Ten years on from the banking crisis and the start of austerity, cuts are still biting and the effects of real term reductions in spending are felt by most of us. Yet, we also know that the misuse of resources too has a huge effect – particularly when it comes to the NHS and social […]
faith
A place for faith in the public square? Grenfell response suggests there is.
There are so many legitimate responses to the terrible fire at Grenfell. We have seen care and compassion, but there will also be a need for inquiry and justice. The local community responded practically with food and clothes, so rapidly that some reception centres had to ask for the temporary halt of spontaneous giving. And […]
Manchester Attack Fails As People Open Their Doors
Wouldn’t it be good if the lasting image of the Manchester bombing was that homes, hotels and taxi drivers opened their doors to those who were in distress and trying to escape the horror? What a superb counter-response to this act of terror – if what was intended to bring fear and separation instead results […]
Belief Isn’t The Problem… Practice Is!
While at University, I was challenged by one of my lecturers, “What I can’t understand is why someone of obvious intellect can believe in this stuff?”. He was talking about my faith, and I have to admit he did not receive a suitable response, as I was somewhat chuffed about being called intellectual (it hadn’t happened before and it hasn’t happened since!)
Reacting with Hope
Never before can I remember a time when the question ‘What is the world coming to?’ seemed more appropriate than the last couple of weeks. Yesterday came the news of the killing of a Catholic priest in Normandy, the latest in a string of attacks. Some of these had been attributed to extremists, but yet […]
“What is England?” asked St. George
It’s one of those amusing quirks of history that we have a national patron saint who never visited England, would not have spoken the language of these isles at that time and probably could not even name this little island.
Faith, Care and End of Life – Rubbing Along Together
Since the New Year, both my maternal grandmother and grandfather have passed away. It was not a sudden or unexpected thing and in many ways I believe there was a relief with them passing. I have to commend my mum and uncle for their relentless care and the navigation of our confused and unintegrated health […]
Surprised that faith has been endorsed by a Health Minister?
This blog was originally written by Daniel for the Huffington Post. I was delighted to hear Alistair Burt MP speak during the FaithAction Faith and Health conference last week and also pleasantly surprised that he didn’t shy from some of the thorny issues around faith. In fact, he confirmed my belief that UK society benefits […]