It has to be one of the most boring chapters in the whole of the Bible — and yet it came up in conversation only yesterday.   I’m talking about the opening chapter of  1 Chronicles , which I’ve been working through with my BRF Guidelines . It’s simply a list of names — 187 in total — most of them entirely unknown to us. Uz, Hul, Gether and Meshek, to name but four. And it doesn’t stop there: the next eight chapters continue in the same vein. Page after page, name after name.

My balance is poor — very poor — and it’s time to do something about it.   I’ve known for some time that things have been getting worse. Walking downhill is awkward; I automatically reach for bannisters when they’re available. Yet, up to now, it’s never really worried me — as long as I can run in a straight line for my weekly ParkRun and turn left when required, I’ve been content! *   But the time has come to act. To counter the inevitable effects of the ageing process, my ph

What happens when Christians find themselves divided over what each believes to be a matter of fundamental truth?   That’s a big question. Does it lead to schism — further fragmenting the Church — or do we simply learn to live uneasily with the elephant in the room?   For several years, the Church of England has wrestled with the issue of same-sex relationships — a subject that has stirred deep emotions and entrenched divisions. It hasn’t been easy.   This week the House of B

Two churches, yet in completely different settings — almost polar opposites.   On Wednesday daughter #2 was licensed as priest-in-charge...

The scam was so convincing I had to check it out.   On Monday I received a WhatsApp message, apparently from the very hotel in Bergerac...