I once worked in a bookshop in a university area, and as a young Christian I learned a lot about respect, mutual tolerance and intellectual difference. The workforce was composed of people from right across the Belfast community, as well as those from outside of Northern Ireland altogether. Every conceivable view on intellectual and moral … Continue reading The death of gracious listening
Simon Armitage Faber & Faber, 2017 74pp., hbk, £14.99 ISBN: 978 0 571 33384 4 Simon Armitage’s latest collection of poems is a sustained reflection on life in today’s Britain. Combining the beauty and banality of modern existence, these lyrical pieces are equally at home in charting the dart of a snipe out of undergrowth, … Continue reading Review: The Unaccompanied by Simon Armitage
It is the Last Supper, but not as we know it, an almost picture perfect assemblage of disciples surround Jesus as he shares a final meal with them. Only two things are awry here - Judas Iscariot is the only one at the table who is non-white, and the loaf of bread has been replaced … Continue reading Christianity Enforced
The votes are counted and the people of the Republic of Ireland have spoken - article 8 of the Irish constitution is to be repealed. Months of campaigning on the part of pro-life and pro-choice sides has culminated in a 66.4% decision to allow women to avail of abortion. The media attention focussed on this … Continue reading From the last outpost for the unborn
‘The Rub of Time’ forms a working miscellany of the non-fiction prose of novelist Martin Amis, dating from 1994 to 2016. Given his proclivity for tightly phrased narrative and dialogue in his fiction, it comes as no surprise that this volume is articulate, intelligent, and ruthless in its observation of the world. The subjects covered … Continue reading Book review: Martin Amis – The Rub of Time
As conservative evangelicals what we are asking for is not all that difficult to understand, nor to grant. Rather than wanting to exert a form of cultural hegemony we wish to exercise spiritual humility in articulating our beliefs, without fear of prejudicial treatment or social ostracisation. We are pleading for true tolerance, where each person … Continue reading Recovering intolerants
Feedback on our preaching can be a humbling and helpful thing. At Bible college students often face the fearful frontline of having their message and manner in the pulpit analysed and constructively criticised. In the assistantships that I have been privileged to be part of in Millisle Baptist I have been sharpened and corrected by … Continue reading Bishop Curry comes to sermon workshop
