Mark Clavier - Author
@markclavier-author.bsky.social
www.markclavier.com
Canon Theologian
Vicar of St Mary's Brecon
Author of A Pilgrimage of Paradoxes
Hillwalker, Trekker, & Servant of Spaniels
Canon Theologian
Vicar of St Mary's Brecon
Author of A Pilgrimage of Paradoxes
Hillwalker, Trekker, & Servant of Spaniels
A Letter to Christians Who Feel Besieged
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
A Letter to Christians Who Feel Besieged
Why Anger Isn’t an Option for the Faithful
open.substack.com
October 20, 2025 at 12:40 PM
A Letter to Christians Who Feel Besieged
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
The website for my new novel, TILLERS OF THE SOIL, is now live!
Discover the novel’s characters, its roots in @bannaubrycheiniog.bsky.social, and the traces of history that inspired it. There are also discussion guides for a variety of reading groups. Enjoy!
www.markclavier.com/tillers-of-t...
Discover the novel’s characters, its roots in @bannaubrycheiniog.bsky.social, and the traces of history that inspired it. There are also discussion guides for a variety of reading groups. Enjoy!
www.markclavier.com/tillers-of-t...
Tillers of the Soil — Mark Clavier
A website dedicated to the historical novel, Tillers of the Soil, by Mark Clavier
www.markclavier.com
October 16, 2025 at 5:33 AM
The website for my new novel, TILLERS OF THE SOIL, is now live!
Discover the novel’s characters, its roots in @bannaubrycheiniog.bsky.social, and the traces of history that inspired it. There are also discussion guides for a variety of reading groups. Enjoy!
www.markclavier.com/tillers-of-t...
Discover the novel’s characters, its roots in @bannaubrycheiniog.bsky.social, and the traces of history that inspired it. There are also discussion guides for a variety of reading groups. Enjoy!
www.markclavier.com/tillers-of-t...
My new novel set in Roman Britain is now available for pre-order.
"A deeply convincing and engaging recreation of mid-Wales in the obscure decades following the end of Roman rule." - Rowan Williams
www.sacristy.co.uk/products/til...
"A deeply convincing and engaging recreation of mid-Wales in the obscure decades following the end of Roman rule." - Rowan Williams
www.sacristy.co.uk/products/til...
Tillers of the Soil
Tillers of the Soil is a richly woven tale of land, tradition, and resilience, set in the fading days of Roman Britain, where a family fights to hold onto their home, heritage, and way of life.
www.sacristy.co.uk
October 10, 2025 at 8:23 PM
My new novel set in Roman Britain is now available for pre-order.
"A deeply convincing and engaging recreation of mid-Wales in the obscure decades following the end of Roman rule." - Rowan Williams
www.sacristy.co.uk/products/til...
"A deeply convincing and engaging recreation of mid-Wales in the obscure decades following the end of Roman rule." - Rowan Williams
www.sacristy.co.uk/products/til...
Entangled Histories of Sin and Grace
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Entangled Histories of Sin and Grace
Genealogical Reflections in the Wake of Charlie Kirk's Assassination
open.substack.com
September 16, 2025 at 5:23 AM
Entangled Histories of Sin and Grace
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
With the Church in Wales about to elect a new Archbishop and, later, a new Bishop of Bangor, I've distilled my essay from our 2021 report on ordained ministry into a post to ask 'What the heck are bishops for?"
#bishops #ChurchinWales #ArchbishopofWales
markclavier.substack.com/p/what-the-h...
#bishops #ChurchinWales #ArchbishopofWales
markclavier.substack.com/p/what-the-h...
What the Heck Are Bishops For?
What They're Supposed to Do (and Why it Matters More than Ever)
markclavier.substack.com
July 27, 2025 at 6:05 AM
With the Church in Wales about to elect a new Archbishop and, later, a new Bishop of Bangor, I've distilled my essay from our 2021 report on ordained ministry into a post to ask 'What the heck are bishops for?"
#bishops #ChurchinWales #ArchbishopofWales
markclavier.substack.com/p/what-the-h...
#bishops #ChurchinWales #ArchbishopofWales
markclavier.substack.com/p/what-the-h...
30 years ago, I was ordained on a hot day—young, unsure, and trying to picture the road ahead. It turned out stranger & more grace-filled than I could’ve imagined.
A reflection on beginnings, calling & change.
#Anglican #Priesthood #spiritualreflections
markclavier.substack.com/p/a-well-tem...
A reflection on beginnings, calling & change.
#Anglican #Priesthood #spiritualreflections
markclavier.substack.com/p/a-well-tem...
A Well-Tempered Ministry
Occasional Sketches from My Clerical Life
markclavier.substack.com
July 24, 2025 at 5:31 AM
30 years ago, I was ordained on a hot day—young, unsure, and trying to picture the road ahead. It turned out stranger & more grace-filled than I could’ve imagined.
A reflection on beginnings, calling & change.
#Anglican #Priesthood #spiritualreflections
markclavier.substack.com/p/a-well-tem...
A reflection on beginnings, calling & change.
#Anglican #Priesthood #spiritualreflections
markclavier.substack.com/p/a-well-tem...
In 910, a William the Pious planted a seed in Cluny planted. Over the next millennium, it blossomed into the idea of international order.
From canon law to human rights — the Christian roots of our rules-based order.
markclavier.substack.com/p/a-world-ru...
From canon law to human rights — the Christian roots of our rules-based order.
markclavier.substack.com/p/a-world-ru...
A World Ruled By Law
How the Christian Moral Vision Shaped Our Rules-Based World Order
markclavier.substack.com
July 18, 2025 at 5:34 AM
In 910, a William the Pious planted a seed in Cluny planted. Over the next millennium, it blossomed into the idea of international order.
From canon law to human rights — the Christian roots of our rules-based order.
markclavier.substack.com/p/a-world-ru...
From canon law to human rights — the Christian roots of our rules-based order.
markclavier.substack.com/p/a-world-ru...
A booking mistake led to a convent with the motto: Orthodoxy or death.
Our accidental pilgrimage in the South Peloponnese reminded me that faith can be soft as an old woman’s smile...and sharp as stone.
#koroni #Orthodox #pilgrimage #Greece
markclavier.substack.com/p/orthodoxy-...
Our accidental pilgrimage in the South Peloponnese reminded me that faith can be soft as an old woman’s smile...and sharp as stone.
#koroni #Orthodox #pilgrimage #Greece
markclavier.substack.com/p/orthodoxy-...
"Orthodoxy or Death"
An Unintended Pilgrimage in the South Peloponnese
markclavier.substack.com
July 12, 2025 at 5:28 AM
A booking mistake led to a convent with the motto: Orthodoxy or death.
Our accidental pilgrimage in the South Peloponnese reminded me that faith can be soft as an old woman’s smile...and sharp as stone.
#koroni #Orthodox #pilgrimage #Greece
markclavier.substack.com/p/orthodoxy-...
Our accidental pilgrimage in the South Peloponnese reminded me that faith can be soft as an old woman’s smile...and sharp as stone.
#koroni #Orthodox #pilgrimage #Greece
markclavier.substack.com/p/orthodoxy-...
I conclude my series today on imagining the Church as a commonwealth rather than a single institution by seeing how it might play out in the Church in Wales.
Walking Together 4: A Commonwealth Church in Wales open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Walking Together 4: A Commonwealth Church in Wales open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Walking Together 4: A Commonwealth Church in Wales
Trust, Shared Power, and the Hope of Renewal
open.substack.com
July 6, 2025 at 10:13 AM
I conclude my series today on imagining the Church as a commonwealth rather than a single institution by seeing how it might play out in the Church in Wales.
Walking Together 4: A Commonwealth Church in Wales open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Walking Together 4: A Commonwealth Church in Wales open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
In an age when trust is thin, what does it mean for the Church to hold together as a community of grace? I look at how the church's institutions can help us listen well, share responsibility, & carry each other on the road ahead.
Walking Together 3: Bishops in Synod open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Walking Together 3: Bishops in Synod open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Walking Together 3: Bishops in Synod
Naming the Institutions of the Church and How They Might Be Renewed
open.substack.com
July 4, 2025 at 11:47 AM
In an age when trust is thin, what does it mean for the Church to hold together as a community of grace? I look at how the church's institutions can help us listen well, share responsibility, & carry each other on the road ahead.
Walking Together 3: Bishops in Synod open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Walking Together 3: Bishops in Synod open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Walking Together 2: How Synodality Could Renew the Church
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Walking Together 2: How Synodality Could Renew the Church
Towards a Culture of Discernment and Co-Responsibility
open.substack.com
July 2, 2025 at 12:17 PM
Walking Together 2: How Synodality Could Renew the Church
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Is the Church more than just a spiritual NHS? In my new Well-Tempered blog series, I explore why thinking of the Church as a commonwealth—not just an institution—might be more faithful and life-giving.
#Anglicanism #CatholicSocialTeaching #synodality
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
#Anglicanism #CatholicSocialTeaching #synodality
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Walking Together 1: Seeing the Church as a Commonwealth
Why the Church Is More Than an Institution
open.substack.com
June 27, 2025 at 4:39 AM
Is the Church more than just a spiritual NHS? In my new Well-Tempered blog series, I explore why thinking of the Church as a commonwealth—not just an institution—might be more faithful and life-giving.
#Anglicanism #CatholicSocialTeaching #synodality
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
#Anglicanism #CatholicSocialTeaching #synodality
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
A week from today, I start my 3-month sabbatical. You can read all about my plans in my latest Well-Tempered post. #pilgrimage #sabbatical #sabbath
A Time to Reflect, A Time to Walk open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
A Time to Reflect, A Time to Walk open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
A Time to Reflect, A Time to Walk
My upcoming sabbatical and the pilgrim’s paths ahead
open.substack.com
June 21, 2025 at 5:14 AM
A week from today, I start my 3-month sabbatical. You can read all about my plans in my latest Well-Tempered post. #pilgrimage #sabbatical #sabbath
A Time to Reflect, A Time to Walk open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
A Time to Reflect, A Time to Walk open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Trinity Sunday and the Furnace of Love
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Trinity Sunday and the Furnace of Love
What the Trinity Teaches Us about Being Human
open.substack.com
June 15, 2025 at 4:17 AM
Trinity Sunday and the Furnace of Love
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
I hesitated to write this. But after 12 years in the Church in Wales, I’ve seen patterns we can’t afford to ignore. This isn’t about blame—it’s about honesty, care, and the hope of renewal. A hard post, written with love.
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Hope for a Hurting Church
Leadership, Trust, & the Future of the Church in Wales
open.substack.com
June 3, 2025 at 6:31 PM
I hesitated to write this. But after 12 years in the Church in Wales, I’ve seen patterns we can’t afford to ignore. This isn’t about blame—it’s about honesty, care, and the hope of renewal. A hard post, written with love.
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Strangely, Rogation through Whitsunday is just about my favourite period in the church year. Neglected feasts, blossoming creation, spaghetti dinners, and lectors fumbling their way through the names in Acts 2.
Link to post in the comments.
Link to post in the comments.
May 31, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Strangely, Rogation through Whitsunday is just about my favourite period in the church year. Neglected feasts, blossoming creation, spaghetti dinners, and lectors fumbling their way through the names in Acts 2.
Link to post in the comments.
Link to post in the comments.
As it's Rogationtide, I thought I'd reflect further on the Assisi conference and the move towards an ecumenical Feast of Creation. So, here's how I went from being a sceptic to a supporter.
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
#creation #laudatosi #Anglicanism #GeorgeHerbert
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
#creation #laudatosi #Anglicanism #GeorgeHerbert
Secretaries of Creation's Praise
Toward an Ecumenical Feast of Creation
open.substack.com
May 26, 2025 at 5:19 PM
As it's Rogationtide, I thought I'd reflect further on the Assisi conference and the move towards an ecumenical Feast of Creation. So, here's how I went from being a sceptic to a supporter.
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
#creation #laudatosi #Anglicanism #GeorgeHerbert
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
#creation #laudatosi #Anglicanism #GeorgeHerbert
How might a greater commitment to synodality and subsidiarity breathe new life into the Church in Wales. My reflections on my first time as a delegate to Governing Body.
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
A Commonwealth of Grace
Reimagining the Church's Common Life
open.substack.com
May 20, 2025 at 4:20 AM
How might a greater commitment to synodality and subsidiarity breathe new life into the Church in Wales. My reflections on my first time as a delegate to Governing Body.
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
I went to Assisi and Rome for work, not a pilgrimage—but grace had other plans. Climbing mountains, sharing prayer, standing in St Peter's Square…it became a week of grace. Read the story of an unexpected journey.
#PopeLeoXIV #Assisi #StFrancis #LaudatoSi
markclavier.substack.com/p/from-assis...
#PopeLeoXIV #Assisi #StFrancis #LaudatoSi
markclavier.substack.com/p/from-assis...
From Assisi to St Peter's Square
Notes from an Accidental Pilgrimage
markclavier.substack.com
May 13, 2025 at 5:18 AM
I went to Assisi and Rome for work, not a pilgrimage—but grace had other plans. Climbing mountains, sharing prayer, standing in St Peter's Square…it became a week of grace. Read the story of an unexpected journey.
#PopeLeoXIV #Assisi #StFrancis #LaudatoSi
markclavier.substack.com/p/from-assis...
#PopeLeoXIV #Assisi #StFrancis #LaudatoSi
markclavier.substack.com/p/from-assis...
What a day!
May 8, 2025 at 10:31 PM
What a day!
Reviving Theology
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Reviving Theology
Recovering the Lost Language of the Church
open.substack.com
May 6, 2025 at 1:25 PM
Reviving Theology
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
The "Ragged" Glory of Welsh Anglicanism
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
The "Ragged" Glory of Welsh Anglicanism
An Affectionate Reflection
open.substack.com
April 30, 2025 at 5:03 AM
The "Ragged" Glory of Welsh Anglicanism
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Giving Reform Its Proper Language
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Giving Reform Its Proper Language
A follow-up to 'Beyond the Scaffolding'
open.substack.com
April 25, 2025 at 5:01 AM
Giving Reform Its Proper Language
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Here is my attempt to engaging constructively but theologically with the Harries Report, which gave rise to Ministry Areas in the Church in Wales. This will be of interest to other churches wrestling with structural reform.
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
Beyond the Scaffolding
What the Church in Wales's Harries Report Missed and Why It Still Matters
open.substack.com
April 23, 2025 at 5:07 AM
Here is my attempt to engaging constructively but theologically with the Harries Report, which gave rise to Ministry Areas in the Church in Wales. This will be of interest to other churches wrestling with structural reform.
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
open.substack.com/pub/markclav...
A very happy and blessed Easter to everyone who kindly follows me and reads my various scribblings. On this happy morning, I offer a brief reflection on one of my favourite Easter's sermons, preached in 1620 by Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester.
markclavier.substack.com/p/christ-the...
markclavier.substack.com/p/christ-the...
Christ the Gardener of Life
On Lancelot Andrewes's Easter Sermon, 16 April 1620
markclavier.substack.com
April 20, 2025 at 4:29 AM
A very happy and blessed Easter to everyone who kindly follows me and reads my various scribblings. On this happy morning, I offer a brief reflection on one of my favourite Easter's sermons, preached in 1620 by Lancelot Andrewes, Bishop of Winchester.
markclavier.substack.com/p/christ-the...
markclavier.substack.com/p/christ-the...