission to the Anglo-Saxons Stall in 596: Anxiety, Politics or Money? | The Journal of Ecclesiastical History | Cambridge Core
Why Did the Mission to the Anglo-Saxons Stall in 596: Anxiety, Politics or Money? - Volume 76 Issue 3
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Reposted by Mark Laynesmith
ClimateHope @climatehope.bsky.social · 20/05/2026
If you are a UK citizen, please sign this petition to get a UK-wide briefing about the National Climate Emergency. It's important! petition.parliament.uk/petitions/76...
petition.parliament.uk
Petition: Hold a UK-wide briefing on climate and nature risks
The UK faces growing risks from climate and nature breakdown - from extreme weather to economic disruption and national security threats. Yet the public has never been given a clear national briefing ...
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Mark Laynesmith @marklaynesmith.bsky.social · 09/05/2026
A web page just told me everything it learned about me without asking. It knew my city, my device, my GPU, and how long I hesitated before scrolling. sinceyouarrived.world/taken
sinceyouarrived.world
taken.
A web page that tells you what your browser gave away the moment you arrived. No login, no form, no permission. Most pages do this. None of them tell you.
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Mark Laynesmith @marklaynesmith.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
Excited to share open access my new article on the Gregorian mission to Kent and why it stalled (Augustine heads back to Rome a month after setting out). TLDR version: Bede was wrong about nerves; the bishop of Arles was sitting on the money Pope Gregory was hoping to use doi.org/10.1017/S002...
doi.org
Why Did the Mission to the Anglo-Saxons Stall in 596: Anxiety, Politics or Money? | The Journal of Ecclesiastical History | Cambridge Core
Why Did the Mission to the Anglo-Saxons Stall in 596: Anxiety, Politics or Money? - Volume 76 Issue 3
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Reposted by Mark Laynesmith
J L Laynesmith @jllaynesmith.bsky.social · 04/08/2025
www.positive.news/society/good... - more than half of the UK's electricity last year came from renewable energy sources.
positive.news
What went right this week: the good news that matters
The return of seahorses to British shores, a new era in Earth observation, jab free vaccines and a whole lot more good news
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Mark Laynesmith @marklaynesmith.bsky.social · 03/08/2025
Need a Biblical commentary? A while back I scoured the amazing Internet Archive to compile a database of some of the better academic and homiletical commentaries. Here's the list docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Screenshot of database of biblical commentaries on the Internet Archive
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Mark Laynesmith @marklaynesmith.bsky.social · 03/08/2025
For late antique and medieval scholars, those who haven't come across it: the amazing Links Galore - my go-to for tracking Latin sources especially saints' lives and patristics docs.google.com/spreadsheets...
Title page of first volume of the Acta Sanctorum, compilation of Medieval saints lives by calendar date.
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Mark Laynesmith @marklaynesmith.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
Time (aged 50) to let go of that 1990/1 History Boys vibe. My homemade A-level Tudor History ringbinder.
A4 ring binder with Ned's Atomic Dustbin stencil.
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Mark Laynesmith @marklaynesmith.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
Unfortunate sign wearage or sociopathic lorry driver...
Worn lorry sign missing 'do not' from 'walk close to this vehicle'
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Mark Laynesmith @marklaynesmith.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
2/ Tyndale, as so often, cuts through the religious language and multi-syllabic words, replacing 'scandelise' to say it is because his fellows were just 'hurt' by Jesus the 'worker' preaching (i.e. put out!). Brings things down to earth the simply human interactions, rivalries and egos at play.
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Mark Laynesmith @marklaynesmith.bsky.social · 01/08/2025
A couple of psychological reflections on today's gospel (Mt 13:53-end): 1/ Jesus 'can't do many miracles' in Nazareth because people didn't have enough belief. I wonder if pre-emptive rationalism and false humility might hinder more liberal Christians from even praying for certain things...
Icon of Jesus preaching in synagogue
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Mark Laynesmith @marklaynesmith.bsky.social · 31/07/2025
First post on Bluesky marks my final day after 20 years as Anglican Chaplain to the University of Reading on behalf of Oxford Diocese. A wonderful time and very grateful for kind colleagues. Moving next to become vicar at St Nicolas church Earley @oxforddiocese.bsky.social.
Staff at University of Reading at the farewell celebration for outgoing Anglican Chaplain
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