Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

Quite frankly, this hermit was about as weird as they come. But he loved God, and God blessed him, strange though he was. So perhaps Simeon Stylites (390 – 459) should be the patron saint of all REALLY eccentric people. Simeon was the son of a shepherd on the Syrian border of Cilicia. He joined...

Church leaders in Ukraine have expressed their doubts about any meaningful peace talks with Russia, after a fresh wave of missile strikes in recent weeks. The primate of Ukraine’s independent Orthodox Church, Metropolitan Epiphany (Dumenko) said: “Our continuing struggle will certainly be crowned with success with God’s help – we are fighting for our homeland’s...

Christianity is facing an ‘existential threat’ in parts of the Middle East, as many communities have dwindled to mere shadows of their former selves. A recent study of Christian persecution by the RC charity Aid to the Church In Need has found that nearly 75 years on from the creation of the state of Israel,...

On 6th January we celebrate Epiphany – the visit of the Wise Men to the baby Jesus. But who were these Wise Men? No one knows for sure. Matthew calls them ‘Magi’, and that was the name of an ancient caste of a priestly kind from Persia. It wasn’t until the third century that they...

  The Lion First Bible, 2nd edition Talking to Children about Mental Health Everything a Child Should Know About God The Message of the Second Coming Christian Essentials – 9 characteristics of every follower of Jesus Hope in the Face of Suffering – 20 devotions for Tough Times New Celtic Monasticism for Everyday People ** The...

More than four million people in the UK are now being forced to borrow money to cover the cost of essentials, such as heating and food. Christians Against Poverty (CAP) say that a poll carried out for them by YouGov has found that nearly one fifth of adults in the UK, or about ten million...

Magi from the East – it isn’t a lot to go on. The Magi had originally been a religious caste among the Persians. Their devotion to astrology, divination and the interpretation of dreams led to an extension in the meaning of the word, and by the first century the Magi in Matthew’s gospel could have...

Ever wonder how many people in the UK have any kind of contact with their local church? According to a recent poll, it’s as much as half the population. Types of contact range from attending some sort of worship, or community services, such as parent-and-toddler groups and foodbanks. The most common reason for people to...

The story of the coming of the Magi grew in the telling. By the 6th century they had acquired names: Caspar, Melchior, and Balthasar. By medieval times they were considered to be kings. Whoever they were, we do know from Matthew that they brought three gifts to Jesus. What about their gifts of gold, frankincense...

Many saints have fed the poor, but not many were interested in actual food production.  Nathalan (died c.678) was, so perhaps he might be the patron saint of anyone who produces food – and gives most of it away to those in need. Scotland in the 7th century must have been a hungry place, especially...

Courage, vision and leadership are found in the most unlikely of places. Mary Slessor was born in December 1848 into a wretchedly poor family. Her father was an alcoholic who lost his job as a shoemaker. Mary was the second of seven children, and in 1859 they moved from Aberdeen into the fetid slums of...

Churches should improve the way their buildings are used by their community. And the survival of many local churches may actually depend on it. So says a new report recently published the Cambridge Judge Business School, part of the University of Cambridge.  Reimagining Churches as Community Assets for the Common Good (REACH Ely) found that...