Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

It was: 750 years ago, on 11th July 1272 that Robert I (Robert the Bruce) was born. He was King of Scotland 1306-29. 125 years ago, on 1st July 1899 that the Gideons International was founded. The evangelical Christian association places free Bibles in hotel rooms, hospitals, schools, military bases and prisons around the world....

This month sees the start of the Olympic Games in Paris. In describing the Christian life as a marathon race, the writer of Hebrews (12:1-2) challenges us to finish well. ‘throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles’ (1) As in a normal race, we have to get rid of any...

The legend goes that St Christopher was a Canaanite who lived in the 3rd century.  He was a giant of a man, of fearsome appearance.  At first he decided to serve the devil, but when he discovered that the devil was afraid of Christ and His Cross, Christopher decided to serve Christ instead.  A nearby...

1 & 2 Samuel was originally a single work, which focuses on Samuel, Saul and David, around 1,000 BC, mid-way between Abraham and Jesus. It was Samuel who established the monarchy in Israel after the period of the judges. He was commanded by God to give the people a king, although their request is seen...

Jesus, fresh from His baptism and fired with His new calling, bursts into Galilee. Coming upon four fishermen working on the shore of the lake, He says to them, ‘Follow me’. Without further ado or even a second thought, they abandon what they’re doing (and in the case of two of them, James and John,...

Thirty years ago, on 15th July 1994, the Rwandan genocide ended. Up to 1.1 million people were killed by the Hutu-led government and other militias between April and July. Rwanda is a small central African country in the Great Rift Valley, dwarfed by the Democratic Republic of Congo to its west and close to the...

 One thing is certain – Mary the mother of Jesus must have had parents. Beyond that, nothing is certain – but church tradition offers some details. The first mention of Anne and Joachim as being Mary’s parents was found in the apocryphal Gospel of James (second century) which has no historical validity. James says that...

Here are words and phrases we use at this time and explanations on how they started. Parliament – This comes from French meaning a conference or assembly. Dates from around 1300. Vote – Comes from Latin votum “a vow, wish, promise to a god, solemn pledge, dedication.” Poll – Again from about 1300, originally meaning...

When you look carefully at churches in towns, you may notice there are many similarities in their designs. That’s because Parliament in 1818 and later in 1824 brought about an Act to enable new churches to be built particularly in towns where the population had grown exponentially due to the industrial revolution and general movement...

Skin cancer cases are expected to top 20,000 for the first time this year, according to a recent study by Cancer Research UK. While the increase in skin cancers has occurred across all the ages, it is highest in the elderly, who enjoyed cheap package holidays to sunny countries during the 60s and 70s.  They...

Forty years ago, on 9th July 1984, York Minster was struck by lightning, which set fire to the roof and destroyed the south transept. It was the most recent of five fires that have occurred there over the years: the causes have ranged from workmen burning coals (1753) through arson using torn-up hymnbooks (1829) to...

Stornoway’s Shed Project has celebrated a decade of making a difference to its island community. In those 10 years, the Shed has expanded the services it offers to people of all ages on the Isle of Lewis. These include drop-in facilities for local youngsters, a safe space for adults recovering from drug or alcohol addiction,...