Just over 20 years ago I went to the Christian festival Spring Harvest for the first time. One of the seminars I went to during the week was on ‘Green Issues’ and was part of a series entitled Soapbox. The speaker was highly engaging and charismatic and I still vividly remember some of his lines: “Green… Continue reading Chalke and cheese: Oasis and the Evangelical Alliance
Category: Theology
Jesus in a shell suit: the best moment in BBCs ‘Rev’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Yo-UYCoZ9o You don’t get much more C of E than my family. My Dad is a former Parish vicar and Archdeacon. Both my brothers are currently vicars, and my mum has only just stopped leading a Parish church as a job share with my Dad in their ‘retirement’. You cannot throw a stick at a… Continue reading Jesus in a shell suit: the best moment in BBCs ‘Rev’
It’s the Church and State that should ‘consciously uncouple’
Photo by Sonya Livshits on Pexels.com This Wednesday, the Bishop of Oxford, John Pritchard went with Rev Keith Hebden to deliver a letter to David Cameron’s constituency office in Witney. The letter, signed by 46 Bishops and over 600 Church leaders, called the government to take urgent action about food poverty after it was revealed… Continue reading It’s the Church and State that should ‘consciously uncouple’
Finding God on Sundays (in the pub)
“A good local pub has much in common with a church, except that a pub is warmer, and there’s more conversation.” William Blake (1757 – 1827) A short walk from our church there is a pub which always has a lot of men in it, drinking a lot of beer, many of whom are sitting by themselves. It… Continue reading Finding God on Sundays (in the pub)
When Grace is not so Amazing
Well Bono’s words about Karma and Grace have proved to be a bit popular - so far over 170,000+ people have shared it on facebook. But what is it about Bono's words that so connected with people? The power of grace Some of it relates to the interest in what celebrities say. Some of it is due the… Continue reading When Grace is not so Amazing
Women Bishops? I think the jury is still out on male bishops…
This week the Synod of the Church of England voted to accept legislation that will almost certainly lead to finally accepting women as Bishops. I am in favour of this move for equality but that’s not what this post is about - there is enough of the internet filled already with those arguments. I think… Continue reading Women Bishops? I think the jury is still out on male bishops…
The secularisation of Martin Luther King
Martin Luther King remains a hero to a wide range of people. But alongside the appreciation of his life and work, there is a consistent tendency of commentators to downplay or eliminate the Christian faith that King's civil right's activism was rooted in. A Baptist Minister Many people don't even know that King was, and always remained, a Baptist… Continue reading The secularisation of Martin Luther King
God does not have a mission for his church
Last weekend was a brilliant one in our local community. On Saturday, nine different congregations worked together to put on a Family Fun Day on Streatham Common. Over 2000 people came. Then, the next day, a joint 'Messy Church' service was held on the same spot to which the whole community was invited. Lots of… Continue reading God does not have a mission for his church
The power of the F-word
On Sunday at our youth group we were looking at forgiveness. It is such a big issue for everyone: How can we find forgiveness for the things we feel guilt for? And how can we forgive others who have hurt us? Forgiveness in South Africa One of the other leaders had just got back from… Continue reading The power of the F-word
‘Christians cannot be passive about hunger, sickness and injustice’ Tim Keller
On holiday recently I read Tim Keller's book The Prodigal God. This is a short, accessible and beautifully fresh description of the heart of the Christian faith. I would recommend it to anyone - but especially to those who those who are outside of the church and who are sceptical about Christianity. The book focusses… Continue reading ‘Christians cannot be passive about hunger, sickness and injustice’ Tim Keller
Grace + Truth 