How can we heal racial divides?

Graham Hunter offers this review ofย Healing The Divides, published by the Good Book Company here. When I first picked up a prospectus for London Bible College (now London School of Theology) in 1997 I was struck by the strap-line on the cover: ‘To explain a truth simply you must understand it profoundlyโ€™. This sentiment appealed … Continue Reading

Why does Embracing Justice matter?

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book this year isย Embracing Justice by Dr Isabelle Hamley. Here, Alianore Smith explores why the arguments of the book are so important in practice, and introduces us to the work of International Justice Mission. Alianore Smith writes:ย I want introduce you to Thaiyamma.ย Thaiyamma was in her early 20s when she and … Continue Reading

Once again: should clergy be paid more?

I have just returned from the second session, in London, of the new Synod which first met last November. Some commented that the agenda looked rather dull, but (to coin a phrase) ‘the devil is in the detail’, and in amongst the boring-but-important discussions about faculties, boilers, and internet cabling, there were some startling insights … Continue Reading

Where is good and evil in Afghanistan?

Tom Bowring writes: I fall into writing this piece from a place of unwilling necessity following a period of reflective silence. If you were to ask my wife, sheโ€™d tell you I never talk about Afghanistan and, as psychologists do, go on to suggest this is as much about personal growth and transition as it … Continue Reading

Seeking tax justice

In thisย guest post, Dr Justin Thacker asks why we are so reticent about tackling issues of structural economic justice and highlights one way we could do so on Sunday 6th June โ€“ Tax Justice Sunday For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lordsโ€ฆwho executes justice for the orphan and the … Continue Reading

Why is tax fraud treated so leniently?

Justin Thacker writes:ย A fundamental principle of biblical justice is that we are all equal before the law. The book of Leviticus reminds us: โ€˜Do not pervert justice; do not show partiality to the poor or favouritism to the great, but judge your neighbour fairlyโ€™ (Lev 19:15). Yet a new report from TaxWatch reveals that such … Continue Reading

Why does justice matter?

I write a column for Preach magazine, in which I explore a significant word or phrase in the Bible and the ideas that it expresses. I have written for them on the phrase โ€˜Word of Godโ€™, on theย theme of โ€˜Missionโ€™, on the meaning of โ€˜Apocalypseโ€˜, on the ministry of โ€˜Healingโ€™, and onย the question of โ€˜Welcomeโ€™. … Continue Reading

How does biblical narrative depict the exploitation of power?

James Bejon writes: Below is an anonymised version of a biblical narrative. I suspect itโ€™ll soon ring a bell. It came to pass in the days of Israelโ€™s kings, after an important battle between Israel and Syria, that a little-known Israelite acquired an important โ€˜possessionโ€™. That possession was very dear to him. He valued and … Continue Reading

How do we handle the complexities of the Bible, sexual ethics, and contemporary culture?

Sam Evans writes:ย Earlier this year I had the opportunity to study a module in Christian Ethics.ย  I was both daunted and excited. Once Iโ€™d vaguely orientated myself in the worlds of Plato, Aristotle, Kant and others, I thought I was ready to explore some contemporary issues.ย  Little did I realise that I would actually find … Continue Reading

Tax Justice and the Spirit of the Law

Justin Thacker writes:ย The spirit of the law matters. It seems obvious to say that but, in doing so, Iโ€™m not referring to the third person of the Trinity, Iโ€™m referring to the unwritten, uncodified aim or purpose of our legal instrumentsโ€”especially as they relate to taxation. Of course, both Jesus and Paul recognised the significance … Continue Reading