Of all of Jesus’s stories, none is more familiar than the much-loved story of the Prodigal Son. But perhaps because it’s so well-known, we miss so much. I think we need to try to open ourselves up to hearing this story in a new way, to strain to hear it as those for whom it was first told may have heard it, however difficult that might be and however huge the cultural and historic gulf between us and Jesus’s first audience. Because here lies Jesus’s own story about his Father’s true nature. (Click on the title to read more)
How should we treat ‘immoral’ people?
It’s distressingly common to hear Christians denouncing others (including fellow Christians) for their lack of morality and demanding that those they see as not following ‘biblical teaching’ must ‘repent’ before they can be fully accepted into ‘God’s church’. But is this teaching itself biblical, or a uniquely human distortion? (Click on the title to read more)
Did Jesus denounce wealth?
The view that a great many people seem to take about the parable of the rich man and Lazarus is, I think, along these lines: “If you’re fortunate enough to be wealthy in this world, God will turn the tables after your death and you’ll be sent to hell for eternity. Conversely, if you suffer a life of destitution, illness and misery on earth, God will compensate you after your death and you’ll spend eternity in heaven”.
If this depiction of the parable were true, then it would explain why so few of our fellow citizens feel that Christianity has much to offer them. But I think a closer look at the parable reveals that Jesus’s real meaning may have been lost. (Click on the title to read more...)
Judas Iscariot and Good Friday
I’ve always been unsettled by the stories about Judas, and what follows was written in an attempt to explain why. Good Friday is an uncomfortable day, as it’s the one day when we’re asked to be introspective as we look up at the cross. We’re challenged not only to see Jesus hanging there, but we must be brave enough to see on the cross all those whom any of us have, at any time, rejected, excluded, bruised, damaged. (Click on the title to read more...)
Notre Dame and the Theology of Sacred Buildings
Most of those reading this will know that I spent a number of years as Director of the Historic Churches Preservation Trust (which has since changed its name to the ‘National Churches Trust’). In that role, I was responsible for making the case for protecting and caring for our sacred buildings here in the UK. The dreadful events of the last few hours in Paris challenge us to consider our relationship with such buildings in the modern secular world. (Click on the title to read more…)
Is doubt good or bad?
I’ve decided that an article about ‘doubt’ and ‘certainty’ is a good place to start this blogsite, because so many other things flow from how we address this one issue. There are many churches that view doubt as being negative and who deliberately set out to teach certainty. But is this a sensible policy? (Click on the title to read more...)
Reflective Preacher 