Thoughts on Everyday Theology
Articles exploring the implications of faith
One Truth, Many Religions?
1. The Rise of Pluralism It used to be easy to assume that other religions are wrong and mine is obviously right, without even giving reasons. Those who belonged to ‘other religions’ were far away from me, also foreign in their culture, and clearly wrong about so...
Visiting a Charismatic Catholic Conference
The collision of ‘Spirit-filled’ and ‘Sacramental’ worlds at a Charismatic Catholic conference made me reflect on the value of both these traditions and their power when they are together.
Understanding Life in Prison
Day 4 of Learning Together in prison Go to day 1 Go to day 2 Go to day 3 Today, after arriving and spending the first hour getting through security, I met someone new: a fascinating person I will call Andrew. Andrew is a Catholic Christian, who spent a couple of years...
What’s Good for the Community
Day 3 of Learning Together in Prison Go to day 1 Go to day 2 Go to day 4 By the time the third session of the course arrived, I realised I had no idea what my new friends in prison did every day when we aren’t together studying. All I knew was that they have no...
Recognising the Humanity in Everyone
Day 2 of Learning Together in prison Go to day 1 Go to day 3 Go to day 4 ‘Perceptions are so powerful – they can change the world’, says Philip (not his real name). Our perceptions of other people affect how we treat them, which in turn affect how they treat us. My...
What I Learned in Prison
Day 1 of Learning Together in Prison Go to day 2 Go to day 3 Go to day 4 “There’s a stigma against people like us,” said James (not his real name). “People assume we’re horrible, rude and unfriendly. But they don’t come inside to see what we’re really like. We’re just...
What should we think of ‘allegorical’ interpretations of Scripture?
What are the most fundamental rules for interpreting the Bible? Here are some ways it is often formulated: A passage cannot mean now what it didn’t mean then. We must put a text in its cultural-historical context. The goal is to discover what the biblical author...
The Problem of Evil
Many have lost their faith, others never had faith, for this reason. It appears as a blatant contradiction at the heart of Christian theology. How can we say that God is good, and that nothing is impossible for him, when so many things happen that no good God would...
The Worthiness of God
At a recent church retreat, we were given the topic "The Worthiness of God" and asked to write a short reflection. I decided to write from a philosophical point of view. The Bible reference at the end is Paul quoting a Greek poet. Slowly, slowly I gain consciousness,...
Should you ever deny your faith? Reflections on the movie ‘Silence’
Spoiler alert! Do not read this if you want to watch the movie without knowing the ending. Summary of the Plot Christianity has been outlawed in Japan. Unless you deny your faith (‘recant’) you will be tortured and killed. But where the authorities formerly targeted...