Easter Day: ‘He is not here: for he is risen, as he said.’
He is risen! Hallelujah! Still the earth resounds this Easter Day with the joy of that seismic irruption 2,000 years ago. We have passed from death to life. Just as…
Easter
World Council of Churches must expel the Russian Orthodox Church
What kind of Christian conscience can slaughter a young mother and her three-month-old baby one day, and pop off to church, light a candle, and praise Jesus the next? Ukrainian journalist Valerie Hlodan was only 27 years old, but with…
Holy Saturday: ‘He descended into hell’
Holy Saturday is a much misunderstood day, suspended awkwardly between the Crucifixion and the Resurrection, seemingly of no great spiritual significance. Jesus is buried: we are left wondering and waiting.…
When the police enter a church, storm the altar and shut down worship, a line has been crossed
How hard is it to remain socially-distanced in a large church building? How hard is it to sit in pews in 'support bubbles' and leave enough space in front and…
Rev’d Marcus Walker returns to his pulpit: “Here I stand!”
"We are back!" exclaims the Facebook page of Saint Bartholomew the Great, London's oldest extant church, founded in 1123 as an Augustinian Priory and which, they say, "has been in…
‘I am the resurrection and the life’
No matter how many times this day comes and goes; no matter how many years of how many decades and centuries Easter Sunday passes with a myriad of sorrows or…
Holy Saturday: the Harrowing of Hell
Each Easter, those charged with preaching sermons have the opportunity to refresh their understanding of the story. Being human, not all of us do so each and every year. Life,…
The end of freedom?
Last night the Prime Minister placed the UK in lockdown to help abate the spread of coronavirus. You should be staying at home unless you must travel for essential work,…
Who made James O’Brien pope of religious identity?
Radio presenter James O'Brien doesn't like Jacob Rees-Mogg. You only have to listen to a few minutes of his LBC interview with the MP to sense the contempt, bitterness and…
The Resurrection is the ultimate revelation: only in Jesus has God appeared
Today we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ; the fulfilment of human destiny. There is a hope beyond death which answers man's eternal question about himself and the end of the…
Holy Week: dealing with deep sin is horrible, messy, prolonged, humiliating and painful
As we enter Holy Week, the most sombre time of the Church calendar, I am sure I'm not the only one left reflecting that my Lenten observance has not been…
He rose again the third day according to the scriptures – Hallelujah!
Jesus suffered on the cross and died. On the third day he rose again according to the scriptures. Nothing else matters. Absolutely nothing comes anywhere near the significance of this…
The Lamentation: a reflection for Good Friday
The Lamentation is one of the limited number of subjects permitted to an icon writer within the Orthodox tradition. It renders the observer present at one of the low points…
The Real Easter Egg and Sainsbury’s unreal stock-check
It was kind of Steven at Sainsbury's to offer to check their stock of The Real Easter Egg at their store in Canterbury, following yesterday's revelation that Sainsbury's don't, in…
Sainsbury’s refuses to sell the Real Easter Egg – what’s their problem with Jesus?
The Real Easter Egg, which explains the real meaning of Easter (yes, it mentions Jesus), is on sale in Tesco, Waitrose, Morrisons and dozens of independent retail outlets. But Sainsbury's…
Cameron's Christian values are devoid of liberty, spirit and truth
At least No10 bothered to issue an Easter greeting this year. Last year they omitted to do so, and then refused to reply to a number of the politest…
Easter Day: He is risen! Hallelujah!
He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is…
Holy Saturday: marginalisation, persecution, martyrdom
Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden; and in the garden a new sepulchre, wherein was never man yet laid. There laid they Jesus…
Good Friday: love so amazing, so divine
Good Friday The Collects Almighty God, we beseech thee graciously to behold this thy family, for which our Lord Jesus Christ was contented to be betrayed, and given up…
Maundy Thursday foot-washing reminds power of its purpose
Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his…