Artificial intelligence: a guide for the perplexed

A former airline pilot, Simon Cross left industry to complete a PhD focusing on the metaphysical tensions in scientific perspectives on divine action. For the past four years he has worked for the Church of England researching technology ethics and the regulatory and governance challenges AI poses for society. He has written a fantastic Grove … Continue Reading

Do we ignore the biblical teaching on usury?

It is often claimed that contemporary Christians ignore the biblical teaching that prohibits usury—usually interpreted to mean either lending at interest or lending at excessive interest. This is significant for three main reasons: The suggestion is then made that in other areas of ethical debate (sexuality, divorce, gender relations, the Sabbath principle, other areas of … Continue Reading

Recovering the lost virtue of naiveté

  ‘Gosh, I never realised….X’. ‘Really? I knew that ages ago—it’s pretty common knowledge you know!’ I wonder if you’ve ever had that kind of conversation—at work, or church, or amongst friends or family. You have assumed that things are as they were claimed to be, or presented, but all the time ‘everybody’ ‘knew’ that … Continue Reading

A Letter From The Front Line

Oliver Harrison writes: I’m a vicar. I’ve been ordained more than 25 years and in my current post for over 15 years; I am, by some margin, the longest serving member of my deanery clergy chapter. In that time I have changed, the Church of England has changed, and the culture has changed; none, in my … Continue Reading

What do Anglican clergy think about ‘Christian’ Britain, sexuality, and clergy morale?

At the end of July, Kaya Burgess, the Religious Affairs correspondent of The Times, sent out an email to 5,000 Church of England clergy, inviting them to complete a questionnaire giving their views on a whole range of issues, including whether Britain is a ‘Christian’ country any more, the Church’s teaching on sexuality, their own … Continue Reading

What does the gospel say to family life today?

In March 2021, the Archbishops commissioned a project to look at issues around family and households; this was the third of four Commissioners arising from Justin Welby’s 2018 book Reimagining Britain (which I reviewed here), the previous ones covering housing and care respectively, alongside the ongoing commission on racial justice. Before I read the report myself, I … Continue Reading