Politics
God, government and Christian Nationalism – Guest Editorial
Guest Editor The Rev'd Jonathan Clatworthy writes in his Editorial on 'God government and Christian Nationalism': Britain is getting through its prime ministers at speed. David Cameron lasted a whole six years, but in the last ten since then we have had May, Johnson, Truss, Sunak and Starmer. As I write Starmer is already being plotted away. They have all been opposed by a growing movement often calling itself ‘Christian nationalism’, much to the annoyance of both politicians and church leaders. Why is this happening? Who should govern us? And why should the rest of us consent? ... CLICK ON PICTURE TO CONTINUE
Straight talking. Editorial, Easter 4, Good Shepherd Sunday
In his Easter 4 Editorial, the Editor, The Rev'd Dr. Nicholas Henderson writes: The ongoing war centred around the Strait of Hormuz and related much-wider conflicts in the Middle East have been described to me by my Lebanese contacts who are suffering severe collateral damage, as the Trump/Netanyahu Wars. The conflict is of course has many more players, but the newish Pope Leo XIV courageously pointed during a visit to Cameroon out that the world was "being ravaged by a handful of tyrants." This appears to have been prompted by Donld Trump’s threat “that a whole civilisation will die” if Iran did not agree to US demands to end the war and open the Strait of Hormuz. The Pope subsequently stated that his ‘tyrants’ speech was not aimed at Trump as he explained further the background to the narrative. Such are the unfortunate complications associated with a powerful and unpredictable American President where traditional forms of diplomacy are redundant. ... CLICK ON PICTURE TO CONTINUE
Is the Iran War actually a religious one?
The Rev'd Dr. Nicholas Henderson (Editor) write in his Lenten Editorial: The Trumpian concept of regime change is more or less evidenced as a reason for the recent and ongoing unleashing of a huge onslaught on Iran. This rapidly expanding confrontation, which has already resulted in hundreds, if not thousands, of extra deaths following the recent bloody Iranian suppression of demonstrations against the current regime, seems to be running out of control. ... CLICK ON PICTURE TO CONTINUE
Editorial: A truth universally acknowledged … too many dictators
The Editor - The Rev'd Dr. Nicholas Henderson writes in his Advent Editorial - To plagiarise Jane Austen’s opening remark in her Pride & Prejudice: “It is a truth universally acknowledged …”. It is then a fact, reluctantly acknowledged by the Church, that the Christmas Season nowadays starts somewhere around the Feast of the Transfiguration 6th August and is over just after Christmas dinner....However, near universal popular sentiment does not necessarily equate to any outcome that might reflect the views of the people. CLICK ON PICTURE TO CONTINUE ...
An Eastertide Message: For a better Zambia. By Trevor Mwamba
The Rt Rev'd Trevor Mwamba, President of The United National Independence Party of Zambia (UNIP) writes in his Easter message: "The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." (Matthew 28:5-6) The angel’s statement to the women on the day of resurrection was profound. What did it mean to the women and to generations of believers since then? More significantly what does it mean for us? ...There are three Easter challenges we wish to highlight that Zambians are faced with ... CLICK ON PICTURE TO CONTINUE
Editorial: Are we our own worst enemy?
The Editor: the Rev'd Dr. Nicholas Henderson writes in his Lent editorial: So, a potentially ‘level-3’ threat asteroid is heading towards us at 38,000 mph with a 3.1% chance of hitting the earth. Increasingly, sophisticated astronomical observations are spotting more potential rock-like visitors coming from the region between the planets Mars and Jupiter and sometimes further afield still. Dystopian disaster movies and a better understanding of the ancient ages of the earth, on news of space debris coming our way, are always mindful of the epoch and evolutionary changing possibilities of another Dinosaur like extinction event. These usually resolve the crisis by sending a rocket to blow the culprit to smithereens (not wise) or much better to nudge a change in its trajectory. Interestingly, this latter scenario has been tried out successfully raising hopes for a safer future. Safer for what, we might reply? Very likely the rocket rescue concerned might come from a multi-billionaire with seemingly a huge amount of non-elected power. The same kind of power that could potentially turn off satellite navigation on a whim and plunge nations of the world into even more chaos. ... CLICK ON PICTURE TO CONTINUE
Expensive votes for sale this Christmas but still no room at the inn?
The Rev'd Dr. Nicholas Henderson in his Editorial writes: During the Christmas season and on the cusp of what seems to have the potential to be an annus horribilis in 2025 news is being generated (like the carol ‘We three Kings’ “Westward leading, still proceeding”) from the United States. We learn that an unelected billionaire sidekick to the incoming/returning American President is extending his reach even unto the United Kingdom. The Reform Party a recent right-wing arrival on the British electoral scene, which specialises (like most far right parties) in agitating about immigration has apparently been offered a huge sum of money to support its electoral endeavours. Should this come about by one means or another it would seriously distort British politics and represent both foreign interference and the purchase of voting intentions. It should be noted in this respect that the precursor to the Reform Party was the Brexit Party whose eager embrace of the mantra “Take Back Control” that assisted in the disastrous exit of the United Kingdom from the European Union has reversed position by effectively being willing to cede control to the United States! ... CLICK ON PICTURE TO CONTINUE
Archiepiscopal vacancy
The Rev'd Dr. Nicholas Henderson, Editor: Anglicanism.org writes in his latest Editorial - The recent resignation of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury, at first resisted, became almost inevitable. The astonishing and appalling nature of the sado-masochistic proclivities inflicted on well over a hundred young male victims in the UK and then in South Africa and Zimbabwe, by the late John Smyth QC in the name of religion have ensured that there would eventually be collateral damage, not least on the victims themselves. It is the Church of England under which auspices Smyth operated that must be most alarmed..... CLICK ON PICTURE TO CONTINUE
Expect the unexpected
In his New Year Editorial the Rev'd Dr.Nicholas Henderson writes: Bethlehem closed down for Christmas, Ukraine brings the season forward from 7th January to 25th December and hardly anything left standing in Gaza. Political will to resolve what is becoming a very uncertain New Year appears to be weakening. ...
In the 75th year anniversary of The Universal Declaration of Human Rights – a perspective on the emergence of BRICS in a changing world
Bishop Trevor Mwamba, President of the United National Independence Party (UNIP) Zambia writes: The German word, Zeitgeist, aptly describes the emergence of BRICS grouping of nations. Zeitgeist encapsulates the spirit or mood of a particular period of history rooted in the ideas and beliefs of the time. ...