Podcasts about Canterbury

[The text of the pieces of music in this audio file can be accessed at https://www.stpauls.co.uk/sites/default/files/2023-09/Texts%20and%20Tranlations.pdf] Mary the mother of Jesus is a polarising figure. Is she Queen of Heaven, the New Eve, an ordinary person called to do extraordinary things, the ultimate good girl, a feminist foremother, or is her story altogether more complex? She is also the subject of countless paintings, poems and works of music, sometimes overlaying our sense of her presence in the Bible. Rowan Williams considers contrasting aspects of Mary's story in the Gospels and the church, her place in our faith, and why she still matters so much. Dr Rowan Williams is a poet and theologian, and was the 104th Archbishop of Canterbury.

Canterbury's youth mental health services say they are struggling to meet increasing demand. Over the past decade, the number and complexity of cases those on the frontline are dealing with has ballooned by 121 percent. Te Whatu Ora's district service manager Deborah Selwood admits this demand in growth means only the most severe cases can be seen with any consistency. The physical condition of the current community treatment facility - Princess Margaret Hospital - is only compounding the problem. However, the construction of a new treatment facility - Kahurangi - is nearing completion, with community teams scheduled to move in next year. Deborah Selwood, Te Whatu Ora's Child, Adolescent and Family mental health service manager, joins Kathryn to discuss.

Andrew deep dives into the fascinating world of comedian, author, and human rights advocate Sandi Toksvig who shares some of the experiences that have fueled her fervent commitment to equality and justice. From school days spent at a French-speaking convent (where she masterminded a school rebellion), to earlier this year challenging the Archbishop of Canterbury over the Church of England's stance on same-sex marriage, it's a thought-provoking conversation that's equal parts humour and heart.   For more info on Sandi's public call earlier this year for Church of England bishops to be removed from the House of Lords over its continued opposition to same-sex marriage: https://humanists.uk/2023/02/03/sandi-toksvig-calls-for-cofe-bishops-to-be-removed-from-lords-over-same-sex-marriage/   What I Believe was the title of two separate essays by the philosopher Bertrand Russell and the philosopher EM Forster in the early 20th century. These two humanists set out their approach to life, their fundamental worldview, in a way that was accessible to all. In this podcast, Chief Executive of Humanists UK, Andrew Copson, speaks to humanists today to understand more about they believe, to understand more about the values, convictions, and opinions they live by.    Humanists UK is the national charity working on behalf of non religious people to advance free thinking and promote a tolerant society. If you'd like to support the podcast or find out more about the humanist approach to life or the work that we do, please visit humanists.uk. If you like what you see, please consider joining as a member: https://humanists.uk/   You can follow Humanists UK on Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok – and please remember to leave a 5 star review!     What I Believe is produced by Sophie Castle.

Environment Canterbury concedes an oil spill near a marine reserve is not able to be contained. The 25-metre long Austro Carina crashed into the rocks and ran aground at Canterbury's Shell Bay on the eastern side of the peninsula on Sunday night.The four crew made it to shore and had to be winched out by helicopter. It is estimated 10,000 litres of diesel and 400 litres of hydraulic fluid is on the grounded ship. Aerial observations are set to get underway to work out the extent of the situation, but weather is limiting a containment operation. The spill is close to the Akaroa Marine Reserve and the area is home to protected species like the korora/little blue penguin and the upokohue/Hector's dolphins among several others. Kathryn speaks with Andy Thompson, DoC's Mahaanui operations manager and Shireen Helps owner and founder of Pohatu Penguins, a wildlife tour company on Banks Peninsula.

A capsule containing fragments of the asteroid Bennu landed in a remote part of the Utah desert. The container which was jettisoned from the space probe O-SIRUS REx landed safely in the desert at 03:52 Monday morning. It entered Earth's atmosphere at 44,500 kilometres an hour. The capsule's journey began seven years ago, when it left Earth, taking a sample from the asteroid in 2020, before returning back to Earth Monday morning. University of Canterbury planetary astronomer Michele Bannister spoke to Corin Dann.

Rival candidates at an election meeting in North Canterbury found they had plenty in common on Monday evening. Candidates from four political parties were asked to name each other's policies that they liked.

Kelsie Meads and her sidekick heading dog Sass are one of 12 duos taking part in this year's Trans-Tasman Cobber Dog Challenge. Small in stature but not in attitude, Sass is vying for the top spot.

With John embarking on a 200+ date world tour taking in Salford, Canterbury, Huddersfield, and then Salford again, the man whose modus operandi is emotionally hefty comedy requires a mental break every so often. However, not one to let the listener miss out on their weekly dose of #content he insisted on making Elis and Producer Dave join him to pre-record a show. If there's one thing he ain't, it's dedicated! As well as all the usual fun, Elis gets vocal in his sleep and channels the 'Voice of the Balls', and John cuts through the noise on the failures of parenting.

Fierce winds are fuelling a wildfire - and making it too dangerous for firefighters to tackle - near Pūkaki Downs in the South Island. An orange, strong wind warning is in force for the Canterbury High Country, with MetService warning of severe gale northwesterlies with damaging gusts of 140 kilometres-per-hour in exposed places. Heavy snow for Otago and Canterbury may follow. Metservice meteorologist Clare O'Connor warns this could disrupt travel through alpine passes. O'Connor spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

Canterbury got a big shock this morning with a long and strong earthquake that sent people running for the nearest door frame. While the region seems to have escaped any major damage, it's left locals thankful it wasn't worse. The quake measured 6.0 on the richter scale and was centred 45 kilometes north of Geraldine. Since then, there have been more than 40 aftershocks. Checkpoint producer Anastasia Hedge has been near the epicentre.

Swimmers enjoying Canterbury's open water this summer should check before they dive, or they might risk getting sick. Environment Canterbury says the number of popular lakes, rivers and beaches graded unsuitable for swimming has risen from twenty-one last year to twenty-five this year. Water Quality Science team leader Shirley Hayward says human faecal bacteria making its way into the water is hard to control and poses a threat to public health. Hayward spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

There's been a strong earthquake in Canterbury just after 9am. We speak to Scott Shannon, deputy mayor of Timaru and a John, a Pleasant Point resident.

It's been a shaky morning in Canterbury with a quake rattling the region just after 9am this morning.

Morning Prayer for Tuesday, September 19, 2023 (Proper 19; Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, 690). Psalm and Scripture readings (60-day Psalter): Psalm 50 1 Kings 10 Hebrews 9:15-28 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to access the text for Morning Prayer at DailyOffice2019.com.⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dailyofficepodcast/support

Evening Prayer for Tuesday, September 19, 2023 (Proper 19; Theodore of Tarsus, Archbishop of Canterbury, 690). Psalm and Scripture readings (60-day Psalter): Psalm 51 Haggai 1 Matthew 14 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Click here to access the text for Morning Prayer at DailyOffice2019.com.⁠ --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/dailyofficepodcast/support

We started the show playing back a piece from the Deion Sanders 60 Minutes Interview and recapped what he had said and discussed the precedent he has set for coaches in relation to coaching tendencies today in high school and college. Then we chatted with Mike Cronin, Executive Director of Minnesota Horse Persons Group HBPA, about the low revenue and tough ending to horse racing at Canterbury and could this mark the end of horse racing in Minnesota? Then we reflect on one of the new features of the brand new iPhone 15.

We talked to Mike Cronin about the season wrap at Canterbury essentially being canceled and an overall low revenue this summer - so we ask him if horse racing will continue on and how these tracks can sustain revenue and more. 

Adam visits The Beaney in Canterbury, which is a combination of a museum, library, and art gallery. We hear about its diverse collection, including a lion skin, tortoise shell, statues, a four-legged baby duckling, chameleons, and a two-headed baby shark! There's also a mummified cat... The collection at The Beaney is meant to teach visitors about various aspects of the world and history. We explore prehistoric arrowheads and a fossilised mammoth tusk as some of the oldest items in the museum's collection. Plus, three modern portraits of people from Canterbury, including a drag queen, an imam and professor, and a Paralympian, are showcased.Join Fun Kids Podcasts+: https://funkidslive.com/plusSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A University of Canterbury research team has been working with Tuahiwi whānau, including local kaumātua (elder), on turning five Tuahiwi-based stories into children's picture books. News and Editorial Director Jessica Hopkins spoke to Senior Lecturer in Māori education at the University of Waikato, Jennifer Smith (Ngāti Whātua, Ngāpuhi), about their kaupapa

Church of England revs with a difference Thomas Pelham, Jamie Franklin and Daniel French get together to review the week's big talking points.This time: the shocking case of an anonymous girl in an NHS hospital whose life support is going to be turned off against her wishes, Daniel's piece in The Conservative Woman in which he considers a hypothetical future in which the Archbishop of Canterbury resisted the Covid tyranny, Louise Perry says that we are repaganising but doesn't this mean that we should become Christian again?That, a few emails and a question the rev about young people and higher education these days plus all the usual banter and extras that are always in there somewhere.Please Support!Support us on Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/irreverend) or Buy Me a Coffee (https://www.buymeacoffee.com/irreverend). Subscribe to Jamie's Blog here: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comLinks:NHS to withdraw life saving treatment from conscious teenager: https://www.indcatholicnews.com/news/47930Daniel French on Crimes of Anti-Woke Vicar: https://www.conservativewoman.co.uk/thought-crimes-of-an-anti-woke-vicar/Louise Perry on Abortion, Dechristianisation and Paganism: https://www.firstthings.com/article/2023/10/we-are-repaganizingNotices:Find me a church: https://irreverendpod.com/church-finder/Join our Irreverend Telegram group: https://t.me/irreverendpodFind links to our episodes, social media accounts and ways to support us at https://www.irreverendpod.com!Thursday Circles: http://thursdaycircle.comJamie's Good Things Substack: https://jamiefranklin.substack.comIrreverend Sermon Audio: https://irreverendsermonaudio.buzzsprout.comSupport the show

Who ran the persecution of heretics in England 1555-58? England was a joint monarchy but historians traditionally accused bigoted Mary of running the clamp down herself - with her cousin, Reginald Pole the Archbishop of Canterbury. There's no evidence it's true and Pole was useless at running anything. But didn't Mary intervene to make sure Thomas Cranmer was burned – Henry VIII's archbishop? No, again. Cranmer was tried by the pope and Mary had no power to spare him. As for Mary's Privy Council, they turn out to have been more interested in pirates than heretics. Much more important was Bartolomé Carranza, a Spanish friar, King Philip's trusted eyes and ears at the English Court, but he was later accused of heresy by the pope for being too lenient. Finally the campaign in England was distinctively English, not Spanish. That points the finger for responsibility at Philip's own select council of veteran English courtiers. But almost all of them had for years been Protestants. What was going on?

Is the impact of artificial intelligence something to worry about during election campaigns, or should voters be a little more concerned about what's happening in the realm of actual human intelligence? AI-related fake news was one of the issues in focus in central Christchurch Thursday night, when a number of local scholars gave public addresses on an array of international trends and how they affect New Zealand. Donald Matheson, a former journalist turned professor of communications at the University of Canterbury, was one of the speakers with a particular eye on the ability of AI to disrupt the democratic process. Matheson spoke to Corin Dann.

On this week's episode of the Northeast Newscast, Publisher Michael Bushnell is joined by King Henry VIII and Levina Bookbinder of Canterbury, home to Kansas City's Renaissance Festival. They discuss the festival's living history program, themed weekends, jousting and other entertainment, artisans selling their wares, and much more. This year's Renaissance Festival runs weekends through October 15. For more information, visit kcrenfest.com. 

The plight of cancer patients having to travel away from their homes & families for treatment. The Cancer Society in Christchurch is having to use motels to house Otago/Southland cancer patients and their whanau, because their other accommodation is full to overflowing. Around a dozen patients have had to come to Christchurch due to a lack of medical specialists in their area, nine families are in motels. All 36 rooms at Christchurch's Daffodil house and Daffodil lodge full with patients from different districts. On Friday Te Whatu apologised to cancer patients who may face disruption due to shortages of senior doctors at Dunedin Hospital. The oncology unit there should have eight specialists, but it's down to just three and one of those is leaving in November meaning the hospital is also losing its accrediation to train junior onoclogy doctors too. And Health NZ says that could mean even more patients having to travel for treatment, although it can't say how many. Craig Watson is the Cancer Society's Service Delivery Manager for Canterbury, West Coast, Otago & Southland. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6336945415112

A pathway into work in Canterbury's health system for Maori and Pasifika has been so successful, whanau and friends of participants are signing up to new intakes. Whakamana Whanau aims to get people into non-clinical roles in the health workforce to give them some on the job training, before progressing into clinical roles. Reporter Niva Chittock and visual journalist Nate McKinnon have the story.

Gavin Ashenden grew up in S.W. London, and was educated at the King’s School in Canterbury. After originally reading Law at Bristol University, he found himself with a vocation to the priesthood. In 2017, he resigned from his chaplaincy to the Queen in order to be free to speak out for the faith in the […]

Gavin Ashenden grew up in S.W. London, and was educated at the King's School in Canterbury. After originally reading Law at Bristol University, he found himself with a vocation to the priesthood. In 2017, he resigned from his chaplaincy to the Queen in order to be free to speak out for the faith in the contested public forum, and subsequently appeared on media outlets across the world, including Fox News in the USA and the Bolt Report in Australia. Believing  that the consecration of women to the episcopate represented a fatal breach with the Church of England's Catholic orders, he  resigned from  the Church of England in 2017. He writes as a lay Catholic apologist here < https://ashenden.org/> and also contributes articles in the secular and religious press. His youtube broadcasts can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDsEZkV8hLSQJbWyR_B4arQ ↓ ↓ ↓ If you need silver and gold bullion - and who wouldn't in these dark times? - then the place to go is The Pure Gold Company. Either they can deliver worldwide to your door - or store it for you in vaults in London and Zurich. You even use it for your pension. Cash out of gold whenever you like: liquidate within 24 hours. https://bit.ly/James-Delingpole-Gold / / / / / / Earn interest on Gold: https://monetary-metals.com/delingpole/ / / / / / / Buy James a Coffee at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/jamesdelingpole Support James' Writing at: https://delingpole.substack.com Support James monthly at: https://locals.com/member/JamesDelingpole?community_id=7720

This week Country Life finds out what crops are being sown in mid-Canterbury, heads to a lamb rescue centre in Wairarapa and finds out how scientists and tangata whenua are working together to save native trees from myrtle rust.

The cash crops are going in and the last of the trading lambs are heading off at Tim Cookson's farm near Hororata in Canterbury.

Really excited to be chatting to one of the UK's very best - and loveliest! - documentary wedding photographers today: The fab Olly Knight. Based in Canterbury and shooting weddings all over the UK and Europe, Olly has won 4 Reportage Awards from us, and also hosts his own workshops and mentoring too. We chat about loads on the episode today, including: *his background in the music industry and how he became a wedding photographer, *an amazing tip regarding the canapes, *a very unique - and surprising! - quiz, *why the documentary approach is so important to him, *embarrassing tales from weddings (and doing his own dental work at a destination wedding), *just why work/life balance is so vital, and what he's done to achieve the right balance for him, *social media, *advice for capturing proposals, *the time he sang with Ed Sheeran at a wedding, *his Knight Class workshops and training, *the story behind his most recent Reportage Award, *and so much more... Head to https://thisisreportage.com/podcast-episode-132-this-is-olly-knight/ for a link through to his website, to see the ace Reportage Award he spoke about, and a link through to his 'Knight Class' course too - with the next one he's running being on 11th and 12th January 2024. If you're not yet a member of This is Reportage or This is Reportage: Family, check out all the benefits of joining us, including an unlimited number of images on your profile, 60 individual Award & 18 Story Award entries per year, invites to our physical meetups and parties, exclusive discounts, hours of educational videos featuring tips and advice from some of the world's best photographers and much more. There's just a couple of weeks left to submit to our current Awards; the deadline is the same for both our wedding and family websites: Submit by 23:59 BST on 23rd September 2023. See all the benefits of membership and join our wedding site at https://thisisreportage.com/register/, or join our family site at https://thisisreportagefamily.com/register/ This episode of the This is Reportage Podcast is sponsored by DreambooksPro. Visit https://www.dreambookspro.com/tir to get an exclusive 25% discount on an order.

You've heard of lab-grown meat, well how about lab-grown fruit. A team of Canterbury scientists are exploring fruit production, using plant cells developed in the laboratory. There's not a tree, bush or vine in sight, but Plant and Food Research aims to re-create the taste and nutritional benefits of regular fruit. Adam Burns reports.

Paul Spain is joined by Louisa Taylor, General Manager of Canterbury Tech, as they discuss the Canterbury Tech Summit, which marked the start of Innovate Ōtautahi Week, along with the upcoming Innovation Expo and Aerospace Summit. Louisa shares about some of the great Tech companies in Canterbury including Lumin, Matomo, Ministry of Awesome, oVRcome, Grid Share NZ and many more, as well as what goes into making a successful Tech event. Tune in to discover the factors that have contributed to the remarkable culture of innovation and vision in Christchurch's Tech community.

Rangiora High School, in Canterbury, is installing cameras and sensors near toilets in an effort to crack down on vaping. School principal Bruce Kearney says students vape in large groups and intimidate those using the toilets for their intended purpose. He's determined to stamp it out. Kearney spoke to Corin Dann.

Good news for New Zealanders living with type 1 diabetes, a new, low-cost insulin pump is being developed by a team at the University of Canterbury as part of their PhD research in the field of Mechanical Engineering.

The discovery of an ancient fossil in Canterbury is suggesting a group of sea birds originated much closer to home than previously thought. Dubbed the Zealandian Tropicbird, it's one of the first fossils of its kind to be found in the Southern Hemisphere - up until now all others had been from the Northern Hemisphere. Canterbury Museum senior curator natural history Paul Scofield, who co-authored the paper on the research, believes it's around 62 million years old. Scofield spoke to Ingrid Hipkiss.

The Government says new grocery rules will stop the abuse of power by the country's supermarket duopoly. Foodstuffs and Woolworths will no longer be able to decide when to pay suppliers, reject fresh produce or force suppliers to pay for promotion of their products. They could be slapped with millions of dollars in fines if they don't comply. Reporter Niva Chittock and visual journalist Nate McKinnon were at the announcement in Canterbury today

There were no tractors in sight when Cosmo Kentish-Barnes visited Erewhon Station. Instead a team of eight Clydesdales were churning the soil over in preparation for sowing.

All Home Care Matters is honored to welcome Dr. DeLon Canterbury as a guest to the show. Dr. DeLon Canterbury is the founder of GeriatRx and is helping to revolutionize the way we look at prescription medications and is educating the public on deprescribing. GeriatRx is a pharmacist-led medication management company that focuses on helping overwhelmed caregivers stop their loved ones from being overmedicated using genetic-drug screening, deprescribing, and health cost savings strategies. We specialize in developing medication action plans for patients of all ages, but with a specialty in Geriatric care. Unlike your traditional pharmacist, we develop a three-month strategy to address overmedicated patients using a holistic and evidence-based approach in accordance with your prescriber so that there are no gaps in communication of care. Founder of the Deprescribing Accelerator, DeLon envisions all pharmacists and senior care providers as Deprescribing Advocates and coaches professionals how to integrate, leverage, and monetize Deprescribing into clinical practice! The Deprescribing Accelerator trains passionate nurses, pharmacists, and prescribers on how they can be serve our overmedicated seniors by increasing your revenue's practice with referrals and a value-based, sustainable care model within your business.

Andrew talks to the former Archbishop of Canterbury about Narnia and C.S. Lewis.

For the second time in three days, there will be no urgent care clinic in Canterbury with Christchurch's 24 Hour Surgery reducing hours tonight because of a serious staff shortage. It also had to shut shop on Saturday, with the already-stretched workforce being reduced further due to Covid and other winter illnesses. Patients who have been seen, faced waits of up to six hours, while staff have been pulling huge shifts to try and get on top of the backlog. Pegasus Health general manager of patient and provider services, Lisa Brennan, says the clinic had no choice but to close between 3.30 this afternoon and midnight tonight. In a statement, Te Whatu Ora Waitaha Canterbury says Christchurch Hospital's Emergency Department continues to offer emergency care 24/7. [embed] https://players.brightcove.net/6093072280001/default_default/index.html?videoId=6335697716112

Jonathan Leask is in Ashburton, where the effectiveness of newly implemented 30km/h zones around schools, outside of school hours, is under doubt. And, both major political parties have now committed to a second Ashburton bridge - but there is debate over the best location for it. Finally, the new library and civic centre has been gifted a new name - Te Whare Whakatere. Local Democracy Reporter - Mid Canterbury Jonathan Leask from the Ashburton Guardian

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven…” (Mt. 16). Exodus 1:8-2:10 Psalm 124 Romans 12:1-8 Matthew 16:13-20 1. Who is Jesus and what are the keys of the kingdom? Yesterday on Market Street a man wearing worn clothes and just socks on his feet walked along pushing people at random as they waited in a security line to enter Ross' clothing store. Another man crouched in the corner of a bus stop bent over with his head at knee height repeatedly wailing from the heart as a police officer stood five feet away with a loudly barking German shepherd on tight leash. Another man was lying on the ground at Eddy and Mason his hair full of litter. Drugs and mental illness touch nearly every person you encounter just down the hill from here. Most of the stores have left and the world seems like it is ending. This kind of feeling pervades the beginning of J.T. Alexander's book I Am Sophia. His science fiction novel describes a not so distant future as climate change makes the planet uninhabitable. The center of gravity for human culture seems to have shifted into outer space as investors in places like Mars support companies here in the Bay Area doing gene engineering and carbon sequestration. San Francisco has been renamed Sanef and is one of several independent nations formed after the collapse of America. Like narcotics in our time, many people of the future have become addicted to Stims (this acronym which stands for “Sensory-Targetted Immersive Mindtech”). It is a kind of virtual reality that destroys souls. Horrifying and dehumanizing levels of inequality have become commonplace. Poor people are shunned and called lowcontributors. Sometimes they will have their minds effectively erased by the government. Nihilistic terrorists frequently kill ordinary people with bombs. There is almost no religion of any kind. People call it metaphysics (or metafiz) and respond to it with a mixture of disdain, suspicion and fear (as many do around us today). In this anti-religious world of the future there is only one remaining Christian church in the universe. It has ten worshipers and a doubting twenty-nine year old bishop named Peter Halabi. That church is in the ruins of Grace Cathedral. In that future time this very building has holes in the ceiling and the stained glass windows have long been boarded up. But the eleven worship faithfully every Sunday in the Chapel of Nativity. Peter worries that he will have to shepherd the church to extinction. He looks up to that same mural and the image of Mary and says, “I'm not asking… for a big miracle… Just something to let me know [God's] still up there.” [i] Soon a tent appears in front of the Ghiberti Doors. The homeless woman sheltered there enters the church just as Peter is about to read the lesson. She takes the book from him to read and her first words are “I am.” This seems to refer to God's self-description at the burning bush. It is the way the gospels often describe Jesus. It is the meaning of the letters in the corners of icons. This young woman with a scar on her face walks like a dancer. She calls herself Sophia (a biblical word for the divine feminine) and for most of the book we wonder about her. Is she God, the second coming of Jesus Christ? Or is she sick, unstable and deranged. Or is she just a fraud manipulating the gullible Christians for the sake of her own agenda? 2. This feels like the Gospel of Matthew. When Jesus walks on water and then rescues faltering Peter the disciples say, “what sort of man is this” (Mt. 8:27)? The crowds seem to be wondering the same thing when Jesus asks his friends, “Who do people say the Son of Man is” (Mt. 16)? Although we have to answer this question in our lives, as readers of this gospel we stand outside the experience of those depicted in Matthew. We see what they do not. The Gospel begins with these words, “An account of the genealogy of Jesus, the Messiah…” (Mt. 1:1). As we read we wonder when, and which one of them, will realize who Jesus is. This exchange between Jesus and Peter happens in Caesarea Philippi, the capital of the Tetrarchy of Philip son of Herod the Great. Herod dedicated the famous Temple there to Rome and to Emperor Augustus, whose statue stood there. He was the first emperor to add to his title: “Divi Filius” or “Son of the Divine.” Jesus asks his friends who they say he is and Peter says, “You are the Son of the living God” (Mt. 16). Soon we see that Peter does not yet really understand what he is saying. All of us have trouble with this. We think of Jesus as simply a more powerful version of Emperor Augustus when Jesus is really overthrowing that whole way of being. Jesus shows that the way of domination and self-aggrandizement although it seems stable and powerful on the surface is like sand. In contrast we have the path of Peter with his imperfections, his courage and fear, his insight and foolishness, but above all his faith. This improbable foundation is the rock upon which our lives can be founded. This is faith which is a kind of pursuit rather than an accomplishment. Going on Jesus says, “I will give you the keys to the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven” (Mt. 16). Through history this sentence has been used to justify the church in those moments when we have been more like the Emperor Augustus than like Jesus, as if some institutional authority in Rome or Canterbury could have power over whether a person can be saved. This could not be further from the truth. The Biblical scholar Herman Waetjen points out several other ancient examples that clarify what Matthew means. The power of the keys has to do more with things and policies than people. For instance, the historian Josephus writes about Queen Alexandra who ruled the Hasmonean Kingdom from 78-69 BCE. She deputized Pharisees as the administrators of the state and gave them the power, “to loose and to bind.” For Herman this power is about determining what practices are permitted or forbidden. [ii] We all have a role in this. We all in our way preach the gospel through what we say and how we live. We contribute to the picture of what is acceptable. And we have a responsibility for creating the kind of society which is humane in its care for the people I saw on the streets yesterday. The puritan theologian John Calvin (1509-1564) writes that the reason for this passage about the keys is that over history it has been dangerous to speak Jesus' truth and it is important for us to know both that we are doing God's work and that God stands beside us as we do. [iii] The twentieth century theologian Karl Barth (1886-1968) writes that the thought of God will always disturb the world. Our relations with each other, will never be perfectly clear. We will never adequately understand our situation in the world. That is the reason we need to orient ourselves toward the Eternal, to God. Barth says, “For the vast ambiguity of our life is at once its deepest truth… We know that our thinking of the thought of eternity is never a thing completed in time...” [iv] Our attention to Jesus, our prayer, is how we avoid being conformed to the world. It is how, instead, we are transformed by the renewing of our minds in Christ (Rom. 12). About half of I Am Sophia takes place at Grace Cathedral and half on Mars. In the book, Sophia was terribly abused as a child but she found nourishment in the Bible and other Christian books. This made her a kind of theologian. Was Sophia the Christ? I do not want to spoil the book for you. As he finds himself falling in love with her, Sophia has a great deal to teach the young bishop, and perhaps us also. She says, “You are the guardian of a great treasure. It is your tradition, and it has an incredible spiritual value, an almost miraculous capacity to change lives for the better. But you misplaced the keys to the treasure chest… when scripture and religion became primarily about trying to determine who was right and who was wrong.” [v] Later she gives a kind of invocation, “May your soul have deep roots and strong wings.” [vi] This means that followers of Jesus need to have a foundation, a stable identity, but we also need room to evolve. Changes in technology and society leave modern people less rooted and more focused on wings. You see this in their emphasis on individual freedom, innovation and progress. In contrast, many Christians regard the secular world as destructive and offtrack. This leads them to become so backward looking that they are all roots and no wings. The living, loving God of the gospel became to them static and oppressive. What does not evolve dies. This summer's survey and our town hall meeting this morning address consider this issue. The idea lies at the heart of our mission statement to “reimagine church with courage, joy and wisdom.” For generations Grace Cathedral has been known for this. But it is up to us if we will continue to have roots and wings. Near the end of the novel, Sophia says to Peter, “You think strength means being untouched by the suffering we are approaching. You still do not know me…” [vii] Will San Francisco as we know it die as people self-centeredly and obsessively seek to save themselves? Will the future Grace Cathedral lie in ruins? Will the world know who Jesus is? At the center of Grace Cathedral is not a statue of the emperor or a belief in domination and self-assertion. At the heart of our being is a living person, the living child of God. He calls us by name and offers the keys to a deeper, more humane and faithful life. Come let us follow Jesus. [viii] [i] J.F. Alexander, I am Sophia: A Novel (Eugene, OR: Resource Publications, Wipf and Stock, 2021) 7. [ii] Herman Waetjen, Matthew's Theology of Fulfillment, Its Universality and Its Ethnicity: God's New Israel as the Pioneer of God's New Humanity (NY: Bloomsbury, 2017) 185-7. [iii] “It was important for the apostles to have constant and perfect assurance in their preaching, which they were not only to carry out in infinite labors, cares, troubles, and dangers, but at last to seal with their own blood. In order that they might know, I say, that this assurance was not vain or empty, but full of power and strength, it was important for them to be convinced that in such anxiety, difficulty and danger they were doing God's work; also for them to recognize that God stood beside them while the whole world opposed and attached them; for them, not having Christ, the Author of their doctrine before their eyes on earth, to know that he, in heaven, confirms the truth of the doctrine which he had delivered to them…” John Calvin, The Institutes of the Christian Religion ed. John T. McNeill, Tr. Ford Lewis Battles (Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1960) 1213 (4.11.1). [iv] “There is – and this is what we mean – a thinking of the thought of grace, of resurrection, of forgiveness, and of eternity. Such thinking is congruous with our affirmation of the full ambiguity of our temporal existence. When once we realize that the final meaning of our temporal existence lies in our questioning as to its meaning, then it is that we think of eternity – in our most utter collapse. For the vast ambiguity of our life is at once its deepest truth. And moreover, when we think this thought, our thinking is renewed; for such rethinking is repentance. We know too that our thinking of the thought of eternity is never a thing completed in time, for it is full of promise. As an act of thinking it dissolves itself; it participates in the pure thought of God, and is there an accepted sacrifice, living, holy, acceptable to God.” Karl Barth, The Epistle to the Romans, 6th Edition tr. Edwyn C. Hoskyns (NY: Oxford University Press, 1975) 437. [v] J.F. Alexander, I am Sophia: A Novel (Eugene, OR: Resource Publications, Wipf and Stock, 2021) 60. [vi] Ibid., 95. [vii] Ibid., 168. [viii] Matthew Boulton, “Who do you say that I am…”, SALT, 21 August 2023. https://www.saltproject.org/progressive-christian-blog/2020/8/18/who-do-you-say-that-i-am-salts-lectionary-commentary-for-twelfth-week-after-pentecost

From St Baldwin of Canterbury

Can't speak te reo Māori? According to a new University of Canterbury study, New Zealanders who aren't fluent in the language can still identify a lot of Māori words based on how they look and sound.  

A special performance is taking place this weekend in Otatauhi Christchurch to mark 150 years of University of Canterbury.

Our guest today is Rob Canterbury. Rob is the American First, Constitutional Conservative candidate for Arizona Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in District 4, currently held by Clint Hickman. Rob grew up on a farm hunting, fishing, camping, gardening, and gaining a deep understanding of the conservation of our natural resources and many other great lifelong lessons. Rob retired from a distinguished career in the Navy after Serving for 20 years in Naval Special Warfare units. Rob currently works in the private security industry and serves as the Sergeant-at-Arms for both the Maricopa County Republican Committee and the Arizona GOP. 1) It is rare when a County Board of Supervisors makes national headlines, but in AZ, in Maricopa County, after the last two elections people across the country have heard a lot about the work that a Board of Supervisors does...or is supposed to do. Give us a quick civics lesson – what is the function of the MCBOS? 2) Why have you decided to toss your name in the hat and campaign for the Board? 3) In the last AZ election we ended up with a very anti-gun Governor. However, people in our audience might be wondering how the MSBOS might impact gun-rights? 4) What are the other important issues that the MCBOS impacts and how? 5) You are for implementing term limits for the MCBOS. Why is that a good pathway forward in your opinion? 6) How have your previous careers and experiences positioned you to be the best person for the job you are seeking as a member of the MCBOS?

Gangs are making hundreds-of-millions of dollars in profit by dominating the illegal drugs market in New Zealand. The latest research from the country's drug trends survey of 13,000 people shows gangs are selling about 40 percent of methamphetamine in Northland, Canterbury, Nelson, and Marlborough. The results also show many people are finding and buying their drugs via social media apps and chat groups. But it's not without risk - with 12-percent of those surveyed experiencing victimisation while buying drugs in the past six months, including receiving fake and unsafe drugs. The research is led by Massey University associate professor Chris Wilkins. Wilkins spoke to Corin Dann.

How do You Deliver 5 Star Customer Service? Debbie Homer-Davis is the Managing Director of BabyLady and hails from Canterbury, Kent. Kevin and Graham really learned a lot about customer service. Debbie has spent 32 years honing her skills. Perhaps her finest achievement is her team. She really cares deeply about them and they in turn deliver for BabyLady clients. Summary of Podcast Graham, Kevin, and Debbie discussed Debbie's journey of starting her own business after facing redundancy in the payroll and finance industry. They also talked about Debbie's background in running a business in Kent and her passion for entrepreneurship. The Nappy Venture Debbie set up a nappy delivery service 32 years ago, but the market crashed due to supermarkets slashing prices. She then opened a baby shop in Canterbury, which became popular for its focus on reusable cloth nappies and providing information for informed choices. Customer Service is Crucial Debbie, Graham, and Kevin discussed the success of Debbie's team and their ability to find solutions for difficult problems in the baby retail industry. They also talked about the challenges of fitting car seats and how Debbie's YouTube channel and QR codes provide helpful instructions for customers all over the country and internationally. Sourcing Products From Around the World Debbie, Graham, and Kevin discussed the advantages of sourcing products from Europe and the importance of building relationships with suppliers. They also highlighted the unique value they offer compared to Amazon, emphasizing their expertise, personalised customer service, and proactive approach to problem-solving. Graham, Debbie, and Kevin discussed the importance of customer service and how it can be challenging to maintain in both physical and online businesses. They emphasised the need for staff buy-in, education on customer service from an early age, and the value of authenticity in providing honest reviews and assistance to customers. The Impact of Artificial Intelligence Graham, Debbie, and Kevin discussed the potential impact of AI on various industries, including customer service and photography. T They also talked about the challenges of expanding Debbie's nursery business and the importance of authentic human connection in certain fields. In the conversation, Debbie discussed her business Baby Lady and the challenges of competing with larger retailers like Amazon. Graham and Kevin praised Debbie for her customer service and emphasised the importance of supporting small businesses. Clips from the Podcast Babylady Provides Information for You to Make Informed Choices http://thenext100days.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Debbie-Homer-Davis-Information-in-the-80s.mp4 Customer Service Takes Good People http://thenext100days.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Debbie-Homer-Davis-Customer-Service-Takes-Good-People.mp4 What a Wonderful Attitude to People... http://thenext100days.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Debbie-Homer-Davis-A-People-Attitude.mp4 Come on Britain, Start Manufacturing Again! http://thenext100days.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Debbie-Homer-Davis-Manufacturing-in-The-UK.mp4 Michael Heppell said Debbie is "The Queen of Customer Care" Is she? http://thenext100days.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Debbie-Homer-Davis-Queen-of-Customer-Care.mp4   Debbie Provided this Testimonial for the Show http://thenext100days.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Debbie-Homer-Davis-Testimonial.mp4 The Next 100 Days co-hosts… Graham Arrowsmith Graham founded Finely Fettled to help marketers who want to market to affluent and high-net-worth customers.  He is now Host of The 2023 Alternative Investment Summit, featuring 22 providers of alternative investments. You can attend the summit for free. Register free of charge here: https://www.thealternativeinvestmentsummit.co.uk Kevin Appleby

Fresh off the killing of Anahobe and the destruction of the Mononobe, Soga no Umako is riding high as a new sovereign, Prince Hasebe, takes the throne.  Surely things will have finally settled down, won't they have done? For more, check out our podcast page at: https://sengokudaimyo.com/podcast/episode-92 Rough Transcription: Welcome to Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan. My name is Joshua and this is Episode 92: Death or Taxes, aka Don't Piss Off Umako. Before we get going, a quick recap: we are still in the late 6th century, and since the death of Nunakura Futodamashiki, aka Bidatsu Tennou, things have been a bit crazy.  The number of apparently legitimate heirs was rather impressive.  There were the various siblings of Nunakura, both full and half-siblings, and there were his children and his siblings' children.  On top of that, there were some truly tense politics amongst some of the most powerful families in the realm, particularly the ancient Mononobe and the more recent Soga family, who had tied themselves so closely with the royal family through marriage that at this point just about every possible heir to the throne was in some way a Soga descendant.  The stories of this era have been filled with stories of death, war, and struggles for the throne.  Finally, there is the tension between Buddhism, which was first introduced in the early 6th century, and the established worship of the various kami, which also speaks to the tensions between various sources of spiritual political authority. As we discussed int the last two episodes, when Nunakura passed away, Prince Anahobe tried to take the throne, and he was initially thwarted by Miwa no Kimi no Sakahe, aka Sakahe no Kimi.  Anahobe, possibly with the assistance of his brother, Prince Hasebe, as well as Mononobe no Ohomuraji no Moriya, killed Sakahe no Kimi, pissing off Nunakura's former Queen, Kashikiya Hime.  Next, Nakatomi no Muraji no Katsumi, in support of Mononobe no Moriya, attempted to curse several of the candidates with stronger claims on the throne, and when that didn't work, he just out and out killed Crown Prince Hikobito, getting offed himself in the process.  Throughout all of this, another prince, Tachibana no Toyohi, apparently ascended, briefly, but seems to have died of natural causes.  In the process, however, he provided legitimacy for his own children as Royal Princes and Princesses to also contest for the throne. Moriya's support of Anahobe led to the death of Prince Anahobe, Prince Yakabe, and Moriya and his family—and many of his supporters, as well.  And yet, despite the loss of the Mononobe and Prince Anahobe, the next heir to the throne, with the approval of Queen Kashikiya Hime, was none other than Prince Hatsusebe, aka Hasebe, a full brother to the rebel Prince Anahobe and the focus of this episode.  If this all seems a bit confusing regarding the individuals and different factions, then congratulations, you've been paying attention.  The narrative certainly seems to be missing some key information, likely lost in the attempt to either whitewash some of the more contentious historical records, or simply due to the Chroniclers' attempts to create a more straightforward narrative out of a complex era which probably saw various courts competing to be recognized as the court that was actually making the decisions—something that doesn't exactly fit in with the attempt to tell the story of a relatively unbroken royal line. And yet, despite the chaos, we do see a solidification of power and control in general, as evidenced by the shift in late 6th century tomb structures.  As I may have mentioned in previous episodes, the Yamato area continued to build monumental round keyhole shaped tombs, but that shape of tomb simultaneously declined in nearby regions, which saw more round or square shaped—or even square keyhole shaped—tombs instead.  On the other hand, at the periphery, at the farthest reaches of the archipelago, we continue to see round keyhole shaped tombs in the Yamato style. This is all likely due to a consolidation of Yamato's power and authority.  Previously we had seen that start with the proliferation of the Yamato style tomb, but even from early times those round keyhole tombs were interspersed with other, typically smaller tombs.  The general assumption, based on the size, grave goods, and other archaeological features, is that the round keyhole tomb, at least in a Yamato context, was reserved for the Yamato royal family and only those of the most elite status.  In the Yamato and Kawachi regions, this seems to have held true, but further afield, local magnates adopted the round keyhole tombs for themselves, perhaps even appropriating some of the prestige of that tomb shape for themselves.  Similarly, it is very likely that Yamato did not have the power to stop local rulers from building whatever the heck they wanted, despite the impression given by the Chroniclers that all was hunky-dory as soon as Mimaki Iribiko and Ikume Iribiko sent out people to subdue the four corners of the archipelago. Whether because of an increased military might, or because of a cultural change in accepting Yamato's leadership, more and more lands seem to have been more directly under Yamato's sway, following their customs and accepting their position in the Yamato hierarchy.  To put it another way: in many parts of the archipelago, particularly those closer to Yamato, we do not see continued claims of “kingship” by the local elite.  They have accepted a lower status in the evolving hierarchy, presumably gaining some security and access to resources of the entire Yamato polity in the process, though that isn't entirely clear to me based purely on the archaeological evidence.  But according to our tomb theory, those on the periphery, where Yamato's control remained the weakest, continued to build their own round keyhole tombs, indicating they still considered themselves somewhat independent, even as they remained influenced by Yamato's overall cultural affectations. Into this world, Prince Hasebe ascended the throne.  Prince Hasebe was another half-brother to Nunakura Futodamashiki.  Like his full brother, Prince Anahobe Hasetsukabe, he was a Soga descendant through the maternal line.  We are told that his ascension was endorsed by Kashikiya Hime, his half-sister, and another Soga-descended royal.  He assumed the throne almost immediately following the turmoil that resulted in Anahobe's death and the destruction of Mononobe no Moriya.  This was in 587, and for the next five years, the reign appeared to be similar to any other, but I suspect that things hadn't quite settled, yet.  How could they?  It seems clear that it was way too easy for political violence to break out, and despite the Chronicles' insistence that everything was fine, many of the systemic issues that led to the violence in the first place were still there. To start with, you still had all of those potential heirs to the throne, and no clear succession tradition or precedence.  On top of that, each household, while created to serve the Court, had grown into its own political entity, vying for their own level of power and control.  No doubt some of this was exacerbated as Yamato's influence grew, bringing more people directly under Yamato's authority. I also can't help but notice that there appears to be a lack of any kind of clear justice system.  In fact, laws in general at this time appear to be based on precedent and tradition, likely oral tradition: although we have writing, we don't have a written system of laws just yet.  We have artifacts with writing on them.  We also have records of books coming over from the continent, which presumably people were able to read.  However, what was writing being used for?  It appears to have been used for communication—for example, diplomatic missions, or to send instructions and receive information back from the various lands under Yamato's rule.  David Lurie notes that this was a kind of practical writing, and it wasn't the same as the kind of extensive journaling that we would see later. It makes sense that much of the laws and traditions at this time were probably based on memorized precedent.  Groups like the Kataribe were organized around an oral tradition, and even the Kojiki was based on a tradition of oral recitation that was still in place by the late 7th century.  I suspect that different families maintained their own memories of precedence and tradition, collectively advising on what should be done in any given situation. This isn't exactly the kind of legal system with firm and fast rules, with everyone equal under the law, and some sort of immutable code.  That wasn't solely because it wasn't written down, mind you—there are plenty of cultures with oral traditions that maintain very clear sets of laws.  However, in this case it was not written down and given what we see and what we know about later court, legal precedent was kept in the memories of various individuals in different families, all of whom were competing for their place in the hierarchical structure that had been created.  Therefore, as long as you could get enough people on your side, then you determined what was just and what was not.  And of course it was the winners who wrote—or at least remembered—the history.   Strong leadership may have been able to keep things stable, but during any change things could get messy, as we've seen time and again.  And had Anahobe and the Mononobe been triumphant we'd likely be reading a very different telling of events. Hasebe's ascension didn't really change any of that, other than the person at the head of the system.  Still, things seemed to hold together alright, and with the recent purges, hopefully things would settle out after a while. The reign started with the standard ceremonies.  Soga no Umako was confirmed as Oho-omi, and though other “Ministers and Daibu”, or high officials, were confirmed, nobody else is named.  Hasebe's palace was set up at Kurahashi, presumably in the hills south of modern Sakurai.  His wife was Koteko, daughter of Ohotomo no Nukade. In his first year, Baekje sent envoys that included Buddhist priests and relics, along with various Buddhist artisans.  We'll probably touch on them more at a later date, but for now I'll note that with their coming, Soga no Umako consulted with them on several matters regarding Buddhism, and then he went ahead and pulled down the house of a man named Konoha and started work on another temple.  This one was known as Hokoji, though it is more popularly known to us by its common name:  Asukadera. Asukadera is perhaps the oldest purpose-built Buddhist temple commissioned by the state, and I think we can do an entire episode just on that temple alone.  The Chronicles make out that it was built to commemorate the supernatural support granted to Umako in his battle against Mononobe no Moriya, though it is impossible to know for certain how much of that is true.  What we can say is that this time there were no dissenting voices from the Mononobe nor the Nakatomi, and Asukadera would become one of the major temples of the Asuka period.  Later, when the capital was built up at Heijo-kyo, in modern Nara, the temple was moved to the new capital, and the complex in Asuka dwindled in importance.  Today you can still visit a temple at the site of Asukadera, but it is a shell of its former self, having been rebuilt on a much smaller footprint than before.   You can, however, go and see the original Buddha statue—or at least the reconstructed form of it, as the original icon was severely damaged in a fire at one point. But building up a proper temple and pagoda in the continental fashion would all take time—for now it appears that they were just breaking ground on a new construction, rather than just repurposing a part of an existing house into the temple, as they had seemingly done in the past.  This was going to take some time.  At the same time, it wasn't just buildings that were needed, and we are told that several Buddhists returned to Baekje along with the envoys.  We are told that they were going to Baekje to gain further instruction in Buddhist teachings. This was the nun Zenshin, daughter of Shiba Tattou, and her companions, who had been ordained at the order of Soga no Umako to help staff his first attempt at building a worship site at his house. The following year, in 589, we are told that there were three “inspections” that were sent out along the various circuits, or roadways, of eastern Honshu.  These circuits were regions of Japan, and come from a continental tradition that would be formalized in the law codes of the early 7th century.  Generally speaking there are usually 7 circuits—8 once Hokkaidou comes into the picture—and then the capital region, often known as the home territories around Yamato and the Nara basin.  Kyushu and Shikoku were each covered by their own circuits:  The Saikaidou, or Western Sea Circuit, covered all of Kyushu, and eventually the Ryukyu islands as well, while the Nankaidou, or Southern Sea circuit covered from the south of the Kii peninsula and the island of Shikoku.  Western Honshu was covered by another two circuits—there was the San'indou, the Mountain Yin Circuit, and the San'yodou, the Mountain Yang Circuit.  Yin being related to the dark and the north, the San'indou covered the areas to the north of the Western mountain range along the Japan Sea coast, from the land of Tanba west to Iwami, including the lands of Inaba and Izumo.  In contrast, Yang was related to the south, and so the San'yodou covered the regions from Harima, next to the land of Settsu, part of modern Ohosaka, and stretched along the southern side of the mountains to the Seto Inland sea to the western land of Nagato, part of modern Yamaguchi Prefecture, and included the ancient land of Kibi. Finally, there were the three circuits of Eastern Honshu, which were the subject of the Chronicles entry in 589.  First off was the Tousando, or the Eastern Mountain Circuit.  Whereas western Honshu can be largely divided by the mountains into a northern and southern region, eastern Honshu was a little different, as the Japanese alps created difficulties that meant that the Tousandou covered the inland regions, starting at Afumi, around lake Biwa, out to Kenu—modern Gunma and Tochigi prefectures, north of Tokyo.  It would eventually include the distant regions of Dewa and Mutsu, which covered much of the Tohoku region up to Hokkaido, although those were still largely outside of the area of Yamato influence, and home to those that the Yamato court called Emishi.  The man sent to inspect this region was named Afumi no Omi no Kamafu—fitting given that Afumi was at the western end of the circuit. Next they sent Shishibito no Omi no Kari to inspect the Toukaidou, or Eastern Sea circuit.  This circuit proceeded from Iga, Ise, and Owari, eastward along the Pacific coast to Hitachi, in modern Ibaraki prefecture.  It includes much of modern Tokyo, and is likely one of the more well known, if only for things like the JR Tokaido line.  This route became well traveled in the Edo period both for the daimyo processions of the sankin-kotai as well as the pilgrimages from Edo to Ise, and onward to points even further west. Finally, we have a member of the Abe no Omi heading out to inspect the Hokurikudou, the Northern Land Circuit.  This was largely the area known in the Chronicles as Koshi, along the Japan Sea Coast.  The Abe family may have had some influence in that region, though it is said that they originally came from the land of Iga, just east of Yamato.  However, we aren't given a specific individual's name—Abe no Omi is just the family name and their kabane rank, and could indicate any member of the Abe family.  This may have to do with the actions of Abe no Hirafu in the late 7th century, but at this point in the story it is unclear.  We are provided the given names of the other inspectors, however—Kamafu and Kari—so it stands out that we have nothing for the inspector of the Hokurikudou other than their family name. Other than the mention of the circuits, and the inspections that the court was conducting, this seems to be a fairly mundane entry—though it does link to some later events.  Still, it provides a little more evidence for the expansion of Yamato's direct control.  The idea that there were court inspectors checking up on these territorial circuits suggests that they were a somewhat active part of the bureaucracy of the court.  Previously the court had set up the Miyake, or royal granaries, which were extensions of royal authority in various areas.  Now we see an additional layer of government that would have been going through the areas and making sure that things were being administered as Yamato believed.  It also suggests that there were those in these circuits who were beholden to Yamato in that they were required to produce some kind of evidence for what they were up to. The year after, in 590, the big news was apparently the return to Japan of Zenshin and others, and we are told that they took up residence at a temple in Sakurai – very possibly a reference to Hokoji or Asukadera, the newly-founded temple we just discussed.  Asuka is outside of the modern bounds of Sakurai city, but at this time the name Sakurai may have referred to a slightly larger and more nebulous area.  On the other hand, they could have settled at another temple in the area that just wasn't part of the state funded program.  In that same vein, later in 590 we are told that people went up into the hills to get timber for building Buddhist temples, and many more people, most of them with connections to the mainland, and especially the Korean peninsula, were ordained.  Buddhism was starting to grow more popular and it was being better patronized by the elites, and soon we will start to see more and more temples popping up. In 591, we see the final burial of Nunakura Futodamashiki, aka Bidatsu Tennou.  This was now many years since his death, but that isn't entirely surprising given the fighting and general turmoil that followed his death.  Building a tomb mound was not exactly a simple feat, and if one wasn't already prepared by the time he passed away, then it would have taken a while to prepare it—and even more time if much of your labor force was being split and repurposed in the fights for the throne.  As you may recall, Nunakura died of a disease, so it is unlikely that there had been a lot of preparation for his death, so we can assume that his body, after resting in the palace of temporary interment for a while, was eventually given a temporary burial and then they likely were reburying the bones several years later.  This isn't exactly unheard of, but it does seem that this was an exceptionally long period between death and final burial. The location of his tomb is said to be on the western side of the mountains, outside of the Nara Basin, in the area  of modern Taishi, in the south of Ohosaka.  This seems to have been a new region for royal burials, from what I can tell, but there would be several important Asuka era burials located in this region. Later in that same year, Hasebe and the court indulged themselves in something that was becoming almost a tradition:  Wondering aloud if they should go marching over to the peninsula and re-establish Nimna.  There's apparently no thought the fact that Nimna had not been a going concern for quite some time now, and this may have just been the popular casus belli of the Yamato court.  Of course, all of the ministers were for it, agreeing that it would be just the best if they could go over there and get Nimna started again. And so they set in motion the necessary work of gathering an army.  This wasn't a simple task and would take quite some time to get the word out, gather men together, and then have them all meet down in Tsukushi at the court's outpost down there.  Not only that, but there would need to be boats made, and armor and weapons would have to be ready.  This was quite the undertaking.  We are told that they eventually gathered over 20,000 men, though that could easily be an exaggeration.  They named five generals, or Taishogun.  This is different from the “Shogun” of later years—the Sei-I Taishogun, or General for Subduing Barbarians.  This is just the title of general, Taishogun, and there were apparently five people who were running things—possibly referring to five different forces that were going to go over, or it may have been a political thing to ensure that people of rank were given opportunities.  It is interesting to see the names, as we have heard some of the family names, at least, before. The five generals were:  Ki no Womaro no Sukune, Kose no Omi no Hirafu, Kashiwade no Omi no Katafu, Ohotomo no Kuhi no Muraji, and Katsuraki no Wonara no Omi.  Then various other Omi and Muraji level individuals were placed in charge below them.  They were all stationed in Tsukushi and two men, Kishi no Kana and Kishi no Itahiko were sent to Silla and Nimna respectively, presumably to try to work something out before things got ugly. That was all listed in the 11th month of 591, and preparations were still ongoing by the time of the next entry, in the 10th month of 592. So remember how I mentioned at the top of the episode about how many of the systemic issues that had led to so much war and bloodshed were still a thing?  Yeah—despite the seemingly rosy and downright mundane picture of the last five years, things were apparently not quite as stable as they may have appeared.  And I say that because of what happened in the 10th month of 592. We are told that this was the winter, possibly around late November or December according to our modern calendar—trying to map ancient lunar calendar dates to modern solar dates are a whole thing, trust me.  Anyway, it was during this season that someone brought in a wild boar and presented it to the sovereign.  And there was nothing too sus going on there—it wasn't a white boar or some kind of unusually large animal.  No, what was remarkable wasn't the presentation at all, but what it kicked off, because apparently Hasebe looked at the boar and made an off-hand comment, which Aston translates as: “When shall those to whom We have an aversion be cut off as this wild boar's throat has been cut.” Just in case you didn't get the allusion, he was basically wondering when those people whom he didn't like would be killed—though possibly he meant cut off in another sense, I think it is pretty clear that he wanted some people taken care of, if you know what I mean.  I would liken it to a phrase attributed to King Henry II of England, who is said to have wondered aloud, “Will no one rid me of this turbulent priest”, which led to several men heading out and eventually killing Thomas Becket, the then Archbishop of Canterbury.  While Henry may not have actually ordered the killing of Thomas Becket, with whom he'd been in something of a power struggle, his words certainly ended up being the catalyst that led to the archbishop's eventual demise. Similarly here, that certainly seems to have been the intent, or at least that is how it was taken.  Word of the sovereign's outburst made it back to none other than Soga no Umako, the Oho-omi himself, who grew more than a little bit worried.  It didn't help that word was also coming that the royal household was apparently stockpiling weapons—more than usual. Soga no Umako came to believe that Hasebe was talking about him, and though there wasn't a particular reason given, it suggests that there were some things going on below the surface detailed by the Chronicles, and we can speculate on a few of them. First off, Hasebe had not been the first choice for sovereign, and he didn't really enter the picture until after the death of his brother, Prince Anahobe. Anahobe had, of course, believed that he should take the throne himself, but then he was killed.  It is possible that Hasebe was appointed sovereign to appease some of Anahobe's supporters against the wishes of those such as Soga no Umako. Second, it is clear that Umako was immensely influential and powerful, and he probably had more influence than the sovereign himself.  Always remember that if someone raises an army and helps put you on the throne, rather than themselves, they usually have the ability to do the same thing in reverse.  Or, as so many parents are fond of saying: I brought you into this world, I can take you out!  So it may be that Hasebe felt threatened by Umako's own power and felt he needed to be dealt with before Soga no Umako decided that he'd rather have someone more pliable on the throne.  Of course, in another time it might have been enough to just demote him, but it is unclear if Hasebe actually had the power to do that—and if he did, would it stick. There is also another option as well—Hasebe may not have said anything at all, and it is possible that this was a story concocted to explain Umako's own reaction.  This is hinted at, somewhat, in another account that basically comes in once again with the tired “blame the woman” trope.  It suggests that Ohotomo no Koteko, Hasebe's consort and the mother to his two children, started the whole thing as a rumor.  According to this account, she was “declining in favor”—although it is unclear just whom else she was competing against.  If that record is correct, she was the one who told Umako about what Hasebe was purportedly saying, knowing that it would cause problems for her husband because she was unhappy with him.  Even if that were true, we don't know whether or not Hasebe actually said what is attributed to him. Again, regardless of what Hasebe actually said, all of this suggests that things were not as solid and stable as they might otherwise appear to be, and suggests just how literally cut-throat the politics of the Yamato court could get. And so, Soga no Umako took this threat quite seriously, and he engaged the services of one Yamato no Aya no Atahe no Koma. We don't know much about Koma.  The Yamato no Aya were one of several Aya families, and their name suggests that they were descended, at least in part, from ethnic Han Chinese weavers—or at least traced their lineage back to the continent with claims to the Han dynasty, just as the Hata family claimed ties back to the Qin dynasty.  They had been in Japan for generations, but are still often associated with various technologies that came over from the continent. There is also a record, we are told, that says Koma's father was Yamato no Aya no Iwai—whose name is suspiciously similar to that of the Iwai in Tsukushi, or Kyushu, who had allied with Silla and tried to block trade and military support between Yamato and Baekje.  It is possible, and even probable, that this was just a coincidence—after all, why would the son of a rebel who had so aggravated Yamato be in the court at all?  But it was considered significant enough for the Chroniclers to mention it at the same time, and that may be because of the relationship back to that other rebel. Now, for Koma to take action, he and Umako would need to act quickly.  Soga no Umako sent a message to the court ministers and claimed that he was sending someone to present the taxes of the Eastern provinces.  As you may recall from earlier in this episode, a few years earlier inspectors had been sent out along the three eastern circuits.  It would have taken them time to survey, compile their information, and collect any taxes owed, and bring that back to the court.  Umako lied to the other ministers and said that the taxes were ready, and he was sending someone to the sovereign to present the taxes. Of course, he was really sending Yamato no Aya no Koma, and in lieu of taxes he brought death—somewhat fitting if you think about it.  Koma killed the sovereign and then, somehow, made his escape.  Unlike some of the other killings we aren't given too many details of the deed itself. What we are given is the aftermath.  For later in that same month, Soga no Umako had Koma himself killed.  And this is where I find it really weird, or perhaps the Chroniclers were just in denial.  They claimed that Soga no Umako had learned that Koma had been having a clandestine relationship with Kawakami no Iratsume, herself a consort of the sovereign and Soga no Umako's own daughter.  Koma had apparently taken her back to his place to live and made her his wife in secret—basically saying that they had carnal relations together as man and wife, though it is not clear whether or not they were consensual.  Umako thought that his daughter was dead, but when he learned that Yamato no Aya no Koma had taken her, he had Koma killed. And that just all seems so very convenient.  So Soga no Umako has enough influence over Koma to get him to assassinate the sovereign, but somehow misses that his co-conspirator in this has eloped with his daughter, and then kills him out of apparently justified rage?  Uh-huh.  Nothing fishy about that at all. I suspect that what happened at the time versus what was later recorded differed slightly.  Assuming that most of it was accurate, I wouldn't be surprised if Umako got Koma to do the dirty deed, and then offed him, possibly so that he would not be immediately implicated.  Even so, what were the laws around such events?  With Hasebe gone, and nobody else in power to challenge him, Soga no Umako was one of the most powerful people around.  He just didn't have the parental qualifications to take the throne himself. And that is probably what saved him from being labeled a rebel, himself.  After all, you don't get much more rebellious than killing the king.  But is it rebellion when it is self-defense?  Here is where the lack of a strict law code likely came down on the side of Soga no Umako, because despite his involvement, nobody seems to have gone after him or taken him to task.  In fact, he would remain a powerful figure in the Yamato court for years to come. There are also several figures who seem to have remained absent from all of this, but it would be interesting to know where they came down.  The first was Prince Umayado, aka Shotoku Taishi.  Did he sanction or even take part in this plot?  Umayado was still somewhat young, so he may not have had much to say at this point.  Then there was Kashikiya Hime, Nunakura's queen.  Presumably, she had been the one to recommend Hasebe to the throne, but we also see her hand in the decision to punish Anahobe and the Mononobe, which we discussed over the last couple of episodes.  She is often kept at arms length in the narrative, however, which may be because of what the Chroniclers already knew.  With the court once more in need of an heir they searched high and low, and the assembled ministers finally settled on the candidate they thought would be the best of all of them:  Kashikiya Hime herself.  It makes sense: Kashikiya Hime, who is known today as Suiko Tennou, clearly knew how the court operated.  She had sanctioned, if not outright directed, the deaths of Anahobe and Mononobe no Moriya. On the other hand, the patriarchal society of the day—and even that of modern day scholars—questioned her fitness for the job.  Many have pointed to the strongman tactics of Soga no Umako, as well as the focus on Prince Umayado, whom she made her Crown Prince and whom, we are told, assisted in all areas of government.  In fact, it often seems as though Umayado and Umako are the ones actually running things, with Kashikiya Hime as a puppet.  On the other hand, perhaps there was something even more complex—a conspiracy between Umako, Umayado, and Kashikiya Hime.  She may have also been something of a compromise candidate, someone that all of the different factions could get behind. We'll explore all of that and more as we get into her reign in the coming episodes, along with the role played by Prince Umayado.  We'll also look more in depth at the spread of Buddhism, and the temple building that would pick up shortly after Kashikiya Hime came to power.  Until then, thank you for listening and for all of your support.  If you like what we are doing, tell your friends and feel free to rate us wherever you listen to podcasts.  If you feel the need to do more, and want to help us keep this going, we have information about how you can donate on Patreon or through our KoFi site, ko-fi.com/sengokudaimyo, or find the links over at our main website, SengokuDaimyo.com/Podcast, where we will have some more discussion on topics from this episode. Also, feel free to Tweet at us at @SengokuPodcast, or reach out to our Sengoku Daimyo Facebook page.  You can also email us at the.sengoku.daimyo@gmail.com.  And that's all for now.  Thank you again, and I'll see you next episode on Sengoku Daimyo's Chronicles of Japan. 

Books belonging to Henry VIII, Richard III, Mary I and Edward VI are among the treasures in the historic library of the Archbishops of Canterbury, one of the oldest public libraries in England. In this episode of Not Just the Tudors, Professor Suzannah Lipscomb takes a tour of just a few items from Lambeth Palace Library's priceless collection with the librarian archivist Giles Mandelbrote.There are pictures of all of the items featured in this podcast on Suzannah's social media accounts - @sixteenthCgirl - on Facebook, Twitter, Threads, and Instagram. This episode was produced by Rob Weinberg.Discover the past on History Hit with ad-free original podcasts and documentaries released weekly presented by world renowned historians including Dan Snow, Suzannah Lipscomb, Lucy Worsley, Matt Lewis, Tristan Hughes and more. Get 50% off your first 3 months with code TUDORS. Download the app on your smart TV or in the app store or sign up here >You can take part in our listener survey here >For more Not Just The Tudors content, subscribe to our Tudor Tuesday newsletter here > Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.