A recent conversation has got me thinking- does it make sense to speak of "Christian music" without words being sung? My starting point in thinking about this is Colossians 3:16 "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from … Continue reading Is there such a thing as “Christian music” if there are no words?
Reflections on The Rule of Saint Benedict
Benedict was a monk in the 6th century, and his rule influenced western monasticism through the medieval period (and on to today). As a spiritual and practical guide to godly community, it seemed like a good idea to read it. One of the values we have tried to live out in Emmanuel Church Northstowe has … Continue reading Reflections on The Rule of Saint Benedict
The problem with fairness
Everyone likes fairness. It’s a British value: fair play for everyone. From the childhood “It’s not fair” and into national politics, there is an assumption that things should be fair. But there is a problem- and the response to the recent budget (and any budget for that matter) shows it up. The problem is that … Continue reading The problem with fairness
What is wrong with us as a country?
We don’t realise how rich we are! I tend to be quite careful about expressing political views online or in public. As a church pastor, my job is to help people unite around Jesus. There are a few obvious issues (matters of life and death, honesty in public life, freedom of religion and speech) which … Continue reading What is wrong with us as a country?
Should leaders be “vulnerable”?
Leaders in many organisations, including churches, carry a wide range of responsibilities. And these often start to feel like burdens or pressures. I think this is common across institutions and fields. There are pressures. Leadership creates a challenge in how to express that. And Christian leadership, with Jesus’ call to integrity and truthfulness, faces this … Continue reading Should leaders be “vulnerable”?
New opportunities and dangers for the church
Over the last few years, there have been some cultural shifts that have been encouraging for Christians. There have been a number of high profile intellectuals or public figures who have moved from atheism to some form of Christian faith, including Paul Kingsnorth and Ayyan Ali. The individual shifts reflect something of a cultural shift. … Continue reading New opportunities and dangers for the church
Demons and spiritual forces
Some people are fascinated by the idea of spiritual forces at work, and others find the idea outlandish and weird. No doubt some people are too fascinated by the spiritual forces at work, or too quick to blame things on demons that are really human sinful choices. But people who grew up in Western culture … Continue reading Demons and spiritual forces
Why McGilchrist is wrong on the reformation
(The outline of McGilchrist’s thesis is here: https://jotsandscribbles.blog/2023/11/07/introduction-to-the-master-and-his-emissary/) For McGilchrist, the reformation is the first step towards unbalanced left hemisphere dominance, a step towards the enlightenment. It’s easy to see why he should think this. The focus on the word of God above the visual arts in church looks like a loss of right hemisphere insights. … Continue reading Why McGilchrist is wrong on the reformation
Discipleship: weird cultishness or inevitable reality
One feature of Christianity, and especially evangelical Christianity, that strikes some outsiders as odd is the emphasis on discipleship. The idea that one would be shaped by a community in a set of beliefs and practices and ways of approaching life can seem deeply sinister. Isn’t this what cults do? But we think this way … Continue reading Discipleship: weird cultishness or inevitable reality
Why left-hemisphere perception is helpful
McGilchrist's book 'The Master and his Emissary' makes the case that the left hemisphere of the brain cortex has become dominant in ways that stop us attending to context, whole realities, metaphor etc, and in the process we have become mere users of the world regardless of environmental or social negative effects. He would argue … Continue reading Why left-hemisphere perception is helpful
Jots and Scribbles 