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Summary: By setting out what the bishops (and their legal advisors) are now claiming about marriage in our society, this article argues that there are significant changes in their account which have not been clearly explained or defended. It traces how the church has viewed marriage in society generally through history and summarises how the … Continue Reading
Andrew Goddard writes: It is only two weeks since a leak from the House of Bishops concerning their proposals following the discernment period of the LLF process prompted instant and vehement reactions that spread further when it was followed the next day by a press release giving more details officially. It was not until Friday … Continue Reading
Christopher Landau writes: It is a deep, sad irony. The Archbishop of Canterbury is an accomplished peacemaker, with reconciliation as a key priority in his ministry, and yet he is now presiding over some of the deepest disquiet and disunity seen in the church in two decades. Across the theological spectrum, the bishops’ pastoral letter … Continue Reading
Joshua Penduck writes: Best of times and worst of times, eh? With such a Dickensian title, this article needs to make an obligatory (read: clichéd) reference to Charles’ great novel. The worst of times are obvious: a Church of England with a declining and aging faithful; a looming financial crisis for many a diocese; and … Continue Reading
Mark Broadway writes: Very few people in pastoral ministry will not find themselves being involved in funeral ministry, but I have learned that a number of clergy either do not preach at funerals at all, or offer a very short and generic message with the same content in every funeral. In his book, There is Hope: … Continue Reading
Marc Lloyd writes: If the chief end of human beings is to ‘glorify God and enjoy him for ever’ (from the Westminster Shorter Catechism), it should come as no surprise if modern science finds us to be hard-wired for awe. This is indeed the claim in Awe: The Transformative Power of Everyday Wonder by Dacher Keltner (Allen Lane/Penguin, … Continue Reading
One of the challenges in reading the Book of Revelation is that it is very theologically dense in the way it presents its ideas. There are several reasons for this: Its dense metaphorical language (commonly called its ‘symbolism’) carries theological weight. For example, the compressed phrase ‘a lamb, looking as though it had been slain, … Continue Reading
Stephen Kuhrt writes: Each year, I write a Children’s Carol Service for Christ Church, New Malden in which we try to combine the fun of Christmas with thinking hard about the Christmas stories and their meaning. The church is always full of loads of children and adults in Christmas costumes and much of it has … Continue Reading
Andrew Goddard writes: In his diocesan synod presidential address the Bishop of Southwark joined the still quite small group of bishops (from the dioceses of Oxford, Worcester and Portsmouth) who have stated their hopes for the corporate Living in Love and Faith discernment process in which the bishops are currently engaged. Like all the previous … Continue Reading
Joshua Penduck writes this open letter to Steven Croft in response to his argument for change in the Church’s doctrine of marriage. Dear Steven, It’s always difficult to put one’s head above the parapet when confronting the controversial issues of one’s time. It takes courage to do so – and for that I admire you … Continue Reading
Chris Seglenieks writes: The question of what it means to believe is one that has shaped much of my researching New Testament studies. Faith is central to Christianity, but we don’t always stop to reflect on what it involves. When it comes to the gospels, I have found that many people assume the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, … Continue Reading
Ian Paul: theologian, author, speaker, academic consultant. Associate Senior Research Fellow, Kirby Laing Centre for Public Theology; Associate Minister, St Nic's, Nottingham; Managing Editor, Grove Books; member of General Synod and Archbishops' Council. Mac user; chocoholic. Tweets at @psephizo
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