Cracking under the Strain
Back in September, I was involved in a small discussion in Bristol of Anglican leaders who are feeling pretty disillusioned. There were many reasons for this sense of bleakness, but my task was to try and figure out what some of the factors might be. So here are my thoughts, such as they are. It’s […]
Best Reads of 2022
A brief rundown of my favourite books from 2022: essentially those I awarded 5* on my Goodreads page. Fiction (no particular order) I’ve always loved Chaim Potok’s (1928-2006) My Name is Asher Lev, so had been keen to read more. The Chosen is a brilliantly observed and poignant account of two boys growing up in opposing […]
Q Marks the Spot 170 (Treasure Map December 2022)
Sacred Treasure Billy Graham, the evangelist who united America, and the son who doesn’t. Some responses to the recent UK Census figures (those professing to be Christian now below 50% for the first time): From Ian Paul From John Stevens It’s not directly engaging with it, but Tim Keller is helpful here on speaking in […]
Q Marks the Spot 169 (November 2022 Treasure Map)
Sacred Treasure TGC has made a new, full Bible commentary available online for FREE. When you live in a country that makes religion dangerous… life in Nigeria today (BBC) Chris Watkin did a great job on John Dickson’s podcast recently, explaining basic concepts from his new book on Critical theory. Here’s the Zondervan page about the […]
Q Marks the Spot 168 (October 2022 Treasure Map)
QEII Treasure There has obviously been gallons of ink spilled in recent weeks about the death of the Queen. Here are some of the more notable or insightful pieces. Otto English: The Short Unhappy Life of Elizabeth Windsor Terry Mattingley: Elizabeth the Great – Why do many journalists choose to edit faith out of her […]
Q Marks the Spot 167 (September 2022 Treasure Map)
Sacred Treasure Ian Paul has reposted a very helpful piece on what we do when we think the bible is wrong (in response to this much scorned but memed quote doing the rounds). Jonathan Chaplin argues for the disestablishment of the Church of England (interviewed here by @Psephizo) Amazing how an English cathedral fudge the […]
Q Marks the Spot 166 (August 2022 Treasure Map)
Sacred Treasure Change is in the air (in biblical studies): consensus on the dating of the NT is shifting The Jubilee Centre has produced a fascinating new report on the impact of believers in British enterprise. Nay Dawson has been gathering testimonies of casualties of some darker aspects of church culture. It is sobering indeed. […]
Q Marks the Spot 165 (July 2022 Treasure Map)
Sacred Treasure Glen Scrivener has some trenchant and insightful thoughts about UK church culture here. Too much is uncomfortably accurate. but he gets some helpful pushback from Nate Morgan-Locke here in this online chat. I’d not appreciated how much religious faith informs Paula Rego’s art before this article Topical Treasure Some more historical photographs: brought […]
Q Marks the Spot 164 (June 2022 Treasure Map)
Sacred Treasure Ian Paul with another gem – HOW NOT TO BE ANTI-SEMITIC – 12 incredibly helpful points to weigh and consider. And while we’re there, he includes a powerful piece by “Andrew MacFarlane” on the problems with the CofE’s Living in Love and Faith business. There’s rarely nuance and balance when assessing the legacy […]
“A Wild Whisper of Something Originally Wise”
Roughly a third way through Orthodoxy, the idiosyncratic but great G K Chesterton describes some of the factors in his coming to faith. And then followed an experience impossible to describe. It was as if I had been blundering about since my birth with two huge and unmanageable machines, of different shapes and without apparent connection […]
Q Marks the Spot 163 (May 2022)
Sacred Treasure When Christianity and Nationalism mix… no I’m not talking about Trump… but Patriarch Kiril – this is terrifying. The wake-up calls that helped members leave cults. Ian Paul has been busy and has had a number of important posts recently Dear Richard Coles, W(h)ither the Church of England? Was the wrath of God […]
Q Marks the Spot 162 (April 2022 Treasure Map)
Sacred Treasure Trying to understand Putin’s religious faith – Theos’ Ben Ryan gives a helpful intro And then Cranmer on praying for Putin’s Downfall When New York City went to pray… on D-Day 1944 Chine Macdonald asks for an effort to say unfamiliar names (HT Simple Pastor) Some suggestions for why women tend to be more religious than men (HT Simple […]
