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
A turbulent priest for the Trump era
Rt Rev Mariann Budde, click to listen to full sermon At the service at the Washington National Cathedral yesterday, the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, Rt Rev Mariann Budde preached a sermon on the subject of unity. A moderate, thoughtful sermon has created a firestorm of anger and recrimination. Clearly, it was not the kind of… Continue reading A turbulent priest for the Trump era
‘I packed my bags and left consumer Christianity behind’
The Miracle of Cana of Galilee by Alexandra Desnitskaya Review of Water to Wine: some of my story by Brian Zahnd Brian Zahnd was a pastor of a successful church in Missouri that he had founded and led for over 20 years: “From a certain perspective things couldn’t have been better. I had a large church… Continue reading ‘I packed my bags and left consumer Christianity behind’
The best rebellion is living joyfully – by Anna Price
Artwork by Sophie Killingley Perish and Fade Some seem to glide through life perhaps without a care in the world, good things happen to them, they ‘just’ fall in love or easily find success. But those who have a need to rebel are not drifting through life easily. Rather, they experience a deep dissatisfaction. They… Continue reading The best rebellion is living joyfully – by Anna Price
Bringing burdens to the foot of the cross
Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com On a freezing night this week, we opened up our church for our first community meal of the New Year. It was a quieter night than usual, but sometimes less can be more. Our aim to provide ‘food, connection and community’ and whilst fewer guests means less food is… Continue reading Bringing burdens to the foot of the cross
The best book I read in 2024
I read some great books in 2024. Among them, The Wood Between the Worlds by Brian Zahnd, Fully Alive by Elizabeth Oldfield, Where the Light Fell by Philip Yancey, Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, Poor by Katriona O’Sullivan, Friends, Lovers and the Big Terrible Thing by Matthew Perry and Open by Andre Agassi.… Continue reading The best book I read in 2024
The ’emotional magnifying glass’ of Christmas
That Christmas is a new animated Netflix film from Richard Curtis, the writer of some of my favourite comedy such as Blackadder, Four Weddings and a Funeral and Notting Hill. (Curtis also wrote Love, Actually which is my least favourite Christmas film, but that’s a subject for another blog). That Christmas is a decent family… Continue reading The ’emotional magnifying glass’ of Christmas
Grace + Truth 