For as long as I can remember the church in the UK has treated people who are gay horrifically. We have denied, we have judged, we have excluded, we have hurt, we have silenced. The vicious aggression of the recent banned bus ads doesn't represent the approach of all Christians, but the church as a whole… Continue reading The Church has forfeited the right to have a say on gay marriage
Author: Jonathan Chilvers
Jonathan Chilvers...leads a homeless project in the middle of Leamington and is part of Jubilee Church Leamington. He is a Green Party County Councillor in Warwickshire, but is not writing on behalf of any of the above. Jonathan loves his wife and two beautiful daughters. Follow or contact him via Twitter: @jonchilvers
Three reasons why Stuart Lancaster is the right choice for English Rugby
After his eye-catching Six Nations campaign as interim boss, Stuart Lancaster has been appointed full time coach until after the next World Cup in 2015. As well as winning four out of five since January here are three reasons why the Rugby Football Union should stick with him for the next four years. 1. He… Continue reading Three reasons why Stuart Lancaster is the right choice for English Rugby
Every Little Helps, but Tesco’s use of the Workfare scheme is exploitation for profit
We need work experience schemes for some welfare claimants, but the workfare scheme is being used by Tesco and others as exploitation for profit pure and simple. Workfare forces some job seekers to take unpaid work for months at a time in order to receive Job Seekers’ Allowance (JSA) of under £70 per week. Rumblings of… Continue reading Every Little Helps, but Tesco’s use of the Workfare scheme is exploitation for profit
The Bideford prayer ruling: not so much anti-faith as undemocratic
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels.com My concern about the Bideford Town Council ruling which bans prayer from meetings is not because it is anti-faith. It is more because it is undemocratic. Undemocratic The judge ruled that the Local Government Act 1972 didn’t give the Council power to have prayers. But surely in a democratic… Continue reading The Bideford prayer ruling: not so much anti-faith as undemocratic
We should be anti-bad business not anti-big business
Photo by Tom Fisk on Pexels.com George Osborne says that he is worried that the UK is becoming ‘anti-business’. What he means is anti-big business. I mean, if failing mega corporations can’t hide their profits away to avoid tax and CEOs can’t claim obscene bonuses in peace why would they want to come to theUK?… Continue reading We should be anti-bad business not anti-big business
Welfare Reform Bill is on the right track, but it won’t get the job done
Photo by Pavel Danilyuk on Pexels.com There’s been an awful lot of handwringing over the Welfare Reform Bill and the ‘benefits cap’ in particular. However, most of the bill is on the right track, although it’s only one part of the bigger picture. The Benefits Cap The benefits cap is clearly illogical and wrong (see… Continue reading Welfare Reform Bill is on the right track, but it won’t get the job done
Faith Under Fire by Andrew White: Awful and Awe-full
Faith under Fire is both one of the most Awful (in what it recounts) and Awe-full books that I have read in recent years. Andrew White is better known as the stubborn and inspiring 'Vicar of Baghdad', serving his 3500 strong congregation of St. Georges – the only Anglican church in Iraq. He daily faces the… Continue reading Faith Under Fire by Andrew White: Awful and Awe-full
Hustle’s bubble: The Myth of Redemptive Finance
Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com The final ever series of Hustle starring Adrian Lester airs tonight and after discovering it just over a year ago I'll be tuning in. Hustle is a BBC drama in which a gang of successful, high living and smart mainly twenty somethings use their considerable skills to con successful, high… Continue reading Hustle’s bubble: The Myth of Redemptive Finance
Why acceptance isn’t enough – a reflection on the nativity and homelessness
Photo by Phuc Tran on Pexels.com Christmas is an important time for homeless projects and every year I speak briefly at a handful of concerts and services. This is (roughly) what I said at the beginning of the second half of Divertimento choir's wonderful fundraising concert for us. "Yesterday I was at the Salvation Army… Continue reading Why acceptance isn’t enough – a reflection on the nativity and homelessness
What is the Occupy camp at St. Paul’s really like?
It's almost impossible to see through the spin and opinion in the mainstream media to get a picture of what the Occupy London Stock Exchange (LSX) camp at St. Paul's is really like. Earlier this week a friend and I spent the morning there to get a feel of what's going on... Welcome tent: "Caring… Continue reading What is the Occupy camp at St. Paul’s really like?
Grace + Truth 