Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

“The blood of the martyrs is the seed of the Church.”   The early Church Father Tertullian wrote that in the second century, but he could have been writing about Vietnam from 1745 onwards.  For, during the first 200 years of Christianity in Vietnam/Indo-China, a staggering 100,000 Christians are believed to have been martyred for their...

Did you know that the Netherlands first learned Christianity from a Yorkshireman?  Willibrord (658 – 739) was born to devout parents, and joined the Benedictines.  In 678 he went Ireland to study at the Abbey of Rathmelsigi (a centre of European learning in the 7th century).  12 years later, in 690, Willibrord felt God had...

No proof-of-jab needed to go to church International Day of Prayer for the Persecuted One million downloads for Daily Prayer podcast Nationwide digital churchyard mapping project underway Mummy, what’s church? Will you help train leaders for the Chinese church? Eritrea re-arrests another 15 Christians Sharia, apostasy and the Taliban One million legacies left by kind-hearted...

Has your boss ever tried to get you to do something that is against your Christian faith?  If so, here are some saints for you.   They chose to make a Christian ‘stand’ at work, even though it really irritated their boss. Claudius, Nicostratus, Simpronian and Castorius were simple stonemasons in early 4th century Rome.  They...

All in the month of NOVEMBER Love your trees:  27th November – 5th December 100 years of red poppies War memorials In memory of a great Russian novelist Doctor Livingstone, I presume? Our affection for Premium Bonds The beloved Stone of Scone ** Editor:  We continue our column that looks at memorable dates in the...

How do you think of Jesus? As the Lord of lords in glory? Or as a human baby soon to be born in Bethlehem? November brings the glorious climax of the church year with the Sunday of Christ the King at the end of November – only to begin a new ‘year’ a week later,...

It was: 200 years ago, on 11th Nov 1821 that Fyodor Dostoevsky, the Russian novelist, short story writer and journalist was born. Best known for his novel Crime and Punishment. 150 years ago, on 10th Nov 1871 that Welsh journalist and explorer Henry Morton Stanley located the missing missionary and explorer Dr David Livingstone near...

Does this sound familiar?  An Archbishop of Canterbury tries to bring unity and calm to a Church split down the middle over seemingly irreconcilable differences, and all the while to promote the Gospel to the wider non-Christian society, in the face of widespread ignorance and even hostility towards Christianity. This isn’t Justin Welby, though. It...

Does this sound familiar?  An Archbishop of Canterbury tries to bring unity and calm to a Church split down the middle over seemingly irreconcilable differences, and all the while to promote the Gospel to the wider non-Christian society, in the face of widespread ignorance and even hostility towards Christianity. This isn’t Justin Welby, though. It...

Good to slow down in rain Dogs and people Is it hard to park your car in the garage?  Contactless payment limit goes up Do you prefer using cash? Good news for coffee lovers Are any of your friends ‘flakes’? Determined to help Boys unhappy about their looks What is outside your front door?  Why...

Bishops join leaders of major faiths to demand climate action at COP26 A fair way to Christmas Afghanistan crisis: advice for parishes on helping refugees Recommendations made for Church of England Governance Reform  Dioceses invited to bid for funding to explore new approaches to mission Vital support service anniversary Church Commissioners, C of E Pensions...

Caring for Creation From the Vicar Lest We Forget Remembrance When someone you loved is dead How to tell your life story – and how to make changes to it Reflected Faith Series: The Bread We Share Should a Christian go to war? Waiting for the Future ** Editor:  Canon Paul Hardingham considers the COP26...