A guide to liberal faith: from a liberal

Most people are surprised when I tell them that I am a man of faith. Not because I'm some sort of deviant who left the rails of righteousness many years ago, but because I've always portrayed myself as a man of reason and logic, and I've spoken about my love and interest of science, in particular, astronomy. Now there may be some of you wondering why those things cause surprise amongst people when they learn of my faith convictions. To be honest, I often wonder the same. But when I attempt to understand Continue reading [...]

Is It Wrong To Draw Muhammad?

Inspired by a frankly embarrassing debate on  the BBC's Sunday Morning Live today, I wanted to address the issue of whether or not non-Muslims should be 'allowed' to draw Muhammad (pbuh*). This debate stemmed from the cancellation of an art exhibition, showcasing numerous images of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) and asked as to whether or not the fear of reprisal from Islamic extremists is an infringement on our freedom of speech. This is a topic I covered with my year 7 classes at the end of last Continue reading [...]

Science & Religion: Bridging the Gap

Following yesterday's article regarding the importance of religious studies in schools, I felt it important to address one of the potential issues regarding society's growing attitude towards religion as a whole. It may be seen that the growth and expansion of scientific knowledge has led to religion being placed on the back burner when it comes to knowing about the world. The essay below attempts to counter this assumption by discussing the links between the theory of natural selection, and Continue reading [...]

In Defence of Religious Studies

The importance of religious studies as an academic discipline is something for which I have argued many times in the past, however it is a culmination of events and conversations this week that have compelled me to explain and cement the absolute necessity of religious studies to have a place in our schools' classrooms. There have been numerous news reports over the last couple of years commenting on the steady decline of religious studies across British schools. Attending an interview this week Continue reading [...]

Was Jesus’ Death Necessary?

A bit of a morbid subject matter considering the time of year we have arrived at, but nevertheless an important question to consider all-year-round. As we all sit down and get ready to tuck into our Christmas lunches tomorrow afternoon, we must consider that the reason we celebrate Christmas (Roman politics aside), is to acknowledge the birth of Jesus. As this boy grew up into a man and began his ministry, he embarked on a journey that would eventually lead to him being revered all around the world Continue reading [...]