The Cross – The Shocking Symbol of Christianity
First published 24 April 2015 The cross is the primary symbol of all branches of the Christian church throughout the last 2,000 years. It is referenced throughout the world in many different ways. Some Christians wear it as a badge to quietly let people know their affiliation. Some Christians make the gesture of the cross…
Spending Too Much at Christmas – What I Said to My Kids
First published 21 December 2014 This is what I wrote on the private blog I have for my kids last year… There are a couple of things I worry about at Christmas if I’m honest. One is that as a family we’ll lose sight of the true meaning of Christmas – which is that Jesus…
Does God Punish Nations With Storms?
First published 5 October 2014 In my last post I was thinking about the reaction David Silvester received recently to his open letter accusing UK Prime Minister David Cameron of bringing God’s judgment upon the nation. In the letter he said that, “The Scriptures make it abundantly clear that a Christian nation that abandons its…
Why Is It Offensive To Speak Of God Punishing?
First published 27 September 2014 David Silvester is a local government councillor near Oxford in the UK, until recently representing the UK Independence Party. At the beginning of 2014 he (in)famously said in a letter to the Henley Standard, “Since the passage of the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act, the nation has been beset by…
The Most Realistic Movie Ever Made
First published 1 April 2014 I found out the other day that an old colleague of mine had died suddenly of a heart attack. She was my age, and had two children the same age as my younger ones. That reminded me that another colleague from the same place died in her twenties a few…
What Keeps Me Going?
First published 18 February 2013 This post is now incorporated with 22 other similar ‘reflections’ in my book, Facing Cancer with Faith. I went for some tests – an endoscopy in fact – in hospital the other day. As the nurse was doing the booking in form with me, she was remarking that everything was…
Jimmy Saville, Lance Armstrong – Not a Time For Faith in Human Nature
First published 26 October 2012 I remember Sir Jimmy Saville on TV as I was growing up. Jim’ll Fix It was a show that I tuned into every Saturday evening, eager to see what wonders he was going to work for lucky children. He seemed kind, jolly, genuinely happy to be making kids smile. And…
Faith for Diagnosis and Cure
First published 31 August 2012 This post is now incorporated with 22 other similar ‘reflections’ in my book, Facing Cancer with Faith. Very recently the doctors diagnosed that the non-Hodgkins lymphoma, from which I have been free for two years, has returned. As at this point I have some mild symptoms, but nothing that yet…
The Risk of Offending People (Whose Rules Rule 12)
First published 2 April 2012 Should we try to avoid offending people? This is the last part of this series and I would be surprised if I haven’t offended anyone by what I’ve been saying over the past few months. As I’ve said throughout the series, talking about morality can be unpopular in a culture…
Loving By Talking About Sin (Whose Rules Rule 11)
First published 19 March 2012 Last time I was trying, poorly in my own judgment, to contrast the outcomes of non-religious morality (selfishness and oppression) with Christian morality (love, charity and care for everyone not matter how sinful). I really wanted to show that for a Christian to say that something is wrong, even while…