Category: Opinion

Better the devil you know?   What might Putin’s demise mean when it comes?

With regular frequency, you’ll see a newspaper article about how Vladimir Putin is seriously and terminally ill.  Usually this will come accompanied by some speculation regarding his mental health and the possibility that he is acting irrationally in Ukraine, raising the spectre of him going further in his supposed madness and ushering in a nuclear… Continue reading Better the devil you know?   What might Putin’s demise mean when it comes?

The irony of Putin’s threats

Vladimir Putin’s threat to the West seems to be that by cutting off gas supplies and by preventing the export of the Ukrainian harvest, he can impoverish the West. His further threat is that he could launch devastating nuclear attacks that will destroy our environments, leave our water toxic and our air unbreathable. I can’t… Continue reading The irony of Putin’s threats

Should publishers only publish genuinely original books?

My friend and fellow writer/blogger Alistair Chalmers, shared this tweet recently. Now, Alistair as well as being a great writer is a phenomenal reader (the two often go together).  So, he reads and reviews a lot of books, far more than I get through, so I suspect his comments reflect some observations he is seeing… Continue reading Should publishers only publish genuinely original books?

Groundbreaking?

You can’t sell books without some superlative description about how this or that book will literally change lives.  One over used descriptive is that a book is “ground breaking.”  I suggested recently that I’ve not come across a book in the last 20 years that I would truly describe as “ground breaking.”  Is that harsh?… Continue reading Groundbreaking?

What we don’t talk about: The Fall out from that TGC article about sex and salvation

Following “that” article on The Gospel Coalition Website about sex and salvation, the saga continues.  You may remember that at the time I wrote my response, the original article had been pulled and replaced with a longer article from Josh Butler’s book.  Well, if you go to the page now, you’ll instead find a statement… Continue reading What we don’t talk about: The Fall out from that TGC article about sex and salvation

Kate Forbes, the SNP and should politicians keep their religion private?

Kate Forbes has for some time been talked of as a potential successor to Nicola Sturgeon in Scotland.  However, she has a problem, something that might hinder her progress, either barrign her from leadership or losing her the next major election.  What is the skeleton in her closet? Is it a sex-scandal or a dodgy… Continue reading Kate Forbes, the SNP and should politicians keep their religion private?

“I’m saying this in love”

It’s the phrase that I suspect most Christians dread to hear but it’s one that I suspect is most used among believers too.  Tim Wilson recently asked on twitter which particular Christian cliches irritate us the most and the phrase “I’m saying this in love”   and presumably variants on that theme came up. Why does… Continue reading “I’m saying this in love”

Nope, Champing will not save the church

Among the weird and wonderful stories showing up in the so called main stream news this week was this one about champing. “What on earth is that?” I hear you ask.  Well, apparently it’s a new craze, based on the idea of glamping where historic churches (CH amping … get it?)  are opened ip for… Continue reading Nope, Champing will not save the church