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		About Russell... I've been fascinated with the Early Church period for a number of years, an interest which led me to take a year off from paid full-time employment (in 2003) to study for an MA in Patristics (Early Church history) at King’s College London. Everywhere I look in the writings of the Early Church Fathers (especially the Eastern Fathers) I find much which is inspirational and of relevance to contemporary issues and I keep wondering why nobody ever introduced me to this stuff! So, since finishing the course, I have returned to work part-time to allow time for further study and to start to pass on some of this inspiration to a wider non-specialist audience... "For by teaching, one learns more; and in speaking, one is often a hearer along with his audience" (Clement of Alexandria, Stromateis 1). Having established my serious credentials, I can now let you have a little more background info. See below for a few salient personal points, plus some essays.
A little personal history... I was born in the (very late) sixties, obtained a degree in Chemistry (honest) from Leicester University in 1991 and then spent a few years in science education, including a period of teaching in a Further Education college. Since 1995 I've worked in various capacities within the IT industry, starting with a 3 year stint at The Training Company, then 3 years with KPMG before ending up (in 2001) with my current employer - Attenda. The roles have all been a little different, but the common thread is my ability to take a subject often perceived as difficult (Chemistry, IT, etc) and communicate it to the non-specialist. In 2003 I completed an MA in Patristics (King's College, London) and also became an Associate of the Community of All Hallows - where I retire on an increasingly frequent basis for short periods to think about things. Ever been to a Convent or Monastery? Ever spent a day in silence? The experience can teach you a lot about yourself. In 2007 I completed an MA in the Psychology of Religion (Heythrop College, London).  Hmmm... Chemistry, Computers, Patristics & Psychology - an interesting mix!  If you're wondering... no, I have no idea what I want to be when I grow up. If you want to know any more, you'll have to ask me in person... My Icons To reflect a personal connection with two figures from the Early Church period, I commissioned two icons from Aidan Hart in summer 2004 and collected them in January 2005. Click here to enlarge Click here to enlarge Early Church things I've managed to write about WARNING! The following documents were submitted as part of my MA coursework and are therefore only of interest to (and comprehensible by) the experienced Patristic nerd. If you're new to the study of the Early Church, and/or have an aversion to footnotes, do not attempt to read these. The courses offered through this website assume no prior knowledge, but these documents do. You have been warned... Document Length Title 114 Kb 5,186 words Exodus as a metaphor for the spiritual journey in Origen’s Homily XXVII on Numbers and Gregory of Nyssa’s Life of Moses 96 Kb 5,240 words The Cosmic Christ in Athanasius’ Contra Gentes and De Incarnatione 348 Kb 16,364 words The Patristic Concept of the Cosmic Christ (Dissertation) Psychology of Religion things I've managed to write about WARNING! The following documents were submitted as part of my MA coursework, so the same caveats apply as above... Document Length Title 89 Kb 4,199 words An Evaluation of the Importance of Viktor Frankl for the Psychology of Religion 79 Kb 4,397 words Jung the Gnostic? 405 Kb 4,397 words Defending the Faith: A Triumph of Illusion over Reality? © Russell Jefford @ EarlyChurch.co.uk 2003-2010