Monthly Archives: November 2010

On being a happy nation.

The UK’s coalition government announced last week that the success of the nation will no longer be measured by its wealth generating power but by how happy we all are as a population. It’s a fairly obvious political move to … Continue reading

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From the vicarage Dec 2010

Dear Brothers and sisters Advent is here again. The rush is on to make preparations for the season of goodwill. There are presents to buy, rooms to decorate, menus to plan, food to prepare, parties to arrange and friends to … Continue reading

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When being gay is no choice.

I wrote last week about the lack of choice facing pregnant women after a one night stand. An abortion leads to guilt, shame and ruined relationships and having a baby leads to guilt, shame and ruined relationships. Abortion is the … Continue reading

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What is matter?

If you are a physicist then perhaps you can help this preacher, ex-engineer, get to grips with what matter is? In my Scottish O-Grade chemistry I remember our teacher, Mr Armstrong, drawing endless atomic structure diagrams on the blackboard.  They … Continue reading

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What motivates your personal devotion (quiet time)?

My ministry trainee has been asked by the DDO (Diocesan Director of Ordinands) to spend some time using the Anglican daily office in preparation for selection conference. He has also been asked to interview me about my devotional life. In … Continue reading

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An abortion story of guilt and failed relationships.

The Daily Mail ran an article on Tuesday by Frances Hardy about one night stands and abortion.  The article contained an interview with a young “middle class” girl who found she was pregnant after a one night stand with a … Continue reading

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Tracking of ethnic groups in school. Why?

This is a question to teachers or anyone in education.  Primary schools are doing great work, as I see it, tracking individual pupil progress and making sure that they do not plateau.  I’ve discovered, however, that there is a government … Continue reading

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Is American Christianity Christless?

I can’t seem to escape the works of John M. Frame at the moment (not that I would want to).  As well as reading “The Doctrine of God” I’ve come across two papers by him in Ecclesia Reformanda (The journal … Continue reading

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God as author and director of history and the bible…

A couple of weeks back, I blogged on John Frame’s analogy of God as the author of the great play which is world and biblical history.  In this play there are billions of characters who interact with each other over … Continue reading

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Scott Atran on changing the heroes of Islamic terrorists

At 6:52am this morning, American anthropologist, Scott Atran, was interviewed on BBC Radio 4′s Today programme about what shapes and forms Islamic suicide bombers. What he said fascinated me. In his work with jihadist terrorists all over the world he … Continue reading

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