Category: Ethics & Christian living

There are many obvious forms of status anxiety, such as worrying about the brand of the car we drive, the location of our home or the success of our careers. But a more subtle version relates to our concern for how much we are seen as someone who is compassionate or concerned for social justice.… Continue reading Dealing with status anxiety

I will never forget being in Sydney in March many years ago and being part of a huge green party.  A city on the other side of the world from Ireland was awash with shamrocks and Guinness hats. St Patrick's Day is a national holiday in Ireland and a celebration famous across the globe. But… Continue reading St Patrick and the power of the gospel

Among the graves of the great and famous in Westminster Abbey lies buried an ordinary, anonymous soldier who lost his life in the Great War.  It is known as the tomb of the Unknown Soldier: a symbol to remember of the sacrifice and courage of ordinary men and women. In some ways Captain Sir Tom… Continue reading The Well-Known Soldier – by Olive Kuhrt

The New Year can be a focus for hope and change: a time of decision, to choose certain paths and resist others. In Jeremiah 6:16 it says: "Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your… Continue reading Standing at the Crossroads of a New Year

Over the last 10 years the Queen has been increasingly open about her Christian faith in her Christmas Day message. This quote particularly struck me from her speech this year: "The teachings of Christ have served as my inner light." Whatever your views on the Royal family, I think everyone can learn from the way that the Queen speaks… Continue reading The Queen gives us a model of how to talk about faith publicly

At my church this week, I am speaking about Mary's Song from Luke 1. The German pastor and theologian, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, wrote: 'This is not the gentle, tender, dreamy Mary whom we sometimes see in paintings… This song has none of the sweet, nostalgic, or even playful tones of some of our Christmas carols. The… Continue reading In Honour of Mary’s Song – by Dave Andrews

Rembrandt 'The adoration of the shepherds' The opening line to Band Aid's Do they know its Christmas? in 1984 were sung by Paul Young: ‘Its Christmas-time, there’s no need to be afraid’ Many people may find it hard to sing along to these lines in Christmas 2020. This year there is probably a longer list… Continue reading Its Christmas-time, there’s no need to be afraid?