Peter

Peter Lynas

Peter oversees the advocacy team and the work of the Alliance across the four UK nations. He is passionate about faith in the public square and leads the Being Human project with Jo Frost. He previously worked as a barrister in Belfast before studying theology at Regent College in Vancouver, where he serves on the board. Peter is a regular media commentator, is married to Rose, has two daughters, and loves running.

Elon Musk, Mars and AI: I’m intrigued by humanity’s search for a future framework

8 March 2024The future of connection Musk has helped launch a range of significant businesses, each of which really has changed the world. Twitter, now X, is a more recent acquisition by Musk which has brought him into the media spotlight. He launched a successful take over in 2022 – via a tweet of course. I appreciate Musk’s commitment to free speech, but in my own experience Twitter has become a more toxic space since he took over. The contested and chaotic nature of public debate is a real issue that…

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Welcome to the chaos of 2024!

10 January 2024Elections: dividing lines over identity politics and wars Elections here and in the US will cast their shadow over the year. In America, a number of states have already attempted to ban Donald Trump from the ballot paper making a Supreme Court hearing highly likely. While the former president seems to thrive on court cases and the ensuing free publicity, the Democrats must decide if they can or want to run an alternative to the ageing sitting president. No matter what we might wish, American…

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Synod and same-sex blessings

23 November 2023Peter: John, thank you for joining us. Can you help us understand what happened at the most recent Church of England synod in November? John: There was a nine-hour debate, a lot of amendments, but at the end of the day a tiny majority voted in a way that will be taken by the bishops as a green light to continue with the next step of the Living in Love and Faith project. Peter: So, to clarify, the bishops have been heading in the direction of trying to bless same-sex relationships for some time,…

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What does it mean to be human? The question of our time

29 August 2023Whether on issues of gender identity or AI, climate change or racial injustice, our cultural conversations keep coming back to the question – what does it mean to be human? At the same time, our culture is in a continual state of crisis and chaos and is struggling to provide coherent answers. The Being Human project is an initiative of the Evangelical Alliance helping everyday Christians live out and share the biblical vision of what it means to be human. The project engages with the…

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What is it to be brave in God’s eyes?

11 April 2022Instead, I want to start with one of my personal heroes – Daniel. Daniel was a young man plucked from his home and carried off to a foreign country. There he was subjected to some pretty serious cultural indoctrination to make him walk, talk and think like a Babylonian. But Daniel resolved not to defile himself. A long walk in the same direction Now, I haven’t been carried off to a foreign land, but the world around us is changing rapidly and so it can feel like we are in exile. Theologian…

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The not-so-gay cake

11 January 2022The case dates back to 2014 when Mr Lee, a gay rights activist, asked Ashers bakery to make a cake with the slogan ‘Support Gay Marriage’ on it. The McArthur family, who own Ashers bakery, run a successful Christian family business. The name was derived from Genesis 49:20: “Bread from Asher shall be rich and he shall yield royal dainties”. The McArthurs were happy to sell Mr Lee a cake, but not to promote a view contrary to their firmly held religious beliefs. When they ultimately declined his…

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It’s Christmas, but not as we know it

20 December 2021The queues became long as supplies ran out and fear took hold. Suddenly an angel appeared and said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all people – today in a lab, a solution to Covid has been found.” And when they heard the news, the people rejoiced and rushed to see this thing that had happened. When they saw what they thought would save them, they bowed down and worshipped and opened their treasures and bank accounts and presented their most…

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The gospel: true and good but rejected

28 June 2021There are generally two elements in people’s responses: first, the gospel centres around an event in history and it is good news; second, the gospel is both true and good. For a long time, apologetics focused on the question of whether the gospel is true: did Jesus live, die and rise again from the dead? Was He the Son of God? As theologian C. S. Lewis put it, was He lunatic, liar or lord? The question today is less about whether the gospel is true, but rather whether it is good news. Truth is…

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NI 100: “We can and must build a new society”

21 June 2021Our history is painful, bloody and contested, and yet our people are generous and welcoming. Our problems are the same as many other places – our healthcare system is stretched by unrealistic demands and our education system is failing far too many. There is no such thing as a unionist or nationalist pothole or rates bill, and coronavirus affects us all regardless of religious belief or political persuasion. The impact of lockdown will be felt for many years by people from every part of our wee…

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Report proposes a new deal with faith communities

24 September 2020The report recognises the invaluable role of churches noting that, “before the welfare state, social support was provided by parishes, and by a patchwork of independent charities, foundations, friendly societies, mutuals, trades unions, cooperatives – and churches… Many of our public services – our modern health, education and probation systems in particular – have their origins in Christian institutions”. There is recognition the contribution made by faith groups not just in terms of financial…

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Abortion changes in Northern Ireland: My body, my choice?

30 March 2020That makes the recent abortion regulations in Northern Ireland all the more ironic and, frankly, jarring. The campaign that led to these changes was premised on a simple slogan: my body, my choice. This is the ultimate rallying cry of an individualist culture. It is, however, completely at odds with this cultural moment. We are all being urged to do what we can to save the lives of others – particularly the most marginalised and vulnerable. Our healthcare professionals are giving all that they…

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