Category: ethics

The pastoral dynamite of genuinely mutual submission

I’ve been arguing for some time that when Paul says “submit to one another” in Ephesians 5, that this means mutual submission, husbands and wives are both to submit to each other.  This is controversial in some quarters but actually there is some heavy-weight historical support behind it including from the likes of John Calvin.… Continue reading The pastoral dynamite of genuinely mutual submission

A third perspective on complementarian and egalitarian conversations

In two recent articles I’ve tried to map out the different types of egalitarian and the different types of complementarian.  My aim in those articles has not been to argue for a specific position, not that I don’t have strong views or won’t argue for them but rather that I think it would be helpful… Continue reading A third perspective on complementarian and egalitarian conversations

Theology of risk

One of the questions to arise out of the COVID inquiry is about what our attitude as Christians is to risk and what it should be.  For some, churches were seen to be far too risk averse and this was associated with a perceived over passive compliance with Government regulation and guidance.  For others, the… Continue reading Theology of risk

Did some of us really believe that embodied worship doesn’t matter?

I’ve mentioned a few times, that just as there’s a public inquiry seeking to learn lessons from the COVID pandemic, so too, there would be benefit for something similar for churches to help learn lessons from that time too.  So, I’m pleased that Affinity are going to attempt something, of course this will not be… Continue reading Did some of us really believe that embodied worship doesn’t matter?

Learning the right lessons from COVID -protest and legal cases

Yesterday, I participated in a Symposium organised by Affinity to help churches learn lessons from COVID.  One of the challenges we have with the attempt to learn lessons and one that the Public Inquiry will face too is that even with hindsight, it is possible to focus in on the aspects of experience and expertise… Continue reading Learning the right lessons from COVID -protest and legal cases

COVID-19 -did the church get sucked into idolatry and falsehood?

Today, I’m participating on a panel at the Affinity “Covid-19 and the Church” symposium.  The aim of the symposium is to seek to learn lessons from the pandemic and the UK church response.  Dave Brennan of Brephos wrote this article ahead of the symposium.  As he isn’t able to attend on the day, I thought… Continue reading COVID-19 -did the church get sucked into idolatry and falsehood?

Why the Government’s response to the Supreme Court on Rwanda is deeply flawed but is not a move to totalitarianism

Downing Street recently tweeted the following. The tweet comes in response to the Government losing their Supreme Court case over the Rwanda Asylum plan.  Now, before I go any further, I want to state a couple of things.  However, I’ve also seem some extreme takes in response to the tweet, with a number of people… Continue reading Why the Government’s response to the Supreme Court on Rwanda is deeply flawed but is not a move to totalitarianism

Who is in charge?

In response to my recent article on the different types of complementarianism, one stand out comment came back.  A reader suggested that both complementarians and egalitarians alike have the same problem, they are essentially arguing about “who is in charge?”  The result is that essentially the debate is about status, hierarchy and power.  This goes… Continue reading Who is in charge?

The Complementarian compass

When we think about questions relating to the relationship between husbands and wives in the home and the role of men and women in the church, we tend to think of the debate being primarily between complementarians and egalitarians with a binary choice.  I want to suggest that there are good reasons for not seeing… Continue reading The Complementarian compass