Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

Some 75 years ago, on 25th December 1950, the Stone of Scone, the coronation stone of British monarchs, was taken from Westminster Abbey in London by four Scottish students as a home rule gesture. They transported it to Scotland but broke it accidentally. It was later left by them in the ruined Arbroath Abbey, repaired...

Church of England academics and policy advisers have renewed their calls for a national conversation on the impact of artificial intelligence on the world of work, warning that rapid technological change raises profound questions. In February 2024, General Synod passed a motion recognising the scale of the challenge posed by AI and the Fourth Industrial...

Church of England celebrates ‘The Joy of Christmas’ in 2025 Crisis in Gaza Sudan Crisis Appeal – CAFOD Ukraine Crisis Appeals Help a family in poverty this year Church Mission Society announces backing for Global Campaign on Children’s Care Reform Why is the vicar wearing white today? Children’s Society to exhibit at Chelsea Flower Show...

On the whole British people are happy with the title ‘Father Christmas’, a suitably neutral name for the central character in children’s Christmases, writes David Winter. In America, however, and by a process of cultural indoctrination increasingly in other English-speaking countries, the same red-coated and bearded fellow with his sack of presents is known as...

Why is the news so full of depressing stories? Why can’t they report some good news for a change? Indeed, our world is always full of troubles, and we may wonder if better times will ever come. Similar comments might have been directed at many of the Old Testament prophets who nearly always said negative...

In recent years a new trend for choosing presents has emerged on blogs and social media platforms. It advises that we should give others only a limited number of gifts, and then, only in specific categories. So, the emphasis has shifted to quality rather than quantity, and to be giving something the person actually wants,...

Matthew 1:18            Joseph’s dilemma This is how the birth of Jesus the Messiah came about. His mother Mary was pledged to be married to Joseph, but before they came together, she was found to be pregnant through the Holy Spirit….” It is not clear at what point Mary told Joseph the news of her pregnancy,...

It was 65 years ago, on 9th December 1960, that the first episode of the TV soap Coronation Street was broadcast on ITV. The programme, then as now, centred on a terraced street in the fictional town of Weatherfield, in Greater Manchester. It was based on Salford, the hometown of the series’ creator, Tony Warren...

The House of Bishops has recently made a series of key decisions on the future direction of the Church of England’s Living in Love and Faith process, which explores questions of relationships, sexuality and marriage. Final decisions will be taken in December. At its residential meeting, the House reviewed detailed theological and legal advice on outstanding...

This year 2025 the C of E’s official Advent and Christmas theme is ‘Joy’ or ‘The Joy of Christmas’. The aim is helping people remember that the true joy of Christmas is the good news of Jesus’ birth. The initiative also aims to encourage churches to welcome visitors and to share their faith during this...

In the last of our series on the Nicene Creed, we want to ask about its significance today. The original Creed dates from 325 AD, but was expanded at the Council of Constantinople in 381. Over the last months we have seen how the Creed provides a ‘big picture’ of who God is and challenges...

There are several colours that we traditionally associate with Christmas. They are green, red, and gold, and to a lesser extent, white and blue. Green: Evergreen plants like holly, ivy and mistletoe were used for thousands of years to decorate buildings during the long dark winters. The Romans exchanged evergreen branches in January to wish...