Cathy Come Home was a BBC1 drama broadcast in 1966 which shocked the nation by its portrayal of a family’s descent into homelessness. It was watched by a quarter of the population and produced a storm of phone calls to the BBC, discussion in Parliament and inspired the start of the homeless charity Crisis. One… Continue reading ‘Adolescence’ could be the ‘Cathy Come Home’ for our generation
Who are the positive male role models?
Recently I went to a local friend’s birthday party. In amongst the usual chat and catch ups, my friend Ian, whose sons were in primary school with mine, raised a great question to a group of us standing at the bar: “There are so few good male role models these days. Who are my boys… Continue reading Who are the positive male role models?
The dehumanising denial of work
Photo by Andrew Neel on Pexels.com Scenario 1: Pete At our church drop-in meal recently, one of our regular guests Pete* was telling me about how he lost his job. He was a lorry driver and loved the work until the company was taken over by a bigger firm. In order to maximise profit, the… Continue reading The dehumanising denial of work
‘Paul’s Letter to American Christians’ by Martin Luther King Jr
Photo by Hugo Magalhaes on Pexels.com Below is an excerpt from a Martin Luther King sermon which imagined the apostle Paul writing a letter to American Christians in the 1950s. This sermon is re-produced in the book Strength to Love, a brilliant collection of King's sermons, which are still relevant and inspirational today. I am… Continue reading ‘Paul’s Letter to American Christians’ by Martin Luther King Jr
Reclaiming social justice from toxic identity politics
Last week I was at Kings Cross station in London waiting for a train when a middle-aged man called Martin approached me begging for cash. I explained that I did not give money but would be happy to buy him something to eat and drink. Martin accepted this offer and as we walked to a… Continue reading Reclaiming social justice from toxic identity politics
Applauded, booed & heckled: David Brooks’ masterclass in public theology
David Brooks addressing the ARC conference, London, 2025 In these polarizing times, what kind of voices do we most need to listen to? Those who simply affirm our own sense of righteousness? Or those who challenge our own blind-spots and urge us to think more deeply? This week the conservative journalist David Brooks gave a… Continue reading Applauded, booed & heckled: David Brooks’ masterclass in public theology
Religious nationalism: where do we draw the line?
Last week I watched the film Bonhoeffer about the German Lutheran pastor and theologian who opposed Hitler. The film begins at the end of his life, as the 39 year-old Dietrich Bonhoeffer is held as a prisoner by the Nazi regime and awaiting execution. A series of flashbacks record his wealthy upbringing, his beloved older… Continue reading Religious nationalism: where do we draw the line?
Restorers of Hope: conference March 12th
The UK faces a homelessness and poverty crisis, made up of many different problems: Resources: the lack of affordable housing, debt, rising cost of living. Relationships: abuse, mistrust, family breakdown, loneliness, isolation. Identity: meaninglessness, low self-esteem, mental ill-health, addictions. We need a hope strong enough to respond to all three of these challenges. Hope into Action works with churches… Continue reading Restorers of Hope: conference March 12th
Porn & the Church: if we ignore it, maybe it will go away? – by Martin Kuhrt
'What have I done?' I asked myself. I had organised a conference on porn at my home church in Aylesbury. But a few days before, I began to feel a heavy sense of failure. Bad taste No-one’s going to come. People have told me they don’t like the way it had been advertised. I've been… Continue reading Porn & the Church: if we ignore it, maybe it will go away? – by Martin Kuhrt
Bad apples in rotten barrels – by Stephen Kuhrt
Jimmy Saville and the BBC; Wayne Couzens and Metropolitan Police Force; Paula Vennells and the Post Office. When stories of abuse or corruption emerge the immediate focus is often on those individuals who’ve directly committed the crimes. But in almost every case, what is then examined is how the institution they worked within colluded with… Continue reading Bad apples in rotten barrels – by Stephen Kuhrt
Grace + Truth 