Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

In the first of a series of articles, Kenneth Harrod, Head of Theology and Media at Release International, the voice of persecuted Christians, reminds us of the realities of persecution today. We’ve all read the biblical story of Stephen, the first martyr in the New Testament. We’ve probably heard that Christians in the early centuries...

** With Trinity Sunday in mind: If asked to define the Trinity, we can only say that it is not this or that. – Augustine No wonder that the doctrine of the Trinity is inexplicable, seeing that the nature of God is incomprehensible.  Our faith must assent to what our reason cannot comprehend, otherwise we...

Parish revitalisations, work with children, young people and families and training for mission in rural areas are among a range of programmes to spread the Christian faith backed by the latest round of grants awarded by the Church of England. The Dioceses of Carlisle, Chelmsford, Rochester, Sheffield, St Edmundsbury and Ipswich and Winchester are to...

Five hundred years ago, on 13th June 1525, German Protestant Reformer Martin Luther married Katharina von Bora, a nun whom he had helped to escape from a convent. Little is normally written about this phase of his life, but a great deal about him as a theologian and world-changing reformer in the Christian world, which...

Bangor’s historic Bible Gardens are undergoing a significant transformation as part of the city’s 1500th anniversary celebrations, with preparatory work already underway. Located next to Saint Deiniol’s Cathedral, the Bible Garden is being reimagined in collaboration with Bangor City Council and the Cathedral. Originally established in 1961 by Dr. Tatham Whitehead, then Professor of Botany at...

After North Korea, Somalia, and Yemen, where in the world is it most dangerous to be a Christian? The World Watch List puts Libya in fourth place. Libya has a population of nearly 7.5 million people. Of those, 35,500 are Christians (0.5%).  The official religion of Libya is Islam, and its government is currently in...

Preparing the way for the Messiah John the Baptist is famous for baptising Jesus, and for losing his head to a woman. He was born to Zechariah, a Temple priest, and Elizabeth, who was a cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus. John was born when his mother was advanced in years, and after the...

Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked,...

On the one hand, bananas offer good things. They count as one of your five a day, carry only about 90 calories, and are packed with the essential mineral potassium (good in lowering blood pressure.) But they are not perfect… So, here are some pros and cons of bananas: Pro:  High in potassium, good for...

Psalm 51:2; ‘Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.’  Psalm 51 is the most personal, the most passionate and the most profound prayer for forgiveness found anywhere in the Bible. Without any introduction, explanation or excuse, the Psalmist cries out, ‘Have mercy on me, O God.’ Jewish and Christian scholars...

What is your favourite British car?  Think of the Land Rover, Aston Martin, McLaren, Bentley and Rolls Royce. Then think of the Mini. That is what a group of judges for the Auto Express did recently, and they chose the Mini. Their verdict?  “Put simply, we reckon no other British- built vehicle better represents the...

When many of us think of a ‘Maximus’, we remember the popular film Gladiator and Russell Crowe starring as a Roman general who ends up as a slave successfully defying the Emperor. But Maximus of Turin, the first Bishop of Turin, also led a tumultuous life in fighting evil. He had seen violence and suffering...