A review and reflection on the novel Light Perpetual by Francis Spufford Francis Spufford is a great writer. His book Unapologetic is the one of the most original books about Christianity I have read and his debut novel Golden Hill won numerous awards. Light Perpetual is his second work of fiction. (Fascinatingly, Spufford has also… Continue reading The holiness of existence
Category: Recommended books & reviews
Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help
The scale and profile of church-based social action projects has grown significantly over the last 20 years. There has been a particular rise in projects which distribute practical resources, with food banks being the most high profile example. Critical reflection The growth of such activity raises questions which need to be reflected on. Is this… Continue reading Toxic Charity: How Churches and Charities Hurt Those They Help
How ‘safetyism’ is harming children – by Liana Humphrey
A review of The Coddling of the American Mind: How Good Intentions and Bad Ideas are Setting up a Generation for Failure by Greg Lukianoff & Jonathan Haidt …………………. There are a lot of untruths circulating in our world today, but Greg Lukianoff and Jonathan Haidt argue that three “Great Untruths” are having a devastating impact on… Continue reading How ‘safetyism’ is harming children – by Liana Humphrey
Contradictions, errors & moral offence: how the Bible’s problems enhance its authority
Review of Inspired Imperfection: how the Bible’s problems enhance its divine authority by Gregory A Boyd I love reading the Bible. No other book comes close to consistently inspiring and challenging me. I read it every morning and, especially when reading the gospels, I often feel a tingle of excited joy about the depth and… Continue reading Contradictions, errors & moral offence: how the Bible’s problems enhance its authority
‘Bleeding for Jesus’ by Andrew Graystone [review]
The Riot Club is a film about an elitist drinking club at Oxford University. At one of their gatherings, events get badly out of hand and a pub landlord ends up being killed. In the ensuing investigation, the students agree to not cooperate with the authorities in order to protect the club. Bleeding for… Continue reading ‘Bleeding for Jesus’ by Andrew Graystone [review]
Child sacrifice: the other side of missionary life
Home is Where: The Journeys of a Missionary Child by Margaret Newbigin Beetham From the 1930s to the 1970s, Lesslie Newbigin was a missionary and Bishop in South India. When he ‘retired’ back to England, he pastored an inner city church in Birmingham, lectured and wrote a series of highly influential books. No Christian writer… Continue reading Child sacrifice: the other side of missionary life
Tears for Fears – by Jeannie Kendall
I grew up in a house where tears were never seen. My mother had been brought up in an orphanage at a time when little was known about the emotional needs of children, and my father had his own very different struggles. As a result, I developed a deep shame around my tears. When I… Continue reading Tears for Fears – by Jeannie Kendall
‘Bullies and Saints: an honest look at the good and evil of Christian history’ by John Dickson [review]
This book begins with a chapter titled The Day I Lost Faith in the Church. The chapter focusses on the events of 15th July 1099, when Christian Crusaders mercilessly slaughtered thousands of Muslim men, women and children sheltering in a sacred precinct in Jerusalem. The next day the victorious Crusaders held a celebratory worship service… Continue reading ‘Bullies and Saints: an honest look at the good and evil of Christian history’ by John Dickson [review]
‘Fractured: Why our societies are coming apart and how we put them back together again’ by Jon Yates [review]
“The problem is not that we are different from each other; it is that we are distant from ‘the other’.” Jon Yates believes our country has a serious problem. It’s one which undermines our economy, democracy, security, well-being and health. Yates calls it the People Like Me syndrome (PLM for short). It is ‘the villain… Continue reading ‘Fractured: Why our societies are coming apart and how we put them back together again’ by Jon Yates [review]
The best book on poverty I have ever read
This book was given to me by a former colleague 3 years ago, but I must confess that I only read it in the last few weeks. Being honest, the delay was caused by a misjudged assumption that it would be a grim rant about structural inequality: long on problems and blame, short on hope… Continue reading The best book on poverty I have ever read
