The Ecclesiastical Doughnut: is the Church of England ungovernable?

Jon Kuhrt writes: Last week saw yet another Church of England report into safeguarding and institutional failings in the handling of abuse allegations. Almost 400 new cases involving actions by clergy, officials and volunteers against children and vulnerable adults were uncovered. In a foreword to the report, Justin Welby and Stephen Cottrell, the archbishops of Canterbury and York, … Continue Reading

What does the Bible say about homelessness?

Jon Kuhrt writes: It is a matter of historical fact that a huge number of the charities established to address homelessness were set up by committed Christians. Some retain a strong link to their founding beliefs; others have retreated from them. Some may be tempted to assume this is just a piece of history, a natural … Continue Reading

Does ‘Bleeding for Jesus’ help resolve abuse issues?

Many people have told me that Bleeding for Jesus by Andrew Graystone is ‘essential reading’, and I take this recommendation seriously for three reasons. First, I have known Andrew for some years, and engaged him to teach media and communications skills at the theological college where I taught. Secondly, as an evangelical of many years, … Continue Reading

How do we sustain faith in the long term?

Jon Kuhrt writes: In 1996 I started attending an inner city church which had been planted by the Church of England into a former pub. The congregation consisted mainly of people at a similar stage of life, and the church had a vibrancy and authenticity I really appreciated. I attended the evening services each week … Continue Reading

Why do churches manage people badly?

Jon Kuhrt writes: The church frequently has to respond to the scandal and upset created by safeguarding failures and other cases of serious malpractice. As we all know, these scandals powerfully undermine the integrity of the church’s witness. One key factor in ecclesiastical failures that is frequently downplayed is the poor state of basic ‘human resources’ … Continue Reading

Why Pope Francis is wrong about begging

Jon Kuhrt writes: This week I was at a church in Kings Cross, central London, talking with the minister when a man came to the door asking for help.  He explained that he was not from London but his wife had just been discharged from UCH (a London hospital) following an emergency operation.  He said they … Continue Reading

Can we disagree better online?

For the last two days, I have been accumulating material towards a post reflecting on Trump’s executive orders and how much of the response to them fails to explore the facts. It seems odd to me that we can accuse someone of disregard for the facts—and then fall into the same trap ourselves in our … Continue Reading