Monthly Archives: November 2013

God, forces and the laws of nature

You are stranded alone on a desert island. The perfect stereotype: sand, a few rocks, palm tree in the middle. Absolutely nothing to eat or drink. No sign of human presence. You go to sleep, and in the morning you … Continue reading

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Salford fracking – why protest?

The fracking equipment is moving into place in Salford, and the protestors have managed to delay it a little. Why protest? What’s wrong with fracking? This is my attempt to explain why the protestors are right. In favour of fracking … Continue reading

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The more we destroy the less we care

George Monbiot has an article in Tuesday’s Guardian reporting on the National Geographic’s Greendex Survey. This survey studies the environmental sustainability of people in 14 countries. It was conducted in 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2012, and adds up to a … Continue reading

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Permission to think

Rob Gallagher remembers an occasion at his theological college: I had a tutor, John Fenton, at St Chad’s College Durham, who turned me up-side down. He used to regale us for our second-hand essays copied from the books who would … Continue reading

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Twenty’s plenty

Oh dear, I live in the worst part of the UK for deaths and injuries on the roads. According to the latest report Merseyside is top of the list for people killed or seriously injured. There were 211 deaths in … Continue reading

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The economy was made for people, not people for the economy

Inequality Briefing has a short video about inequality in the UK today. An ICM poll asked British people how wealth ought to be distributed. According to the answers, people think that some should have more than others; the richest fifth … Continue reading

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The waitress at the banquet

Yes, the Prime Minister’s recent speech saying austerity is here to stay was indeed delivered as he stood up from a golden chair to read from a golden lectern. It was the Lord Mayor’s Banquet at the Guildhall in London. … Continue reading

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Scraping by on £4m a year

There was a remarkable article in Tuesday’s Guardian about the ultra-rich demanding more money. Philip Hampton, chairman of the Royal Bank of Scotland, said he had been contacted ‘quite a lot’ by bankers wanting more pay. On one occasion, ‘I … Continue reading

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Growth and poverty then and now

Last weekend there was a conference celebrating the 50th anniversary of John Robinson’s Honest to God, the one jointly sponsored by Modern Church and the Progressive Christianity Network. I am writing a string of blog posts about it; the others … Continue reading

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50 years on, has the Church still got its head in the sand?

This was the title of the Liverpool session held on Monday to commemorate the 50th anniversary of John Robinson’s Honest to God. The talk itself is here. About 60-70 people attended, mostly older people who could remember when it first … Continue reading

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