We live in a pretty unforgiving world. Three years after the event, and thanks to the News of the World, Prince Harry faces the consequences of using an army comrade’s offensive nickname, with video evidence to establish a cast-iron case against him. It would be nice to be sure that no money changed hands in the process of the newspaper acquiring the video…
Jesus’ invitation to those ‘who have never sinned’ to ‘throw the first stone’ (John 8:7, CEV) might be a good principle for journalists. And that idea may well have been in the mind of whoever posed the question in last week’s Economist, ‘Who has a closet without a skeleton?’
Thank God that he didn’t ‘send his Son into the world to condemn the world’ (John 3:17, ESV) – he sent him to save the world. Is that the positive message the world hears from Christians?
When a blade snapped off a huge wind generator in Lincolnshire, the most popular explanation in the newspapers was also the most unlikely – UFO activity. It’s the kind of explanation you go for when you can’t think of anything else. Other possibilities suggested were a little more ordinary, a block of ice falling from an aircraft being popular.
As in Jesus’ time, for many people the miraculous and mysterious is more attractive than the straightforward (see John 4:48). Perhaps God’s grace is demonstrated in his willingness to respond to that desire with the miraculous. What we can’t do is assume that he will always act in that way.
Emlyn Williams
Wednesday, 14 January 2009
Monday, 12 January 2009
iTunes Podcast issues
We are aware of an issue with downloading the podcasts via iTunes. This is being looked at and will be sorted as soon as possible. I'll let you know when all is well.
In the meantime you can access the podcast via a direct RSS feed here
In the meantime you can access the podcast via a direct RSS feed here
Wednesday, 7 January 2009
Religious think tank welcomes launch of atheist buses
Theos, the public theology think tank, has welcomed a new atheist bus campaign, being officially launched in Central London today (Tuesday).
The bendy-buses, with the slogan "There's probably no God", are the idea of the British Humanist Association and have been supported by prominent atheist Professor Richard Dawkins. They are now running on the streets of London.
Commenting on the launch of the buses, Director of Theos, Paul Woolley, said:
"We think that the campaign is a great way to get people thinking about God. The posters will encourage people to consider the most important question we will ever face in our lives.
"The slogan itself is a great discussion starter. Telling someone "there's probably no God" is a bit like telling them that they've probably remembered to lock their front door. It creates the doubt that they might not have done so.
"A new Theos research study, to be published next month, shows that there are as many people finding God in Britain today as losing it, so this campaign is speaking into a very live debate.
"Mike Elms, a Fellow of The Marketing Society and former Chief Executive of ad agencies Ogilvy & Mather and Tempus/CIA, has said that the campaign could play a role in the revival of Christianity.
Mr Elms said "For too long, the British public has been able to dodge the 'God choice' - is there or isn't there? - by scribbling C of E on their hospital admission form. But now atheists are challenging us to make that choice one way or another. The atheist campaign opens the door toward a very public debate on the existence and nature of God."
www.theosthinktank.co.uk
The bendy-buses, with the slogan "There's probably no God", are the idea of the British Humanist Association and have been supported by prominent atheist Professor Richard Dawkins. They are now running on the streets of London.
Commenting on the launch of the buses, Director of Theos, Paul Woolley, said:
"We think that the campaign is a great way to get people thinking about God. The posters will encourage people to consider the most important question we will ever face in our lives.
"The slogan itself is a great discussion starter. Telling someone "there's probably no God" is a bit like telling them that they've probably remembered to lock their front door. It creates the doubt that they might not have done so.
"A new Theos research study, to be published next month, shows that there are as many people finding God in Britain today as losing it, so this campaign is speaking into a very live debate.
"Mike Elms, a Fellow of The Marketing Society and former Chief Executive of ad agencies Ogilvy & Mather and Tempus/CIA, has said that the campaign could play a role in the revival of Christianity.
Mr Elms said "For too long, the British public has been able to dodge the 'God choice' - is there or isn't there? - by scribbling C of E on their hospital admission form. But now atheists are challenging us to make that choice one way or another. The atheist campaign opens the door toward a very public debate on the existence and nature of God."
www.theosthinktank.co.uk
New faces, old problems
The world can breathe a sigh of relief: the new Doctor Who has been revealed. And just in case we’re fearful in the interim, David Tennant, the previous Doctor Who, has recovered from his bad back and can return to playing Hamlet. Sadly, our heroes are fallible.
More significantly, Barack Obama is again feeling the chilly winds of politics, two weeks before his inauguration as US President. Bill Richardson, who had been nominated as Commerce Secretary, has stood down over an investigation into a business deal when he was Governor of New Mexico. Criticising our leaders seems to be much easier than supporting them. And like our screen heroes, they too are fallible.
Perhaps our public figures could learn from the example of John the Baptist, who pointed out his own fallibility before anyone else could draw attention to it (see John 1:27). But what would Jesus have made of the bad economic news that has emerged recently? Some of it is misfortune. Some of it the predictable consequence of greed (and many of us have been part of that). And some of it, such as the Bernard Madoff investment scandal, seems to have been outright fraud compounded by lax regulation.
Yet it’s too easy for Christians to criticise everyone else and forget that the Church is not exempt from financial scandal. What kind of a warning is Jesus’ clearing of the temple?
Emlyn Williams
More significantly, Barack Obama is again feeling the chilly winds of politics, two weeks before his inauguration as US President. Bill Richardson, who had been nominated as Commerce Secretary, has stood down over an investigation into a business deal when he was Governor of New Mexico. Criticising our leaders seems to be much easier than supporting them. And like our screen heroes, they too are fallible.
Perhaps our public figures could learn from the example of John the Baptist, who pointed out his own fallibility before anyone else could draw attention to it (see John 1:27). But what would Jesus have made of the bad economic news that has emerged recently? Some of it is misfortune. Some of it the predictable consequence of greed (and many of us have been part of that). And some of it, such as the Bernard Madoff investment scandal, seems to have been outright fraud compounded by lax regulation.
Yet it’s too easy for Christians to criticise everyone else and forget that the Church is not exempt from financial scandal. What kind of a warning is Jesus’ clearing of the temple?
Emlyn Williams
Monday, 8 December 2008
1 in 3 Britons believe in virgin birth
More than a third of Britons believe that the virgin birth really happened, according to new research published today by Theos, the public theology think tank.
In the poll of over a thousand adults, undertaken for Theos by ComRes, 34% of people agreed that the statement "Jesus was born to a virgin called Mary" was historically accurate. Only 32% considered it fictional. Women are more likely to believe in the virgin birth (39%) than men (29%).
56% of Britons believe that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Surprisingly, the research reveals that people are more likely to believe in the virgin birth than angels. Only 28% believe the Bible's account of angels visiting shepherds to announce the birth of Christ actually happened, compared with 32% who think it is fictional. 37% of people believe that Herod ordered the death of infant boys in an attempt to kill Jesus.
In terms of the significance of Christ's birth, 52% agree or strongly agree that the birth of Jesus is significant to them personally. 72% of people think that the birth of Jesus remains significant culturally.
The research may support recent reports that carol services are growing in popularity. 44% of Britons plan to attend a Christmas church service this year. St Paul's Cathedral is holding identical carol services on the two days before Christmas in order to accommodate the number of people wishing to attend.
57% of people will be celebrating Christmas as a religious festival. Significantly more men (48%, compared with 36% of women) do not celebrate Christmas as a religious festival. Scotland ranks as the most religious nation. 66% of Scots celebrate Christmas as a religious festival.
Commenting on the research, the Director of Theos, Paul Woolley said:
In the poll of over a thousand adults, undertaken for Theos by ComRes, 34% of people agreed that the statement "Jesus was born to a virgin called Mary" was historically accurate. Only 32% considered it fictional. Women are more likely to believe in the virgin birth (39%) than men (29%).
56% of Britons believe that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. Surprisingly, the research reveals that people are more likely to believe in the virgin birth than angels. Only 28% believe the Bible's account of angels visiting shepherds to announce the birth of Christ actually happened, compared with 32% who think it is fictional. 37% of people believe that Herod ordered the death of infant boys in an attempt to kill Jesus.
In terms of the significance of Christ's birth, 52% agree or strongly agree that the birth of Jesus is significant to them personally. 72% of people think that the birth of Jesus remains significant culturally.
The research may support recent reports that carol services are growing in popularity. 44% of Britons plan to attend a Christmas church service this year. St Paul's Cathedral is holding identical carol services on the two days before Christmas in order to accommodate the number of people wishing to attend.
57% of people will be celebrating Christmas as a religious festival. Significantly more men (48%, compared with 36% of women) do not celebrate Christmas as a religious festival. Scotland ranks as the most religious nation. 66% of Scots celebrate Christmas as a religious festival.
Commenting on the research, the Director of Theos, Paul Woolley said:
"The extent of religious belief will no doubt surprise people, but these
findings are consistent with other research we have undertaken.
The number of people who believe the birth of Christ is significant to them
personally is especially striking. In periods of financial uncertainty, when
there is concern about losing jobs or homes, perhaps people are more open to
thinking about life’s ultimate questions."
Despite all of the hype around the recent success of recent books promoting
atheism, it is clear that, for most people, religious belief cannot be explained
away so easily."
To read the full findings of the poll, click here.
Monday, 1 December 2008
Same old, same old
Once again we are witness to a terror attack on the planet. This time a group of young men brought fear and death to Mumbai. The danger for myself is that I become numb to these attacks, that death through them becomes statistical. Just because something is commonplace doesn’t make it something to gloss over.
The economic situation continues to dominate the media too. This week we’ve heard the news that two iconic high street traders in the United Kingdom have gone into administration – Woolworths and MFI. Both are well known names but it seems they may have had their day, and the time has come for them to disappear.
The United Kingdom has been told to expect a cold winter this year. At the same time many will feel the need to cut their fuel costs by turning down the heating. So it is with interest that we see ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ voted the best Christmas Carol.
The news reports seem to be stuck with an endless repetition of atrocities, economic woe and seasonal ‘Dead donkey’ stories (hopefully no pun intended there). There is nothing new. Names and places may be different but the stories are essentially the same.
As we progress through Ecclesiastes this week we can hear similar sentiments echoed millennia earlier. Stuff happens and life goes on. The sentiment that however wise and clever humanity becomes, we still end up in difficult situations, is as true today as it was then.
Both the news reports and Ecclesiastes can be seen as a little depressing. They appear to offer little hope. But dig into both and you will find good news, for there are times both to weep and laugh.
Darren
The economic situation continues to dominate the media too. This week we’ve heard the news that two iconic high street traders in the United Kingdom have gone into administration – Woolworths and MFI. Both are well known names but it seems they may have had their day, and the time has come for them to disappear.
The United Kingdom has been told to expect a cold winter this year. At the same time many will feel the need to cut their fuel costs by turning down the heating. So it is with interest that we see ‘In the Bleak Midwinter’ voted the best Christmas Carol.
The news reports seem to be stuck with an endless repetition of atrocities, economic woe and seasonal ‘Dead donkey’ stories (hopefully no pun intended there). There is nothing new. Names and places may be different but the stories are essentially the same.
As we progress through Ecclesiastes this week we can hear similar sentiments echoed millennia earlier. Stuff happens and life goes on. The sentiment that however wise and clever humanity becomes, we still end up in difficult situations, is as true today as it was then.
Both the news reports and Ecclesiastes can be seen as a little depressing. They appear to offer little hope. But dig into both and you will find good news, for there are times both to weep and laugh.
Darren
Friday, 28 November 2008
First Advent Podcast
WordLive normally gives you a podcast for each weekday. But for a treat, as we enter Advent, we've got something special for you. For the next four weeks, on Saturday and Sunday there will be a specially recorded Advent podcast. You can download this or listen to it at WordLive, but that isn't all.
To go with the audio podcast we have created an enhanced version. This can be found at WordLive but is also available at the WordLive channel on YouTube. And because we love you so much it is also below...
To go with the audio podcast we have created an enhanced version. This can be found at WordLive but is also available at the WordLive channel on YouTube. And because we love you so much it is also below...
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