Rev Dr Stephen Goundrey-Smith What does good biomedical innovation – the process of developing and marketing medical technologies – look like in our society? A brief look at the history of research-based pharmaceuticals and bioscience over the last fifty years suggests that, for good innovation, medical technologies must be safe, cost-effective to use – and, […]
Good Biomedical Innovation – a Theological Vision Read More »
By Dr Ian Donald “He will be alright won’t he, doctor?” is the sort of cry I would hear from a daughter when her ageing father was admitted to hospital, desperate for confident reassurance. Somehow, our assumption of health, or our faith that the health service will always be able to put things right, helps
Ageing and the Lure of Certainty Read More »
By Abby Button Wilderness. Tracing the concept back to biblical roots, we begin at the Garden of Eden where humans walked in relationship with both God and nature. Later we see the idea of ‘wilderness’ as a place uninhabited by humans, where people went to experience God’s presence, to learn and prepare for spiritual tasks.
When Paul urges Christians to, ‘Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs’ (Eph 5:19) we might wonder what he’s getting at. Are these all the same, or is there a distinction? We know the early church composed hymns – and surely people made up beautiful songs – why continue with ancient Psalms?
Psalms II – Every Emotion for Every Occasion Read More »
Psalms easily tops the rankings of ‘favourite books of the Bible’. But why? Many turn to the Psalms for comfort, encouragement, to fuel-up on joy and wonder, re-connect with God, get a spiritual refresher, or even to find solace in misery, despair, uncertainty. It’s all there – an emotionally rich smorgasbord of food for the
Psalms – Make a Joyful Noise Read More »
You’ve all heard the old adage, ‘the only two certainties in life are death and taxes’ (Ben Franklin, 1789). Taxes, we agree. But death? Not so sure. As Christians, we think differently about death. Of course, we agree that we’re all destined to die, but that’s merely physical death. Surely, a major premise of our
The Continuity of Creaturely Death in the New Creation Read More »
What are we made of? Skin, bones and innards? You’ve probably heard that human beings are over 60% water – a solid majority. A more scientific approach might suggest ‘chemicals’. To delve even deeper, atoms and molecules. But apart from the infinitesimal particles of nuclei, the vast majority of atoms are empty space. For that
Is there a theology of conflict? Tough one. If theology is the consideration of anything and everything in relation to God, then there must be. Conflict exists. But what would such a theology look like? I have no answer to that question, but it’s nevertheless worth reflecting on – not only because of the horrific,
A Theology of Conflict Read More »
Amidst all the major world events vying for attention recently, I’m not surprised that I barely heard a whisper about the passing of Jürgen Moltmann. His death took place just as preparations for the 80th anniversary of D-Day were in full flow – and that was somehow appropriate. Moltmann’s life and theology journey were profoundly
A Tribute to Jürgen Moltmann Read More »
Christians sometimes assume that animals were sort of an optional extra in the biblical story of God and humanity. Maybe created for fun, or for our benefit – so we could have an interesting environment to live in, filled with useful and beautiful creatures, to name, eat, swat, watch, keep as pets, or use for
God and the Animals Read More »
