What is God responsible for, in the sense that “there it is, and it looks as if He must have intended this”? I suggest at least two things: His Word, ie the Bible, and the passage of time. If the Bible is inerrant and provides everything...
I have been simultaneously reading two slightly unorthodox Christian books – “Jesus Wants to Save Christians (A Manifesto for the Church in Exile)” by Rob Bell (American), and “How To Be a Bad Christian (and a Better Human Being)” by Dave Tomlinson (British). One of...
Shane Sutton has just resigned as Technical Director of the British Cycling Team, because of things he may have said about and to female and disabled athletes. And the Labour party is having serious problems over the point at which anti-Zionism becomes (or is rooted in)...
Someone mentioned, following last week’s post, that Christians have a taboo on talking about sex. I am in a slightly awkward position here. My final “taboo” was the longest and most controversial point, and at the last minute on Friday 15th, I decided to leave it...
On Saturday 16th, I attended the Spring Meeting of the Charlotte M Yonge Fellowship in Eastleigh, Hampshire. It was my privilege to give the opening talk, introducing the works of this author to those attending who might not be familiar with her. This is an...
I am reading a book which points out that a Christian lifestyle is not about being “narrow” or joyless. The author remembers how in his youth young Christians were discouraged from going to the cinema, etc etc. I think Christian culture in Britain in 2016 on...
On a plane recently, I watched a film called “Bridge of Spies”, starring Tom Hanks and Mark Rylance, and based on true events. In 1950s America, Hanks plays a lawyer assigned to the defence of a Russian accused (correctly) of spying. He then brokers a...
“Good Disagreement? Grace and Truth in a Divided Church”, edited by Andrew Atherstone and Andrew Goddard, was published last year by Lion Hudson. It consists of a series of chapters by different people (including Ian Paul, formerly of St John’s, whose blog Psephizo.com I have...
It won’t have escaped anyone’s notice that in three months or so we have the right to vote on whether or not the UK should leave the EU. (If the vote is LEAVE, it may well be England that leaves, as Scotland at least seems...
Those of us who believe that the Bible is a divinely-special book, or set of books, are aware that there are other documents from the same time that are not in there. “Gospels of Thomas”, and the like. We’re also aware that many books of...