I occasionally mention this little book which I contributed to. The pastor with a thorn in his side offers the stories of seven pastors who have suffered with depression. There are four reasons why/ four types of people I encourage people to buy it and all are rooted in the myth that this book blows… Continue reading The pastor’s thorn … Depression and suffering
Author: faithrootsdw
Heads, Hierarchies, submission and love
Under this title, Andrew Bartlett looks at Colossians 3 and Ephesian 5 in his book. He suggests that in relation to these passages, we should address three questions, disputed by commentators. 1.Does Paul teach in these letters that marriage is a hierarchical relationship in which the husband is in a position of unilateral authority over… Continue reading Heads, Hierarchies, submission and love
Lost
Luke records three parables with a focus on something or someone who is lost, a sheep lost to a shepherd, a coin lost to its owner, a son lost to his father. Matthew also includes the parable of the lost sheep.[1] He introduces it in a slightly difference context following on from Jesus’ teaching on… Continue reading Lost
Did I use strawmen arguments on 1 Corinthians 7?
In his response to my article on 12 Corinthians 7 which engages with his book, Andrew Bartlett suggests that I have engaged in strawmen arguments. I was a little surprised at this suggestion Here’s an online definition of what a strawman is. “A straw man argument is a logical fallacy that involves misrepresenting an opponent’s position… Continue reading Did I use strawmen arguments on 1 Corinthians 7?
Learning from mum
It’s two years today since mum went home to be with Jesus. Recently I attended a course where we were asked to talk about the messages that our parents had passed on to us through our upbringing. This might have been things they said but also things thy did and the values they lived when… Continue reading Learning from mum
Pastoring the Grieving – Give them context
I noticed that this Sunday, a few churches made assisted dying and the Christian response their sermon topic. I couldn’t help think that it was a little bit late for this. Yes, the Bill has still got further stages to go but the wheels are already serving motion. More than that though, now is too… Continue reading Pastoring the Grieving – Give them context
Where the lost things go
Jesus tells three parables about lost things in Luke 15. First he describes a sheep lost out in the darkness, away from the rest of the flock. The shepherd leaves 99 behind to go and find the one that is missing. This has famously been portrayed as an act of recklessness. Why doesn’t he settle… Continue reading Where the lost things go
The constitutional mess that the assisted dying bill is creating
This is not my primary reason for opposing Kim Leadbeater”s horrific bill. However, it is worth noting that there are relevant issues to consider in terms of how the bill is being brought forward.. First of all, there are human rights issues. These include that arbitrary distinctions are made between those suffering from terminal illness… Continue reading The constitutional mess that the assisted dying bill is creating
Abortion and assisted dying … The link
One of my concerns yesterday was that the arguments in the House of Commons were about pragmatics. There was no serious attempt to debate the principle of assisted dying. I get the impression that many MPs, even those who disagree with assisted dying in principle have accepted that it is going to come in at… Continue reading Abortion and assisted dying … The link
What the carols mean. Advent Series
A few years back, we ran an Advent sermon series looking at the meaning of different carols at my then church. During the pandemic, I expanded this into a series of talks looking at a range of carols and advent hymns, both traditional and modern. You can listen to the talks here:
Faithroots 