The time has come for God and Politics to have its annual summer rest. The plan is to relax for a bit and spend some quality time with God and my family. Barring any major incidents, I’m not expecting to be… Read More ›
Month: July 2014
The Locust Effect – the most powerful book I’ve read in years
According to a ComRes poll for the Mirror in June, a quarter of Britons (24 per cent) have lost faith in the police. Back in February another piece of research also conducted by ComRes for the Christian human rights organisation,… Read More ›
Even through the suffering of Christians in the Middle East, God is still at work
The news coming for Mosul in Iraq over the last few days is yet another tragic reminder (not that we needed one) that to be a Christian in many countries is to be treated as a second class citizen – or… Read More ›
“I just knew that Jesus was there and I had met him” – interviewing Justin Welby
Frequent contributor to this site, Canon J John has been producing a regular series of interviews entitled ‘Facing the Canon’, speaking to well known and influential Christians about their lives and work. These have included Andrew White (the vicar of… Read More ›
Latitude’s Festival Pastors – how one atheist’s experience of God at work created a ministry
The summer festival season is well and truly underway. This weekend sees the turn of Latitude Festival in Suffolk, one of the biggest of the year. It is also regarded as one of the safest with just 19 thefts reported… Read More ›
The assisted dying debate has been dominated by Christian voices – sadly in disagreement
As I write this, the House of Lords is engaged in what will be a gruelling ten hour debate leading up to the second reading of Lord Falconer’s Assisted Dying Bill. 133 Lords are set to speak, which will be a record…. Read More ›
The new Education Secretary, Nicky Morgan is a Christian – so what?
Working in an educational establishment and knowing a fair few teachers elsewhere, I saw some ecstatic people yesterday when the news of Michael Gove’s departure from the Department of Education was announced. It’s been incredible witnessing the levels of joy… Read More ›
Good news at last, but the women bishops vote was ultimately never about women bishops
The history of the role and definition of bishops is a long and often turbulent one. From the beginning, Paul in his letters to the churches set high standards for his leaders: ‘Since an overseer [bishop] manages God’s household, he must… Read More ›
Justin Welby and Pope Francis’ mission to transform the Church is just beginning
So here we go again. There is a very real possibility that this will be a momentous few days for the Church of England as the next attempt to make women bishops a reality comes to ahead on Monday at… Read More ›
Vincent Van Gogh the theologian and missionary
Something a bit different for the weekend from the Revd. Canon J. John… J John is an internationally recognised Christian speaker and author. He has written over 50 books and spoken in 69 countries, teaching the Christian faith and addressing over 300,000 people… Read More ›
How can anyone make sense of Christianity if Christians don’t know what they believe?
This Saturday sees the fourth annual Unbelievable? Conference hosted by Premier Radio host and Christianity Magazine editor, Justin Brierley. For those who fancy a day at Methodist Central Hall in London considering issues around Christian apologetics and effective evangelism, this will… Read More ›
It’s time for Labour to wake up and take freedom of religion and belief seriously
Are those on the left really afraid or unwilling to talk in public about the persecution of religious believers around the globe and in particular, that of Christians? Owen Jones, the political commentator who was ranked the seventh most influential… Read More ›
Worship of a Christian character in schools is neither ‘meaningless’ nor ‘nonsense’
“The concept of compulsory worship has always been a nonsense. Schools have long wanted the government to take on the bishops in the House of Lords and change the law. School assemblies are a valuable way to reinforce the ethos… Read More ›