Having reflected on how little he knows, Solomon now turns to the one thing we can all we sure of – death (Ecclesiastes 9:1-9). We many not know what is going to happen in life, but one thing is certain – everyone is going to die. The same destiny overtakes all. That is the hard reality of life. So let us eat, drink and be merry for … Continue reading Ecclesiastes 9:1-9 – Death, Life and Destiny
(This article was first published on the Christian Today website – here) You would think that having tried to understand the difficult question of how to live in a corrupt society Solomon would have had enough. But no – now he goes on to ‘apply his mind to everything that happens under the sun’ (Ecclesiastes 8:9-17). How did it go for him? ReutersThe Preacher is concerned about … Continue reading Ecclesiastes 8: Real Understanding; True Contentment
You can now listen to the segment concerned here…. Yesterday I had a fascinating and revelatory experience on Talk Radio – I was asked on to discuss the Scottish governments proposal to ban smacking with John Finnie, the Green MSP, the proposer of the bill. What I didn’t realize was that it was a bit of a set up, with the presenter being … Continue reading The Nightmare of ‘Progressive’ Utopian Government
This article was first published on Christian Today I return from a lovely break in Croatia to discover yet another one of those ‘snowflake/University bans Christians’ stories. But this is one with a difference. It involves one of the world’s top Universities, Oxford. The problem with Balliol College’s now retracted ban of the Christian Union is not that it shows up the flakiness of the … Continue reading A Dangerous Church? The Elephant in the Balliol College Freshers Fair
Each New Year I foolishly like to try and think ahead by making some predictions (not prophecies) about the coming year for the Church. This was a prediction for this year: 9) The Church will reach out amongst the poor. It seems to me that it is often the case that the richer and more middle-class the church, the more they talk about helping the … Continue reading Good News for the Poor – The September Record Editorial
Heading for Australia I wrote about Leaving the Country – Reflections on a Hysterical Britain Whilst enjoying being here it seems that the collective hysteria gripping the country back home seems to be increasing. None more so than in the reaction to the horrific fire tragedy at the Grenfell Tower. Over 70 people are dead or missing, all apparently as the result of an electrical fault … Continue reading The Blame Game and The Demonisation of Theresa May
This weeks Revelation column in Christian Today – you can read the original Here It’s Advent. As a Scots Highland Presbyterian I was vaguely aware of the word but didn’t really know what it meant – and it certainly meant nothing in my church. In fact it may come as a shock to those who regard Christmas as the heart of Christianity, but my parents grew … Continue reading Advent – Judgement and Hope – Revelation ch.6
The story so far! In part one we saw that the SNP has now become the party of the EU, rather than the party for an independent Scotland. The End of the Dream – Why the SNP Have Given up on Independence – Part 1 In part two we saw how there is an increasingly authoritarian tendency within the party and an inability to allow … Continue reading Fantasy Politics – Why the SNP are Giving up on Independence – Part 3–Childcare
I suppose it was to be expected. After the crushing defeat for the Scottish government at the United Kingdom Supreme Court over their Named Person scheme, we not only had the spin which sought to turn it into victory, but then, sadly, the intimidation and mockery which has become so much part of the current Scottish political scene. Whilst there are Christians who support the … Continue reading Investigate Extremist Christians!
Last month I had the privilege of being a guest of the directors of the Tate at a dinner in London marking the opening of a new exhibition entitled “Painting with Light – Art and Photography from the Pre-Raphaelites to the Modern Age.” I was invited as Moderator of the Free Church because we have loaned them one of our great treasures – Octavius Hill’s … Continue reading The Dangerous Democratic Deficit – Scotsman Article – June 9th 2016
