The myth of the undeserving poor
Unlike most Christian initiatives, this week's Feeding Britain report on poverty and foodbank use has whipped up a media storm filling up plenty of column inches and broadcast minutes. And it…
Salvation
#ChristmasMeans anything but peace on earth
Today marks the official start of the Church of England's #ChristmasMeans Twitter campaign. Church congregations and clergy are being encouraged to get out their smartphones to let the Twittersphere know the joy and meaning of Christmas. I'd like to be…
Christian power lists: fame, popularity, judgement and false humility
Nominations have now closed in the quest to discover the 'Top 100 UK Christians' for 2014. Hundreds have been nominated - some with sarcastic citations (Sir Cliff Richard -…
Real Madrid and the offence of the cross
It was a really tiny cross. Honestly, it was barely noticeable in all that pearly pizzazz and gaudy gold. The Crown of Alfonso XII has been a sacred symbol of…
The Community of St Anselm – satisfaction and spirituality
A few months ago the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby announced a new initiative at Lambeth Palace: the establishment of the Community of St Anselm, the objective of which…
Slaughter in the synagogue is just politics as usual
There is a perception, if not a widespread understanding, that anything to do with Jews and everything to do with Israel is acutely political. Throughout its recorded history and…
The Church needs to rediscover its heart
Established religion satisfies the minds of some, but the hearts of the multitudes frequently go hungry. We are often told of the imminent death of the Church of England…
Remembrance Sunday: Sacrifice, Freedom and Peace
Who would have thought a hundred years on that we would still be arguing over the shady causes of World War One; debating whether the lions were led by…
This is what a feminist theology looks like
Is this really what a feminist looks like? A feminist politician, perhaps. The men in particular feel compelled to humour this particular cause of equality, and so they don…
Pope Francis moves Rome toward reason and experience
As the headlines of "failure", "setback", "disappointment" and "dismay" spread throughout those parts of world which view just about everything the Church does as a failure or setback, or…
Christians are called to be 'non-violent extremists'
We have been here before. In fact, the illiberal proposal raises its portentous head with such frequency that it feels almost teleologically predetermined. From Labour's assault on "hate speech"…
Salvation of the Union
Land of Hope and Glory! Rule Britannia! God Save the Queen! Scotland has spoken, and, despite the tawdry interventions of certain glitzy Scots living comfortably in the Home Counties, Manhattan…
Ian Paisley – the Last Great Protestant – is dead
The Rt Hon the Rev'd Dr Ian Paisley, the Lord Bannside, has died and passed into Glory. Whatever you may have thought about him - however he may have inspired…