A few days ago, some very depressing news was released to the media. (Some of you may be ahead of me here.) I refer, of course, to George RR Martin’s announcement that the release of the sixth book in his sequence “Song of Ice and...
Hugh Bonneville (National Treasure) is one of my Discoveries. I have quite a good future-star-spotting technique that works in reverse. Like this: I watch a TV episode or a film; I notice a particularly hapless, camp or unappealing character, and I think, “Poor guy (the actor). ...
On 1st December 2015 I posted about our team visit to Coventry, and the challenges of Willow Creek church’s Global Leadership summit. And I promised to clarify the thoughts I was left with. So I’m afraid that this is another post that is all about...
Festive greetings to all. (Warning: high saccharine content) A few days ago, I let rip on the subject of the excessive pressure on people, spiritual and otherwise, of the Christmas season. Although the season is not over (12 days!) it has peaked, and I am now in...
Once upon a time there was a bishop called Nicholas. The legends about him say that he threw money in at a window to fill shoes of poor children. And the great myth was born. Any country as dreich as Britain at this time of year...
The Psalms are full of injunctions to praise God for various things, and one of these is the natural world. Many of us find a deep connection to spiritual things when gazing at, say, the stars, the sea, or the mountains… As a popular song...
One or two more ideas… The Blood of the Martyrs by Naomi Mitchison.(Canongate Classics) Naomi Mitchison was a socialist and feminist, and not a Christian. She wrote historical novels, largely set in the ancient world, of which the most famous is “The Corn King and the Spring...
Christmas is coming, and I am very busy, so instead of writing a new post I have decided to reproduce a short document I wrote for myself and friends in 2013 about being busy at Christmas. Apologies to those who have seen this before. The 2013...
(Before I begin, Ian Paul, formerly of St John's College, Nottingham, has a thoughtful post on IS, Syria and the just war on his www.psephizo.com blog. I don't think I agree with Ian on everything, but he writes a very good and thoughtful blog.) WARNING: The...
This is a very brief post, because my ignorance is great, and my understanding shallow. I have three thoughts to offer: The absolutely crucial thing (I was particularly aware of this at the time of our intervention in Afghanistan after 9/11) is for all sides in the...