-
Prayer for Cities Under Attack
In the last few days there have been terrorist attacks in Maiduguri, Ankara, Istanbul, Brussels. People from all around the world and all traditions stand in solidarity with those places under attack. Eternal God hear the cries of your people as we stand in solidarity with those under attack. Protect the innocent, comfort the needy,…
-
The Three Great Festivals of Distress
Last week, one of the three Great Festivals of Distress passed. In my own congregation, it passed peacefully and joyfully, for which we all give thanks. The ability of Mothering Sunday to cause distress is something with which I suspect all priests are familiar and which many priests will dread. However, Mothering Sunday is but…
-
Why does God allow suffering?
Why does God allow suffering? Here’s my answer in the form of a sermon. To be strictly honest, I’m not sure that it is particularly my answer. I think it may be the only answer. And I’m moved to have seen that this has been shared by people since I preached it and has been…
-
Ariodante – Scottish Opera – review – ****
This review appeared first at Opera Britannia Scottish Opera’s new production of Ariodante has a huge amount going for it. Performed by a solid cast, there’s a cracking trouser role, glittering sopranos and a pantomime baddie countertenor to boot. Only some dubious work in the pit and some slightly odd decisions from the director get…
-
Pilgrimage Days – Who on Earth Are You?
I’m looking forward to hosting two Diocesan Pilgrimage Days at St Mary’s on 20 and 27 February 2016 exploring the theme “Who on earth are you?” It is difficult to think of a better week for exploring our identity as Episcopalians but it isn’t going to be all about the Columba Declaration. We’ll be focussing…
-
The Primus’s Radio Interview about the Columba Declaration
It is incomprehensible to me that the Church of England establishment, including the Archbishop of Canterbury, can have claimed in the English Synod yesterday that the Scottish Episopal Church is “content” with the Columba Declaration and sees it as a positive move forward when the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church is describing it as…
-
Sermon – preached on Valentine’s Day/Lent 1
So. It is Valentine’s Day and the church bids us to go with Jesus into the desert. Well, that’s the story of my love life. But what are we to think today? How are we to deal with this story of Jesus being tempted in the desert? Jesus gets led in the desert, we are…
-
The Columba Declaration
Just before Christmas, something extraordinary happened in the life of the churches. Someone in the Church of Scotland leaked the full text of a proposed ecumenical agreement to a journalist from the Telegraph newspaper. I believe that the journalist in question had heard of the agreement, known as the Columba Declaration, and had contacted the…
-
The Bishops’ Instruction on Fasting and Abstinence
I happen to have in my possession a couple of copies of the Scottish Episcopal Church’s Kalendar (as it was called in those days) from the 1990s. I’m interested that they include a section called “A Summary of the Bishops’ Instruction on Fasting and Abstinence” To the best of my knowledge, this isn’t published anywhere…
-
The Devil Inside – Scottish Opera – *****
***** This review appeared first at Opera Britannia This electric new commission from Stuart MacRae and Louise Welshsizzles with energy, even amidst its doom-laden plot. It is one of the most interesting, well sung and well produced pieces of opera that has been seen on the Scottish stage for quite a few years. Scottish Opera andMusic Theatre Wales are to be…