Alex Preston writes in The Independent about God’s bankers: How evangelical Christianity is taking a hold of the City of London’s financial institutions.
Mark Vernon writes in The Guardian about Too much heat, not enough light in the creationism war. “The near hysterical way in which intelligent design is treated online only suits those who seek to politicise evolution.”
Marilyn McCord Adams at the Daily Episcopalian: What sort of victory?
Giles Fraser writes in the Church Times: Uneasy? Dr Williams is right to be.
Jonathan Jones writes for The Guardian about The resurrection of religious art. “The trees placed in Westminster Abbey for the royal wedding were typical of how modern artists are transforming churches.”
Pierre Whalon writes for The Huffington Post about Big Media Events and the Churches That Put Them On.
Alan Wilson writes for The Guardian that Outlawing gayness is like ‘straining at a gnat and swallowing a camel’. “Uganda’s bill to ban all forms of homosexuality contravenes basic Christian teaching.”
The ABC may be “uneasy” (whatever that may mean) about the outcome of the Bin Laden operation, but according to this AP article, Muslims in the States are expressing relief, both at his death and in light of the “Arab Spring”. See below.
http://www.timesunion.com/news/article/US-Muslims-express-relief-after-bin-Laden-s-death-1362046.php
Alan Wilson’s column was spot on — after the first paragraph. His column was a strong defense of human rights and looking beyond words to the arching values they represent.. As a Jew, however, I have to object to the first paragraph. I respect that the Gospels are considered Holy Writ by Christians. I admire Jesus of Nazareth as they portray him. But they were orally transmitted and eventually set down by human beings. I believe the CofE, TEC, and other Anglican provinces (but not all?) accept the fact that the Bible was divinely inspired, but that the authors were… Read more »
Re G Fraser: I wonder if there would have been the same hand-wringing had the U.S. taken out Bin Laden’s entire household w/ a drone? [Because those are being fired all the time, and I just haven’t heard the corresponding amount of Tsk-tsk’ing. OCICBW.]
Thank God for Bishop Alan Wilson! His articles are always thought-provoking and often challenging – especially of his fellow bishop and hierarchy of the Church of England. Would there were more of his type – ready to acclaim the universality of the Gospel inclusivity of the love and mercy of God for ALL people – not just the holy and the ‘good’.
The drone flights are regularly reported upon in the UK, see for example,
http://www.channel4.com/news/pakistan-drone-strikes-legal-says-us
and there is criticism of that also.
Alan Wilson rightly accuses those who promote anti-gay criminalization of lacking a clear awareness of the nuances of sexual expression and its origin. In spite of his just cause, Alan’s use of Christ’s lengthy castigation of the Pharisees is faulty. Matthew 23 is Christ’s scathing and almost exasperated response after repeated criticism by the Pharisees of His unwillingness to adopt their traditional externalisms. ‘Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders? They don’t wash their hands before they eat!’ is an ostensibly innocuous question. Its repetition at a later dinner to which they invited Him was gratuitous contempt… Read more »
Pharisees are treated as punch and Judy characters in the gospel. They are useful in christian discourse as exemplified several traits of human behaviour. It is easy to vilify such characters when one stands outside Judaism. Attacks on Jews and Pharisees were no doubt barbs aimed at different factions within the church. That said I don’t think interfaith dialogue is the new testament’s strong suit.