In the church of my youth, I was told that Jesus was crucified in my place – that I should have hung there instead, and then still gone to Hell afterwards. It’s taken many years to examine and finally reject the doctrine of ‘penal substitution’, but the result of doing so is that the cross of Christ (and what happened there) has become even more central to my faith. I cling to it more tightly, am even more grateful for... Read more
I don’t usually write about personal times of prayer but want to share an experience that encouraged me deeply, in the hope it will do the same for others. Yesterday, when communing with the Lord, he showed me ‘a picture’ – not a full, 3D, surround-sound-enhanced affair, but a clear impression left on the heart, replete with accompanying meaning and divine emotion. I saw a sea of radiant, joyful faces – the full, beaming joy of people who are... Read more
It is strange to think of ‘giving glory’ to God, when all glory is his in the first place. The glory of God is divine light, issuing from the Father rather than from us, so why does the Bible talk about God being ‘glorified’ in the church? For me, the meaning is clear – God is glorified when all the stuff blocking that divine light is moved out the way and He is seen for who he is. Heb... Read more
In the first part of this series, we explored Jesus’ perfect unity with the Father – when he prayed on the cross, forgiving the entire crowd, he reflected the Father’s heart. We looked at the ways in which Jesus reframed Old Covenant teachings with his words and deeds, empowering us to do the same. Most of all, we looked at the consistent, singular, and eternally merciful nature of God. In this second instalment, I want to consider the implications... Read more
More than any other aspect of life, the Church’s teaching on marriage is delivered and enforced like Hebrew Law – you are either righteous or unrighteous, depending on whether your life fits the broadly accepted pattern. Even long-standing, committed, cohabiting couples are judged as ‘living in sin’ and refused leadership or ministry roles in many congregations, and a divorcee might be sacked as an elder, even if their ex-partner was the one who pushed for divorce. I find the lack... Read more
What do you understand of Jesus’ plea to the Father, during his crucifixion? Was it a serious request for compassion or perhaps just a passing emotion? Was it a plea to an angry Father to suspend his wrath? Was Jehovah about to launch spears of lightning from the Heavens, piercing the villains who dared to crucify his son? The faith of my upbringing emphasised a clear distinction between the Father and Son, the former being the ultimate judge, while Jesus... Read more
I had the tremendous privilege of growing up without a cell phone. In 1970s and 80s Britain, there were only 3 – 5 channels on the television, and as a child, I played out in the streets with the other neighbourhood kids, making up games, exploring, and riding our bikes. My brothers and I attended a vibrant youth group at our local church, and digital distraction was barely a footnote in our lives. As an adult, I embraced digital... Read more
Before the age of social media, accusations of heresy were far less common among believers. Don’t get me wrong, some were eager to point accusing fingers at their brothers and sisters but doing so came at a cost, because those brothers and sisters were probably part of the same local church or group of churches. Social media has afforded billions of people the opportunity to make lazy, consequence-free assertions about people of their own faith, and boy does it... Read more
The word mysticism is bandied around rather too much, in my opinion. Mysticism is not a term that can mean whatever a person wants it to, but rather has a distinct and important definition that inevitably expresses itself as spiritual practice. The Oxford dictionary defines it with particular clarity: Belief that union with or absorption into the Deity or the absolute, or the spiritual apprehension of knowledge inaccessible to the intellect, may be attained through contemplation and self-surrender. ... Read more
How do you apply Philippians 4:8? Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Personally, I struggle to make sense of how fellow believers apply this verse. Years ago, I remember asking a Christian friend why he didn’t want to join me and others on a trip to the cinema, and his answer was to quote... Read more
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