It was a surprise to be asked by Christian Today to comment on the 174th Anniversary of the Free Church Disruption of 1843. I doubt that the anniversary went through the minds of even most Free Church people. But as I reflected on it, I realised that the Disruption still has a lot to teach … More Lessons from the Disruption – How a Church Split Can be Positive!
The May edition of The Record is now out….I love the cover and I hope that the content within is improving. (you can purchase the whole magazine from the Free Church Bookshop in Edinburgh or from your local Free Church). The following is the editorial. A Last Minute Plea to our Brothers and Sisters in the … More A Last Minute Plea to our Brothers and Sisters in the Church of Scotland _ The Record Editorial – May 2017
Free Church National Day of Prayer – Nov 30th 2016 As I post this I am watching news of a most extraordinary event – the election of Donald Trump as President of the USA. Whatever this will lead to, the only appropriate Christian response is prayer. The Free Church has called a national day … More Time for Prayer…..
I am currently on holiday and taking a break from writing. I am due to preach at St Andrews Anglican Church in Roseville Sydney – where John Dickson is the senior minister. Usually when I come to the end of a holiday I start thinking about the situation at home, in church and country. … More Prophets, Prostitutes and Politicians
I am not a great fan of online petitions but I was sent this one re the Scottish governments plans for TIE (‘Time for Inclusive Education’) which is seeking to support the stance I made on behalf of the Free Church – and for which I received a great deal of abuse in The Sunday Herald … More Petition re TIE
The Anglican Communion throughout the world upholds the biblical teaching on Same Sex Marriage (i.e. that it does not exist because marriage is between a man and a woman). The meeting of the Anglican primates at the beginning of this year was quite clear and they backed it up with promises of discipline for any … More Et Tu Episcopus? The Scottish Episcopal Church and SSM
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 … More The Dangerous Democratic Deficit – Scotsman Article – June 9th 2016
(The Future is African!) A report of the Church of Scotland and Free Church General Assemblies in Christian Today – A Tale of Two Assemblies Another year, another annual church assembly, another battle and series of headlines about the church and sexuality. Deja vue. At this year’s General Assembly the Church of Scotland ‘crossed a Rubicon’ … More A Tale of Two Assemblies
In 2009 I was the editor of The Record. As such I wrote a commentary on the Church of Scotland General Assembly of that year in which I argued that it was the beginning of the end for the C of S. I doubt that there is an article that I have received a stronger … More Back to the Future – the 2009 General Assembly
The Tate (British, Modern, Liverpool and St Ives) is at the very heart of the British arts establishment. The Tate British is a fantastic place to visit and has many interesting and stimulating exhibitions. Last night I was there to represent the Free Church at the opening of a new exhibition entitled “Painting with Light … More The Tate, the Establishment and the Free Church
