Defections, divisions, tribalism and schisms
'What causes fights and quarrels among you?' asked James the brother of Jesus, writing to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. And then he proceeds to answer his own question: Don’t…
Salvation
Project apocalypse: Welby calls the nation to prayer over Brexit
In his 'State of the Nation' address to the General Synod of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury is calling the nation to prayer because "social divisions feel more entrenched and intractable than for many years". He explained:…
Pope Francis: God willed the Reformation and the Church of England
Pope Francis went to Abu Dhabi this week to meet the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, which is good and pleasant. No doubt the Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church…
‘Light in the Darkness’ – Rev’d Jonathan Aitken preaches Christmas sermon to the Foreign Office
Here is the sermon preached by the Rev'd Jonathan Aitken at the Foreign Office Carol Service, Grand Locarno Room, King Charles St, Westminster, on Tuesday 18th December 2018: It is a…
Church of England Evangelical Council warns against redefining marriage
The Church of England Evangelical Council describes itself as "a network of networks, bringing evangelicals in the Church of England together for the sake of the gospel". It was created…
Rainbow Church, LGBT Eucharist and intolerable utterances
This picture has not been photoshopped: it is the altar of Reading Minster draped in the rainbow flag for this year's Gay Pride festival, in order to convey to the…
There will be sex offenders in heaven (and they may be greater in the kingdom than you)
You really don't want to commit a sex crime in the United States. Unlike other crimes, a sex crime creates certain civil liabilities for the offender that can quite literally…
No, Ruth Davidson: the burqa is a world away from a crucifix
Scottish Tory Leader Ruth Davidson is of the view that a Muslim wearing a burqa is no different from a Christian who wears a crucifix. She said: "If you use…
Death penalty: Pope Francis hasn’t changed the teaching; he just ‘developed doctrine’
One of the more curious aspects of Roman Catholic apologetics is its inability to answer certain specific questions to which it should have ready answers: 1. What is the content…
The Rev’d Jonathan Aitken – being ordained is like ‘a new life’
Former Tory Cabinet minister, convicted perjurer and bankrupt the Rt Hon Jonathan Aitken MP is now the Rev'd Jonathan Aitken, deacon at St Matthews, Westminster, and chaplain to the Prison…
Iftar in the Cathedral is exactly what the Queen (and Jesus) would want
If it had been called 'Tea & Chapatis' no-one would have batted an eyelid. But the meal had an upper-case Islamic name – Iftar – and it involved Arabic food:…
That wedding sermon: Bishop Michael Curry’s critics would have carped at St Paul
St Paul in Athens (Acts 17:16-34 NIV): Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are…
Don’t slam the Royal Wedding sermon: Bishop Michael Curry reached two billion souls with the love of Christ
Bishop Michael Curry's wedding address – or the US preacher's Royal Wedding sermon (as he and it shall henceforth be known) in the marriage service of Prince Harry to Meghan…
Steve Chalke: the wrath of God and the experience of Grace
Steve Chalke tweeted about the wrath of God which is apparently often heaped on his head by 'Church people' (as opposed to Christians?), compared to the grace he experiences directly…
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…
How does a crucified stormtrooper glorify God?
There is a crucified stormtrooper hanging on the wall of St Stephen Walbrook church in the City of London, forming part of a 'Stations of the Cross' exhibition. The parish…
Recognising ‘spiritual abuse’ is a dangerous hostage to fortune
An Abingdon vicar has been banned from ministry for two years after being found guilty of the spiritual abuse of a 15/16-year-old boy. The Bishop's Disciplinary Tribunal for the Diocese…
RIP Billy Graham – evangelical fundamentalist and ecumenical universalist
The Rev'd Dr Billy Graham is dead. The evangelist to the world is now more alive to God then he has ever been, and tributes are pouring forth from the…
Priest to chain herself to a tree in protest against HS2
The Rev'd Anne Stevens, Vicar of St Pancras, is to chain herself to a tree near Euston Station in protest against HS2. Or, rather, she is going to allow herself…
Bishop of Liverpool slams ‘so-called Evangelicals’, and so condemns himself
The term 'Evangelical' as applied to Christians has a long and well-chronicled heritage. In 1525, William Tyndale explained in his Doctrinal Treatises (p8): "Evangelion (that which we call the gospel)…