Search results for .riv
Scrolling through darkness: God’s light for a fractured world
Post after post, comment after comment revealing the brokenness of humanity – people celebrating violence, demonising those who disagree with their views, and using inflammatory language. I was stunned as people I know made comments about what should happen to anyone who holds traditional views on…
Katherine Brown
Ending the wild west: why the Online Safety Act matters
The internet revolution has transformed every aspect of our lives. Parents, communities, schools, and churches are all being tested by an online world that often feels beyond our control. Many of us remember an earlier, more hopeful vision of the internet. Yet today, our online lives are saturated…
Mark Gilmore
Christian nationalism in the UK: a contest for the nation's soul?
“We are a Christian country, or we were,” he told MPs, “and we need to recover the sense that our values are not arbitrary but are grounded in the eternal truths of the Christian faith.” His remarks were delivered to a largely empty chamber but later went viral. They also signalled a growing debate…
Peter Lynas
An ageing population – problem or opportunity?
The over-85s are now the fastest-growing group, set to double in the next two decades. Many of us even know someone who has reached their 100th birthday! The 2021 census revealed the average age of Christians in the UK was 51, up from 45 just ten years before.
Paul Crowther
Labour's plan for British renewal and our thoughts on digital ID cards
In this week’s episode of Cross Section, we explore the complex questions at the heart of national identity, politics and faith. Alicia Edmund is joined by Danny Webster and Peter Lynas for a wide-ranging conversation that begins with a news roundup of the stories that have caught our eyes this…
The promise and peril of digital ID
ID cards were introduced for both world wars but were abolished after each as there was a widespread feeling that they were becoming invasive, increasingly used for more general purposes and contrary to British values. This week, at the Global Progress Action Summit, the prime minister announced…
Mark Gilmore
Light up your town this Halloween
Our idea was to go out to where people in the community were on Halloween and to engage with ‘trick or treaters’ with beacons as an alternative way to spend the evening. We identified key areas in our locality where there would be significant footfall, set up gazebos and lit them up. At the gazebos…
Andrew Bates
How unemployment brought me closer to God
My friend went on to explain that he believed this season would be important for me because God would give me a new assignment. This short conversation helped me totally reframe the situation and I came away deeply encouraged. Now, looking back, he wasn’t wrong. After hearing that my role was at…
Paul Berry
From overwhelmed to overcomer: Lucy’s journey to financial freedom with God’s help
My journey into debt began unremarkably, after I graduated from university and into the 2008 financial crisis. Student loans, an overdraft, a credit card – they felt like rites of passage at first. But a string of insecure jobs, unexpected periods of ill-health, and a draining commute slowly began…
Lucy
Joining the dots between foodbanks and faith sharing
The tide is rising. Everywhere I speak at the moment I encounter stories that reinforce the statistics that the church is growing. And whilst big pieces of research like The Quiet Revival have announced what is happening, the Evangelical Alliance have been listening to how it is happening. One of…
Phil Knox
Has Trump brought lasting peace to the Middle East?
This episode starts with a series of shorter conversations centred on different news stories. The team begin with Andy Burnham’s address at Theos, where the Mayor of Manchester urged government to “do God”, highlighting how faith communities deliver vital social action. Yet Burnham’s own struggle…
Special educational needs system at “breaking point” – how the church can speak up
On 18 September 2025, the Education Committee published its fifth report entitled Solving the SEND Crisis. This report was published following an inquiry into the SEND system, which was launched in December 2024.
Anna Iliescu
Reimagining Halloween
The shops are awash with vampires, ghosts and witches, as Halloween is the UK’s third highest spending festival. Though we haven’t quite caught up with our American cousins, who reportedly spend hundreds of millions of dollars on costumes just for their pets. Beneath the plastic pumpkins, though,…
Peter Lynas
Frankenstein, transhumanism and the love of God
It is a story that seems to never age. Published anonymously in 1818 by the then 19-year-old Mary Shelley, its narrative appears to resonate with every generation. The story captivated Guillermo del Toro, whose current remake of Frankenstein is currently topping Netflix’s streaming charts with over…
Heather Carruthers
National Curriculum review sees major changes to religious education
As Christians, we recognise the importance of education for helping children flourish. As such, we should strive to see all children being given access to high-quality education, reflecting their value as image-bearers of God. The national curriculum review is useful for this purpose as it…
Anna Iliescu
