Post Post-Christendom…
For the last few decades churches in the Western world have noted, usually with a sense of lament, that we live in a post-Christendom world – in other words, in a world where Christianity has lost its privileged status and is no longer assumed to be true, moral or the default religion of society. We can no longer presume that the major stories of the Bible are known by the majority, and biblical allusions are usually met with blank incomprehension (“what do you mean when you say she’s a Good Samaritan?”) As to the church setting the agenda for society, that is long...
Read MoreIs God unfair?
I was speaking at the Slavic Baptist Church this Sunday, and with the help of an excellent Russian interpreter tackled the ever perplexing question of why good people often suffer, and the question which arises from this, “Is God unfair?” I was interacting with some of the views explored by Philip Yancey in his excellent book Disappointment with God, and the response to the message made me think that what was said would be worth sharing with a wider readership. So with a few minor edits, here is what I said… I have been a pastor for over 30 years now, and in that time I...
Read MoreDebating Dawkins: Confronting the New Atheists…
I recently finished teaching a paper on apologetics at Vose Seminary where I serve as principal. I am currently finishing off marking the assignments that resulted, and while I would be the first to admit that marking is my least favourite part of the job, every now and then a student writes an essay that reverses that, and I am reminded again of why I teach. A few days ago I read Vose student Robert Barthurst’s essay Debating Dawkins. The class had been asked to imagine that they had to debate one of the New Atheists – and could select which one. They then had to imagine the...
Read MoreC S Lewis as apologist…
You are probably aware of the work of C S Lewis. His Narnia series transformed more than a few childhoods, and while exploring Narnia’s imaginary fortunes, Lewis provides a narrative that interprets the main contours of the Christian faith in a way that is both accessible and meaningful. It is a remarkable feat. While Narnia forms its own kind of apologetic for the Christian faith, Lewis was also a systematic defender of Christianity. I’ve recently completed teaching a unit in apologetics at Vose Seminary (where I serve as principal), and here are some of the notes from our study...
Read MoreFuture Writing Projects…
Those of you who know me will realise that I work best to clear goals and deadlines. I like to know where I am going and what’s expected of me. That’s as true of my work as a writer as in any other sphere – so since the completion of my trilogy with Paternoster (The Tortoise Usually Wins (2013); The Big Picture (2015) and When Faith Turns Ugly (2016))I have been thinking about what projects to take on over the next 5 years – and I think I am just about there… I keep coming back to three big areas, and would like to write a book on each. The first is already...
Read More