Why “Men’s Ministries” might save the church

So its a Saturday, which is, by no logic whatsoever, the day for Gender-related posts on my blog. I’ve been wondering about this post for a couple of weeks, as I’m more than aware past posts on similar topics have caused considerable conflict. This week I popped in to Conversations, a service in a Vodka bar in York, and my suspicions were largely confirmed: Men’s ministries may still save the church, regardless of the validity of their gendered approach..

After Vancouver’s Green Olympics

Russia’s Winter Olympic plans for 2014 seem to be following the trend of tediously Greenwashed Games. Vancouver saw a games that claimed to be the Greenest on record, whilst funded in no small part by the environmental devastation that is the Tar Sands project. So is it perhaps unsurprising that the Russians are already embroiled in a row with environmentalists over the next Winter Olympics?

The Rules of Hospitality

The whole debate about the threshold for receiving communion is something that I’ve struggled with over time. Two stories recently caught my eye, one concerning gays being denied communion, another concerning Muslims. On the one hand, I get that some bible passages say Christians should exclude people from communion, but it doesn’t sit very well with the idea of an inclusive, open and empowering church.

Environmentalism is destroying the planet

There is a lot wrong with the Climate Movement at this particular point in its history. One of the areas that has begun to draw attention are the closening relationships between several of the biggest names, both individuals and organisations, in the Green world and the business world. Two articles appeared earlier this month that pointed out the Elephant in the room for environmentalism in 2010, but still little is being done to ensure wider understanding of this issue.

Police twisting facts over EDL & BNP in Bolton?

I’m guessing mostly people reading this will have heard about the English Defence League/Unite Against Fascism confrontation that broke out in Bolton on Saturday. Above and beyond what happened on the street, a curious war of stories seems to be raging about the way the demonstration occurred, with very different tales being told by all 3 sides.

Welfare: To help one or to help many?

Welfare Officers, campaigns and committees exist in many organisations, and especially inside Unions. Sometimes ‘welfare’ roles focus on individual people’s problems, and sometimes they focus on “mass welfare”: the things that affect many people’s engagement with, or enjoyment of, life within whatever context they find themselves. In an ideal world, every single welfare issue would get equal attention until it is resolved, but we live in a world of finite time and resources, and so prioritisation becomes the issue.

Stopping the War, Seven Years On

I’ve just been reminded that yesterday was the 7th Anniversary of the Iraq War’s beginning. As a political issue, it is now understood that the war was a bad thing, but the movement that sought to prevent, and then curtail it, are now almost silent, and its perpetrators still at large. What happened? (Yes, this is the 2nd post of the day, I didn’t feel like scheduling this one for tomorrow).

Can Purple and Coffee save the world?

Social Networking has already produced a huge number of political movement happenings, but two ambitious moves are taking place, one in Italy and one in America, attempting to push back stifling Right Wing politics. The Purple People movement in Italy is seeking to dethrone Prime Minister Berlusconi. In America, the Coffee Movement is emerging to challenge the monologue of the Tea Party Movement that has monopolised dissent over the direction their country is taking. But these movements could have one major problem in making a real difference: how will they actually make a change?

Oscar Romero: Saint for the Poorest

I was at the service in York Minster today to commemorate the 30th anniversary of the assassination and martyrdom of Bishop Romero in El Salvador. It was a brilliant service not least because it brought together such a diverse mix of Christians, including a Catholic Cardinal and the Archbishop of York. But Romero was a voice of the established church where he lived; instead he was a fighter and inspiration for the poorest in the society he served. He’s definitely one of my “Hero’s of the Faith”.

The Importance of Solidarity

I’ve been meaning to write this blog post for a couple of weeks, spurred on by several different events, the most recent of which has been the Conservative Party’s use of the UNITE Union’s strike against British Airways to attack the Labour Party. To myself, Solidarity is a hugely important concept, and goes far beyond what the much-paled image amongst the Labour Leadership. In fact, it ought to be considered a part of our humanity, or of being civilised.