Category Archives: Faith

Coping with our faith crises

Posted on August 11, 2016 by

One of the problems with the usual model of spiritual or religious development we’ve inherited is that it too often places the ‘spiritual crisis’ only in the past – ‘I was lost, now I’m found’. So we’re allowed the single … Continue reading →

Posted in Dark night of the soul, Faith, Scepticism and doubt, Stages of faith, The faith journey | Tagged , , , | 8 Comments

Why doesn’t God magically sort out our problems?

Posted on May 23, 2016 by

Way back last time I was looking at miracles, and the problems both of being overly cynical about the miraculous or overly reliant on it. This follows on from a slightly different angle. First, a question. If you knew God … Continue reading →

Posted in Divine intervention, Faith, Suffering, The faith journey | Tagged , , , | 11 Comments

An experience of encounter?

Posted on March 1, 2015 by

“Fire God of Abraham, God of Isaac, God of Jacob, not of philosophers and scholars. Certainty, certainty, heartfelt, joy, peace. God of Jesus Christ… My God and your God.” (Blaise Pascal, 1654) Recently I wrote about God being a reality to … Continue reading →

Posted in Contemplative, Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 7 Comments

Should we accept reality or should we fight it?

Posted on November 3, 2014 by

…that is the question: whether ’tis nobler in the mind to suffer the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune, or to take arms against a sea of troubles, and by opposing end them? Hamlet God grant me the courage to … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Prayer, The faith journey | Tagged , , , , , , , | 21 Comments

Three cheers for an Archbishop who admits doubts

Posted on September 19, 2014 by

In a light-hearted but personal interview in front of hundreds of people in Bristol cathedral last weekend, [Archbishop] Justin Welby said: “There are moments, sure, where you think ‘Is there a God? Where is God?’”. (www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2014/sep/18/archbishop-canterbury-doubt-god-existence-welby) So Archbishop of Canterbury … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Scepticism and doubt, Suffering, World events | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

Suffering IV – Why doesn’t God just rescue us?

Posted on August 28, 2014 by

One of the hardest questions around suffering is why God often doesn’t rescue us from our troubles when we so desperately want and ask him to. We plead with him and implore him, with tears and sometimes for years on … Continue reading →

Posted in Divine intervention, Faith, Suffering | Tagged , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

An experience of grace

Posted on January 30, 2014 by

I’ll confess that my life isn’t always characterised by the Deep Joy and Peace of the Lord™. I’m sure it will come as a surprise to hear that I don’t float around on a Christian cloud, enjoying unbroken fellowship with … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Grace, Love of God, Prayer, Spirituality | Tagged , , | 18 Comments

Listening to the silent God

Posted on January 24, 2014 by

I’ve been talking about God’s general plans for our lives. But what about the times when we feel we need more specific divine direction and guidance? Or to widen it out a little, how can we ever hear from a … Continue reading →

Posted in Faith, Prayer, Spirituality, Theology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 17 Comments

Faith and the absence of God

Posted on September 13, 2013 by

Faith and the absence of God Is faith the magic quantity that prevents bad stuff from happening? Or is it the quality that enables us to survive and grow when bad stuff does happen? Is faith what guarantees us a … Continue reading →

Posted in Anger at God, Dark night of the soul, Faith, The faith journey | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments