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If you meet a God who is racist. Call it out.
Content Warning. This gospel reading contains scenes which some viewers might find disturbing. Content Warning. Viewer discretion is advised. Content Warning. This exegesis contains strong language which some listeners may find offensive. Content Warning. The language used in this interpretation of the gospel contains expressions which were in common use at the time which may…
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Leah’s Sad Eyes
I have a question for those of you who went to Sunday School when you were young. What’s the least appropriate thing you remember being taught there? As we’ve been going through the stories from Genesis over the last few weeks, I keep thinking to myself – gosh, I remember learning this story in Sunday…
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Eid, Pride and Abraham’s Sacrifice
The first thing that I tend to notice is that there seems to be more sweet things in the shops in Great Western Road than usual. And then on the day itself it is obvious that there’s more people going about their business all dressed up for an occasion. Some of them are carrying food.…
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Sermon preached on BBC Radio 4 for Music Sunday
A couple of weeks ago, I sat on the sand in the blazing sunshine on the West Coast of Scotland chatting to a friend. I was to come away from that conversation with a furiously sunburnt face but also with a snatch of conversation that I remember that was about singing. My friend was telling…
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Easter Sermon 2023
In a few week’s time, something will happen that hasn’t happened before. At 3 pm on the 23 April, all our mobile phones will be all a-tremble. They will begin to wail. The government is going to be testing a new emergency alert system. They have chosen the time carefully. The emergency alert is to…
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Reforming Canon 4
The Scottish Episcopal Church has a curious hobby and that hobby is reforming Canon 4. Now, Canon 4 is the set of rules by which we choose new bishops and from time to time the cry goes up that it is time to reform Canon 4. There are a limited number of reasons why anyone…
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Predictions 2023
Generative artificial intelligence will become significantly disruptive of many sectors this year. Education practices will change quickly as a result of this but education will be but one of many areas of life to be affected. No progress for those seeking marriage equality in the Church of England. There will be a lot of talk…
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Predictions 2022 – How did I do?
Time to see how I did with my predictions at the start of the year. Boris Johnson will be replaced with a Prime Minister who is more competent, more right wing and more difficult to beat. Well, if we skip lightly over the horror of Liz Truss’s premiership, I’m going to claim this one as…
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Christmas Sermon 2022
This is the sermon that I preached at Midnight Mass in St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow for 2022. This was reported in the Herald here: https://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/23213007.glasgow-clergyman-hits-rwanda-policy-christmas-service/ And in the Daily Record here: https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/politics/scots-church-leader-brands-tory-28812715 Why is it always night? In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. She…
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Christmas in St Mary’s (with a twist at the end)
Christmas is a time of joy and celebration, and there is perhaps no better place to experience the magic of the season than at St Mary’s Cathedral in the Scottish Episcopal Church. With its stunning architecture and rich history, this beautiful space offers a truly special and meaningful way to celebrate the birth of Jesus.…