After Easter, Junior Doctors in the NHS went on strike as part of an ongoing dispute concerning pay and working conditions. I appreciate that there will be diverse and passionate views about the strikes among my readers. Those views will reflect personal experience of the NHS, whether or not you personally know junior doctors. My… Continue reading How do we think Christianly about the junior doctors dispute?
Category: ethics
What does 1 Corinthians 7 actually say about marriage to unbelievers?
I’m continuing my little series of articles looking at what 1 Corinthians 7 actually says about sexual ethics. Remember that the starting point has been a question about abstinence. Is it a good thing for men to abstain from sexual relations with women? It is In this context that a question comes up about situations… Continue reading What does 1 Corinthians 7 actually say about marriage to unbelievers?
Out of scope? Do your beliefs affect your views on controversial issues like Strike action?
This last week, Junior Doctors have been on Strike over pay and conditions. This is against a backdrop of significant and increasing industrial unrest not seen in the UK since the 1970s and early 80s. We’ve seen teachers, train drivers, bus drivers postmen and nurses take or consider industrial action. More strikes and other forms… Continue reading Out of scope? Do your beliefs affect your views on controversial issues like Strike action?
What does 1 Corinthians 7 actually say about singleness?
Previously I wrote about what 1 Corinthians 7 has to say about marriage and sexual abstinence. The chapter is a key passage for our understanding of relational and sexual ethics in the light of the Gospel touching on marriage, sex, singleness and divorce. It’s often cited but I’m not sure that it is always fully… Continue reading What does 1 Corinthians 7 actually say about singleness?
Why getting our theology around sex and marriage is important but difficult
A few weeks back, controversy erupted around The Gospel Coalition publishing an extract from Josh Butler’s up and coming book, Beautiful Union. Recently, Preston Sprinkle hosted Josh along with Sandy Richter, an OT scholar and Brenna Blain, an advocate for abuse victims on his podcast to discuss the book and the controversy. You can watch… Continue reading Why getting our theology around sex and marriage is important but difficult
Who were the legalists? 1 Corinthians 7 and ascetism
In response to my little series of articles on 1 Corinthians 7 and sexual ethics, I’ve been asked about why I suggest that the Corinthians may have been attempting to take an ascetic route of self denial and abstention which Paul might have had to correct. Surely, the problem in Corinth was the opposite. The… Continue reading Who were the legalists? 1 Corinthians 7 and ascetism
What does 1 Corinthians 7 actually say about sex, marriage and abstinence?
My social media timeline has been dominated recently by controversies about what Christians believe and the Bible teaches about sex and relationships. In the context of those controversies, 1 Corinthians 7 crops up frequently. The three particular contexts in which it has come up have been: I think that in fact, all three debates are… Continue reading What does 1 Corinthians 7 actually say about sex, marriage and abstinence?
Credible sources and Christian culture
If you read a newspaper story, especially in this day and age of investigative journalism and the pressure to be the first to break a story, you will frequently read about credible or reliable sources. It’s also about protecting anonymity. Increasingly, I’m hearing and reading such language in Christian circles, especially when it comes to… Continue reading Credible sources and Christian culture
A raw conversation about sex and theology
As the fall out continues from Josh Butler’s book, Beautiful Union, and that car crash TGC article, we are, I think beginning to see some helpful reflection and interaction. Issues around marriage, sex and intimacy are I think of importance to those of us who care about pastoring well and so whilst some of us… Continue reading A raw conversation about sex and theology
Guns, rights and exegesis
Sadly, there has been another horrific shooting at a US school. Far too frequently we hear of such terrible and tragic events in the United States and this prompts debate about gun controls. One of the arguments frequently made for not bringing in tighter controls is that Americans have a constitutional right to bear arms. … Continue reading Guns, rights and exegesis
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