The time has come for me to give my computer a rest as I head off for a summer break. The plan is to relax for a bit and spend some quality time with God and my family. I’m not… Read More ›
Month: July 2013
The difference between good and bad secularism – a challenge to secularists
Watching the news of President Morsi’s demise from power in Egypt over the last few weeks has been a reminder of the inherent dangers of allowing a religious fundamentalist regime to take control of a country. Morsi and his Muslim… Read More ›
It’s a baby boy, not a celebrity
So finally after all the waiting, we have confirmation that the Duchess of Cambridge has produced a son weighing in at 8lbs 6oz. Like so many of us, I’ve been sitting in front of the television this evening watching the media… Read More ›
Sarah Teather MP sets out a Biblical approach to immigration
On Tuesday of this week the Liberal Democrat Christian Forum held their annual Gladstone lecture, which aims to spark debate and build bridges between faith and politics within the party. It was given by Sarah Teather MP at Liberal Democrat… Read More ›
Dear BBC, please stop ignoring God
Yesterday was another traumatic day for Maureen Greaves, the widow of Alan Greaves, the church organist who was brutally murdered on his way to a Christmas Eve service last December. With one of his attackers already found guilty of murder,… Read More ›
One of the most exciting trends in Christianity is the Spirit of God drawing Christians together
When I was growing up in the 1980s, Christianity always appeared to my young eyes to be very tribal. Christians were very keen to emphasise their differences, drawn mostly along denominational and doctrinal lines. Issues such as adult/child baptism, the… Read More ›
As the State shrinks, just how much can we expect the Church to step in?
In Henry Chadwick’s History of the Early Church, he observes that ‘the practical application of charity was probably the most potent single cause of Christian success’. The early Church regularly cared for the poor, for orphans and widows, visited prisoners… Read More ›
Malala Yousafzai, Jesus and the power of resurrection
It was impossible not to be inspired listening to Malala Yousafzai yesterday as she addressed the UN General Assembly on her sixteenth birthday, exactly nine months after she had been shot in the head and neck in an assassination attempt… Read More ›
Western intervention in Syria could be the death warrant for the Syrian church
The news earlier this month that a Syrian Catholic priest had been killed accompanied by a video alledgedly showing his beheading unsurprisingly led to a great deal of outrage and upset. The video is now believed to have been filmed in a different location several… Read More ›
Do we need some ‘New Levellers’?
Today’s article is a guest post by Ian Chisnall on the subject of political reform. Ian has worked for over a decade as the County Ecumenical Officer for Churches Together in Sussex. In 2011 he responded to a call from leaders… Read More ›
Tackling child poverty – a Christian vision
I’ve deliberately avoided commenting on this weekend’s Church of England General Synod and the latest state of play on women bishops, as despite my best efforts I’ve struggled to follow the intricacies of the debate. The level of complexity for… Read More ›
The BBC admits failings in its treatment of Christians
The BBC has had a problem for some time regarding how it deals with religion. It has regularly been accused of giving Christianity in particular a tough time. What gives these accusations substance is that they have not just come… Read More ›
Unite’s approach to politics is an utterly bankrupt strategy
For once I’m going to make an overtly political comment. Here goes… The history of the trade union movement in the United Kingdom has been heavily influenced by Christians and Methodism in particular at various points. The leader of the… Read More ›
Why faith should be on the agenda when working with those on the margins of society
Today’s article has been written by Jon Kuhrt and was published last week on his Resistance & Renewal blog. Resistance and Renewal is on my ‘must-read’ list and regularly publishes articles on the Christian faith and how it relates to transformation and… Read More ›
Ignorance, illiteracy and secularism – the barriers to effective relationships between churches and local authorities
Today parliament will be debating co-operation between local government and faith groups. This debate follows on from the Faith in the Community report produced by the Evangelical Alliance for Christians in Parliament. It finds that a large number of local authorities (LAs) are… Read More ›
I refuse to believe that this is a lost generation – my interview with Patrick Regan OBE, Founder and CEO of XLP
Patrick Regan OBE is the founder and CEO of the well known and highly respected Christian urban youth work charity XLP. I’ve been following the work of Patrick and XLP for a while now and finally was able to meet him… Read More ›
God and Politics in the UK 