Advent Reflection: Post-Christian Britain now needs a Christian minority fuelled by the audacious hope of the gospel

The recent revelation that the 2021 census revealed Christians to be a minority for the first time really should not have been met with the flurry of news headlines that it was.

Advent Reflection: grief and the Christmas story

Last Sunday was the third Sunday in Advent, known within the church as Gaudete Sunday (rejoice Sunday).

In the chosen reading from Philippians chapter 4 (4-7), Paul writes, “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near. Do not worry about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

Advent Reflection: saying yes to God

When we read through the Christmas story, what is striking throughout the narrative, pulled together from the gospel accounts of Luke and Matthew, is the constant theme of men and women chosen to play an integral part in the story, saying yes to God, affirming their trust in him.

It’s those who seek to defer gratification, not the cheery November Noel brigade, who really understand this season’s meaning and significance

“Have you put your Christmas decs up yet?” The question shouldn’t be a serious one in the middle of November. Sure, we’re used to shops shoving Christmas in our faces from about the start of September onwards, the commercial rationale for which is well understood. But large numbers of people this year, seem to have decided that Christmas started as soon as Halloween was over, and if you’re one of those who think Christmas decorations are the preserve of December, you’re a misery.

The lesson of this Covid Christmas farce is that sometimes rules have to write themselves

Who needs a pantomime this year! The public brouhaha over Covid Christmas rules; the ‘will they, won’t they’ and the constant cries of “they’re cancelling Christmas” have provided  quite enough theatrics for anyone.

Covid hysteria has sentenced us to psychological ruin – we must break free of its chains!

     

“Since we marched obediently into captivity last spring, we have turned servile. Look at us now, arguing about whether we should be in one tier of absurd limits on our lives, or another.”

My challenge to Christians this year is this: have a holy and thoroughly worldly Christmas

A post in one of the Christian Facebook groups I belong to really got my back up this week. It read thus: “Jesus gave us Good Friday. The world gives us Black Friday. Take your pick!” That quote could easily be substituted with these words: “The Bible gives us the Christ child. The world gives us Santa. Take your pick!”

Cinema ban on Lord's Prayer advert is deeply offensive – here's why

I’m just trying to imagine what it might say and who might indeed have written the letter of complaint that the Digital Cinema Media agency expected to receive when it decided to ban in all major cinema groups the screening of a 60-second advert from the Church of England, showing groups of people in different circumstances, praying the Lord’s Prayer – a prayer that believers and non-believers alike will, undoubtedly, know so well from their school days.