One of the most central ideas in Protestantism is the idea of Salvation by faith alone.  This was Luther’s brilliant re-examination of the letters of Paul which he then used to fight the oppressions of the Catholic church of the day – those who would exploit the masses by devising more “works” for them to earn … More Faith or Works? A false dichotomy?

The following is the text of an interview with Peter Hitchens from ‘Relevent’ magazine last year.       In contemporary journalism, few figures have as compelling a backstory as Peter Hitchens. Raised in a conservative Christian environment, Peter and his older brother, Christopher, came to adopt a ferocious atheism. Blazingly intelligent and piercingly articulate, … More An interview with Peter Hitchens

Within the Evangelical community there is a movement to adopt as many orphans from overseas as possible – As a way to help the kids, as well as a means of Evangelism – to bring more into the Kingdom of God.  Rick and Kay Warren have actively encouraged Christian adoption as have several denominations.  Rick … More Orphan Fever : Fundamentalist obsession with Adoption

Christopher Hitchens writes:   …It is worth noting where many relics come from.     Skull Cathedral in Otranto According to the Catholic Church many came from the Christian catacombs under Rome, and this is true as far as it goes. The Roman catacombs had been abandoned as burial sites and largely forgotten by the … More Digging for Bones

 Rabbi Dr. Shmuly Yanklowitz writes :      People tend to be one-sided in their perspectives, and this can lead to poor decision making. Confirmation bias is the tendency people have to favor facts or arguments that confirm the beliefs and positions they already hold. The extreme form of this bias is referred to as … More Confirmation Bias and the Ethical Demands of Argumentation

This article by Karen Armstrong contains the best explanation I have found for how the religious and the secular modes of thinking do not have to be in conflict.  They are separate spheres and we do ourselves and the world a great disservice by confusing the two :                … More Mythos and Logos

Why are Liberals and Conservatives so far apart on many issues, seemingly unable to come to any common viewpoint through discussion?  Some neurological explanations have been put forward, such as that Conservatives tend to have a larger amygdala in the brain – which makes them more sensitive to feelings of fear and disgust.  However this … More The Cunning Linguist

Anthony Venn-Brown writes: On Sunday 18 August 2013, a sermon, ‘Scandal of Grace’ preached by Pastor Brian Houston, was broadcast to all Hillsong Church campuses around the world. Below is the relevant extract. “The one elephant in the room for churches around the world at the moment is the gay situation. What would Jesus do? … More The Scandal of Grace