Posts

The current Evangelical scepticism about science and modelling could do long term harm

There is a narrative that is gaining traction at the moment which runs along the lines that we are resisting an authoritarian agenda led by “The Science” and fed by dodgy models.  From this perspective, attempts to model and forecast should be ignored as worthless trash whilst our efforts to control and defeat a pandemic… Continue reading The current Evangelical scepticism about science and modelling could do long term harm

The election that affects us all

Often it is those most affected by a decision who get the least say in it. Think about the London Mayoral election. The Mayor has been able to impose a congestion charge and also has powers over how the London Underground functions but who is most affected by those decisions? Well arguably it is the… Continue reading The election that affects us all

Is our approach to COVID-19 really that novel?

One of the claims that is doing the round at the moment is that not only is COVID-19 itself novel but that the approaches we have been taking to combat the virus are new. The argument is that suddenly we are using things like masks, social distancing and lockdowns to attempt to control a virus… Continue reading Is our approach to COVID-19 really that novel?

We’re all in this together

I love the story of Ruth in the Old Testament. Not so long back we spent a few weeks working through it together as a Home Group. The story is of a family who leave Bethlehem during a famine for Moab. It’s a story about economic migrants. They settle in Moab and the sons marry… Continue reading We’re all in this together

John Piper is right -the US Presidential Election is about character and pride first

John Piper has been raising eyebrows this week. In an article, he argued that pride in a presidential candidate is as dangerous and likely to cause death as having a president with a liberal attitude to abortion laws. The surprising thing is that this in effect puts him at odds with his generation and his… Continue reading John Piper is right -the US Presidential Election is about character and pride first

Child Food Poverty – when will we stop to ask what the actual problem is?

There is a point in a crisis where people are rushing around trying to act to deal with it and not thinking that they have time to stop, observe and think.  They argue that this is because they think it is so serious. Ironically, all of their efforts to act suggest that they have not… Continue reading Child Food Poverty – when will we stop to ask what the actual problem is?

Inviting the wolves round for tea

The first Steve Chalke controversy seems such a long time ago now (there have been so many since). Chalke now complains that Evangelicals kicked him out of their alliance because he welcomed LGBTQ people into his church. That is a bit of a misrepresentation of the situation.  The issue was never about welcoming LGBTQ people… Continue reading Inviting the wolves round for tea

Pastoral Apologetics

Pastoral Apologetics My approach to apologetics is founded in the assumption that most people are not asking the types of questions that philosophers are asking. They are not trying to work out if there are proofs that there is a God. We have been conditioned into thinking that this is a reasonable question to ask… Continue reading Pastoral Apologetics

Whose questions are we answering?

“Jesus is the answer” was a popular Christian poster back in the late 20th century.  “But what was the question?” was an equally popular graffiti response. Now as it happens, I believe firmly that Jesus is indeed the answer to the questions people have and to the root problem behind every problem this world faces.… Continue reading Whose questions are we answering?