I’ve read a lot of commentary over the past week concerning the Henry Nowak case. Much of it involves reaction to what people assume to be the problem. However any response and analysis needs to engage with the actual facts available to us. I thought it might be helpful to try and set that out,… Continue reading The murder of Henry Nowak
Category: ethics
On double standards
Over the past few days, I’ve heard a number of complaints about hypocrisy and double standards in response to Henry Nowak. Some of them are, I think, unfair. No, prominent people have not “taken the knee” as they did in response to the George Floyd murder. However, that was a very specific symbolic response and… Continue reading On double standards
On blunted blades
My friend, Steve Kneale writes here, about being careful what we ask for. In the light of Henry Nowak’s murder there has been a big focus on the religious right of Sikhs to carry the Kirpan in public. He offers the scenario of someone using a Bible as a weapon and harming someone, leading to… Continue reading On blunted blades
Ethno-cultural nationalism
I’ve seen it suggested that the kind of nationalism we are seeing promoted whether by agitators like Tommy Robinson or Christian Nationalists is not of the narrow, hostile ethno-nationalism kind that we associate with the Far Right and racism. The implication is that this civic or cultural nationalism is of a more benign kind. My… Continue reading Ethno-cultural nationalism
Did Kemi Badernoch really say that she did not care about white lives?
As Henry Nowak lay dying, his murderer and relatives concocted a deceit. They hid the murder weapon and they phoned the police claiming that Vikrum Nigwa was the victim of racially aggravated assault and battery. The lies compounded this heinous crime. One thing we owe to the memory of Henry Nowak is a commitment to… Continue reading Did Kemi Badernoch really say that she did not care about white lives?
Honouring or dishonouring Henry Nowak’s memory
My reflection on the political reaction to Vikrum Digwa’s conviction for the murder of Henry Nowak can be summed up as : There have now been four wrongs in relation to the horrific murder of Henry Nowak. 1. The murder itself 2. The deceit by the murderer aided by family to attempt to cover up.… Continue reading Honouring or dishonouring Henry Nowak’s memory
How should we respond to those shouting for an uprising?
Recently the Unite the Kingdom movement led by Tommy Robinson had another rally in central London. It was interesting to see some of the responses and reporting from across the pond in the US, especially from the Christian right. There seemed to be a theme of cheering on an uprising against the establishment, a fledgling… Continue reading How should we respond to those shouting for an uprising?
Is servant leadership a sin? Responding to Doug Wilson
Doug Wilson writes on Blog and Mablog about what he perceives to be “the sin of servant leadership“. His argument is that the problem is not with the word “servant” but with “leadership”. We would be deeply uncomfortable with the term servant lordship”. So our problem is not with service but with authority. He argues… Continue reading Is servant leadership a sin? Responding to Doug Wilson
Ungovernable? (Part 2).
I recently responded to Rhys Laverty’s article in Evangelicals Now which suggested that perhaps the UK was becoming ungovernable. This kind of narrative is becoming more common place. Indeed the more excitable among our Christian Nationalist friends have been talking up the prospect of civil war. I have two main concerns with the narrative. First,… Continue reading Ungovernable? (Part 2).
Preacher or protestor?
A note on recent news about a pastor/preacher’s conviction for preaching the Gospel in an abortion buffer zone. We need to be clear about a couple of things. 1. The conviction isn’t about freedom to preach the Gospel. It’s about actions within a buffer zone perceived as intended to intimidate those going to a clinic… Continue reading Preacher or protestor?
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