We need social networking, but more of it should be in the real world rather than online, writes Julia Neuberger in the Guardian.
Richard Moth writes in The Times about Serving in Afghanistan with a true spirit of self-giving.
You can read and watch The Archbishop of Canterbury’s New Year Message.
Giles Fraser writes in the Church Times about Covenant fatalism (almost). (TA will have a roundup of reactions to the final Anglican Covenant proposal soon.)
Pat Ashworth wrote in the previous edition of the Church Times about diocesan missioners. See Taking stock and doing something.
In that issue, Peter Thompson wrote that The Noughties live up to their name.
And today Andrew Brown writes in the Guardian about Leicester. See Here, everyone is a minority.
18 CommentsThe Archbishop of Canterbury preached this sermon at Christmas.
The Archbishop of York preached this sermon.
On Christmas Eve, he also spoke out about asylum seekers.
And Ruth Gledhill had a related post, Happy Christmas – and Keep Out!
The Bishop of London wrote for Cif belief about Christmas and climate change.
William Wolf writes in The Times that It is high time that New Year’s Day was reclaimed for faith.
8 CommentsCif belief asked this week, Is the Bible anti-gay?
Responses came from:
Theo Hobson: Ours is not the same homosexuality
Davis Mac-Iyalla: A terrible use of the Good Book
John Richardson: Evasive answers don’t help
Judith Maltby: Not much to do with the Bible
Giles Fraser wrote in the Church Times that Perhaps the politicians really value Christians.
Jonathan Sacks writes in The Times Thank God for the Courage to live with uncertainty.
Nesrine Malik writes in the Guardian about usury.
21 CommentsRowan Williams gave an interview to George Pitcher of the Telegraph. Read about it at Dr Rowan Williams: taking a break from Canterbury travails. An earlier news report is titled Archbishop of Canterbury: ‘Labour treats us like oddballs’.
Richard Chartres and Ali Gomaa wrote at Cif belief about the Swiss minarets decision, see An opportunity to understand.
Richard Reddie writes in the Guardian that We should understand, not fear, the rise in black conversions to Islam.
Graham Kings wrote at Cif belief about Sudan at the crossroads. Also at Fulcrum.
Giles Fraser wrote in the Church Times about Loyalty — or an obligation?
Christopher Howse writes in the Telegraph about Eucharist in the Wesleys’ hymns.
Roderick Strange writes in The Times that To follow Jesus is a cause for rejoicing.
5 CommentsIn the Guardian Jonathan Chaplin writes about why public discourse should not be secularised. See Face to Faith.
In The Times Geoffrey Rowell writes that Church movements will always fall short of perfection.
Earlier in the week, Libby Purves wrote that Faith and power is the fundamentalist’s brew.
Alan Wilson wrote about Church new media futures….
Nick Baines wrote about (not) being a Grumpy bishop.
The Church Times has a useful article, Decided in Denmark: a climate Q and A. And also a Leader: Copenhagen: a tipping point.
And last week, Ann Petifor argued that UK needs more not less government.
Giles Fraser wrote at Cif belief about Choosing for oneself.
4 CommentsGary Anderson writes in The Times that If sin creates a debt, almsgiving creates a heavenly credit.
Stephen Wang writes there also. He argues that Religious education is not brainwashing.
Mark Vernon writes in the Guardian about Galileo’s dependence on John Philoponus. Read Face to Faith.
Andrew Brown wrote at Cif belief Who are the creationists?
Giles Fraser writes in the Church Times that [Parkour is] No way to overcome urban ennui.
Last week, Chris Chivers wrote in the Church Times about multiculturalism. See No model and no checks.
And Richard Parrish wrote about church schools. See Call us what we are: of the Church.
12 CommentsJudith Maltby writes in the Guardian about the Creation Museum.
Madeleine Bunting writes at Cif belief about The rabbi’s moral muddle.
Giles Fraser writes in the Church Times about Checks and balances in the City.
Jonathan Sacks writes in The Times that The lesson of Noah’s Ark is that wolves can lie down with lambs.
Rowan Williams spoke to a TUC conference this week, on the topic Economics is ‘housekeeping’ for humanity. Short version here.
At Ekklesia Walter Altmann writes that Liberation theology is still alive and well.
And the Church Times has a take on the film Twilight. Read Stories with bite.
3 CommentsRoderick Strange writes in The Times ‘In Heaven we shall see each other as we really are’.
Earlier in the week, Libby Purves wrote The key to rubbing along in perfect harmony.
Last week in the Church Times Richard Harries wrote Gangmasters need tighter controls.
Michael Reiss wrote The case of Adam’s navel.
And The Revd Professor Alison Milbank was interviewed by Terence Handley MacMath. (Best line: Fresh Expressions is a brand of cat litter in America.)
Over at Cif belief Mark Dowd wrote All aboard the ARC.
And the speech by Rowan Williams on New Perspectives on Faith and Development, was reproduced at Cif belief under the title Relating intelligently to religion. Here’s the short version:
62 CommentsPresenting a broader agenda for development, which seeks to define human flourishing as more than just material well-being, Dr Williams suggests that all engaged in the process would benefit by rediscovering their own humanity in the humanity of the other. This would lead, he suggests, to a ‘proper distribution of dignity’. Dr Williams acknowledges the challenges to collaboration in the perceptions secular development agencies and faith communities have of each other, but emphasises the overwhelming benefits, indeed the imperative, of both to commit to mutual learning in order to collaborate for the well-being of humanity and the planet.
Giles Fraser writes in this week’s Church Times about Onward faithful eco-warriors.
Last week, Jonathan Bartley had Thoughts on Thought for the Day in the Church Times.
And John Shelby Spong was interviewed in the Church Times by Terence Handley McMath.
Ruth Gledhill wrote in The Times about the lecture given by Jonathan Sacks. See Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks: Islam must separate religion from power. And also Chief Rabbi: fundamentalism heading our way ‘with force of hurricane’. The full text of his lecture is available from the foot of this page, as a .doc file.
The Guardian today has an article about the Religious Experience Research Centre by Roger Tagholm.
In The Times Peter Townley writes about Forty years in the wilderness in East Germany.
5 CommentsJonathan Sacks writes in The Times that religions tell us who we are and what we need to be.
Symon Hill writes at Ekklesia about Free speech and homophobia.
Savi Hensman writes there about Setting all God’s people free.
Riazat Butt has written for the Guardian about Stanbrook Abbey, the new eco-friendly nunnery.
At Cif belief Alan Wilson wrote about Social networking for the dead.
Giles Fraser writes in the Church Times about Exposing the flaws of choice.
Last week, Mark Vernon wrote there about A religion of the head as well as the heart.
23 CommentsGeoffrey Rowell in a Credo column in the Times How Albania was surprised by joy – “There is much to learn from this country where religion was abolished, about martyrdom and faithful witness.”
Theo Hobson writes a Comment is free article in The Guardian God and despair – “Once you confront the reality of despair, the need for faith becomes evident.”
Andrew Brown also writes a Comment is free article in The Guardian St Peter and the miserable worms – “Perhaps the Anglican communion has been broken for very much longer than anyone will admit.”
Vicki Woods in the Telegraph The Queen will stand up to Pope Benedict – “When the Pontiff visits Britain next year he will meet his match.”
6 CommentsNaftali Brawer writes in The Times that There are no easy answers in interfaith dialogue.
Ruth Gledhill writes on Articles of Faith about Gays and flat-earthers: Jack Spong attacks Pope, Archbishop of Canterbury et al.
Gary Wilton wrote in last week’s Church Times that [the Lisbon] Treaty will make the EU more accountable.
John Hall the Dean of Westminster wrote The Abbey has its neighbours round.
Timothy Seidel wrote at Ekklesia Looking at what truly makes for a just peace.
Anna Hartnell wrote at Cif belief about The rise of the religious left.
22 CommentsRoderick Strange writes in The Times about Christ’s startling challenge to the rich young man.
Cif belief had this Question of the Week: How should the church deal with war? with responses from Lucy Winkett, Austen Ivereigh and Rosemary Hartill.
The Archbishop of Canterbury delivered this sermon at a service in St Paul’s Cathedral on Friday 9 October to mark the end of military operations in Iraq.
Giles Fraser writes in the Church Times about Capitalism: accidental generosity?
Christopher Howse writes in the Telegraph on William Gladstone: A prime minister who read books and Never more the sound of bells.
6 CommentsStephen Venner writes in The Times that Servicemen have a right to expect our steadfastness.
Ruth Gledhill interviewed Dr Martin Stephen, High Master of St Paul’s School, who criticised faith schools. The fullest report of this interview is reproduced on her blog, see Towards a Pauline education that is free.
Alastair McIntosh writes in the Guardian that Economic growth and climate change are like a runaway train.
Cif belief had this Question of the Week: What’s the point of Back to Church Sunday? Answers from Alan Wilson, Theo Hobson, Mark Vernon, and Church Mouse.
Alan Wilson also wrote about the new film, in Creation ex (almost) Nihilo.
Andrew Brown wrote about Faith without god.
Giles Fraser wrote in the Church Times that Jews, too, are saved by faith.
15 CommentsIn The Times Jonathan Sacks writes Holy days are an annual check to mission drift.
In the Guardian Naftali Brawer also writes about Yom Kippur.
In the Church Times Giles Fraser tells us What’s right with the neo-cons.
Cif belief this week posed the question Have extremists retaken American Christianity? Answers came from Harriet Baber, Stephen Bates and Sarah Posner.
The CofE’s College of Bishops issued a statement about climate change.
George Pitcher wrote Assisted suicide: The worm has turned.
13 CommentsThe Bishop of Reading Stephen Cottrell got a lot of media coverage this week when he said, in a Church of England press release:
“Even today I meet people who think you have to be highly educated or suited and booted to be a person who goes to church. That’s so frustrating. How did it come to this, that we have become known as just the Marks and Spencer option when in our heart of hearts we know that Jesus would just as likely be in the queue at Asda or Aldi?
See reports in the Guardian, Times, Telegraph, and Mail, not to mention International Supermarket News.
And this on Cif belief.
The Church Times had a leader column about it, see Where would Jesus shop?
Heresiarch wrote a perceptive blog article, More tea, vicar. Not so much rap.
This in turn caused Andrew Brown to write Snobbery with godlessness.
As for Back to Church Sunday, which is what this was originally about, George Pitcher critiques that in Patronising bishops want ‘ordinary people’ back at church.
Paul Bayes’ podcast (mentioned by George) is here.
A Church Near You is here.
30 CommentsCatherine Pepinster wrote in The Times about how the Relics of St Thérèse highlight the flesh and blood nature of Christianity.
Jonathan Romain wrote that Rosh Hashanah opens a season of fruitfulness and reflection.
At the Guardian Musab Bora asked Is it reasonable to describe Eid al-Fitr as the Muslim Christmas?
In the Church Times Giles Fraser asks us to Respect the mystery of risk.
Barry Morgan’s presidential address to the Church in Wales Governing Body concerns the role of the church in the public square. Press release here.
Alan Wilson reported on what the CofE College of Bishops learned this week. See Sleepwalking over a cliff? and also Bishops roles in context.
0 CommentsRoderick Strange writes in The Times that Great achievements call for sacrifices and failures.
Andrew Linzey writes there about Brute creatures and the Passion.
Josh Howle writes about Yom Kippur in the Guardian.
Giles Fraser writes in the Church Times that Evensong calm ends my fidget.
Simon Barrow writes at Ekklesia about A different way of reading the world.
Last month he wrote about Abandoning the religion and politics of exclusion.
Andrew Brown wrote at Cif belief about The origins of religion.
17 CommentsGeoffrey Rowell writes in The Times about The Crucifixion and atrocities of the killing fields.
Christopher Rowland writes in the Guardian about Gerrard Winstanley, a 17th century religious reformer.
Earlier in the week, David Walker wrote on Cif belief about A galaxy away from Deep Thought. This was part of the Question of the Week series, see Why can’t computers think?
Alan Wilson wrote yesterday about an old Islamic folk tale, see Mercy seasons justice?
Giles Fraser wrote in the Church Times: Dump RE and see God as radical. (RE is an abbreviation for Religious Education.)
Last week, in the Church Times Phil Lucas wrote about the Quakers’ support of same-sex marriage. See This is one way to talk about gay partnerships.
9 CommentsThe Guardian has two major interviews.
Bishop Gene Robinson I’m not the gay bishop – I’m just the bishop
Nick Gumbel interview transcript
The paper also carries related articles by the interviewers.
Aida Edemariam Gay US bishop attacks treatment of gay and lesbian clergy by Church of England
Adam Rutherford Nicky Gumbel: messiah or Machiavelli?
Jonathan Sacks writes in the Times Credo column on The good tensions between reason and revelation.
In the Church Times Giles Fraser asks Is salvation a bit like bankruptcy?
In The Guardian Andrew Brown writes about Fundamentalists in the police.
Earlier in the week H E Baber wrote in The Guardian Unverifiable God is still good. She says “We know the logical positivists were wrong. So what’s wrong with a God who makes no difference?”
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