Who was the real Mohammad?

This one looks at three different views of Islam’s greatest prophet. It offers some pointers on how to approach the question of what we think about Mohammad when it comes to discussing the Christian view of him.

The promises I would have made

‘I thought back to my own wedding day. Don’t we all have so much hope about what we will be as a husband or a wife? Don’t we intend to be selfless, to be good and loving and kind? Don’t we expect that we two will be different, a couple that sets the example for how to love each other the way God intended? But we, too, learn before we even leave the reception hall that we are not a perfect couple. So I thought I would, twenty-four and one-half years into this marriage, write what I probably should have said that day at the altar, if I knew then what I know now.’

The Kingdom Comes Through the Church

I don’t usually link to Facebook posts or Twitter threads (if the above link doesn’t work for you, you can try accessing it here. But John Stevens, by way of Scott McKnight’s book Kingdom Conspiracy, outlines how we should understand the kingdom and draws out some implications for how we engage with the world, culture and politics. A very helpful post.

Where are the peaceable presbyters?

A good challenge to all of us. Perhaps especially those of us who remain on social media platforms, but no less to those of us who are away from them.

10 lessons on learning from sickness by JC Ryle

I quite liked this one. Quoting various bits from Ryle, here are 10 lessons God might want us to learn whenever we get sick.

3 things you should know about Proverbs

How do you read the proverbs? What are they designed to do? Here are three pointers that help us understand this book of the Bible.

From the archive: Are we whatever we are or however we identify?

‘Our culture is continually pushing the line that you can be whatever you want to be. The way you feel inside is far more important than either biological realities or the evident perception of others about the way things are in reality. On such views, if your biological sex, or ethnicity, doesn’t match how you feel inside, your feelings are the arbiter of reality. What matters is how you perceive yourself. Whilst our culture is currently insisting that is reasonable when it comes to sex and gender, it was roundly condemned last time it reared its head on the question of race.’