All Grief articles
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Opinion
It’s now possible to attend your own funeral…but should you?
What does it means to commemorate a life of someone who is still alive – and is it healthy for those who are dying, or those left behind? As Dawn French reprises her Vicar of Dibley character as part of a 'living funeral' at Truro Cathedral, and some speak of putting the “fun” back in “funerals”, Yvonne Tulloch explores the ethical questions
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Opinion
Why hymns at funerals are making a comeback
Two hymns made it into this year’s top ten list of songs played at funerals – for the first time in seven years. Rev Cassius Francis reflects on the resurgence of religious songs, and what our music choices can mean at such a difficult time
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Opinion
The Bible doesn’t gloss over grief, and neither should we
When Amanda Held Opelt suffered a season of loss - including three miscarriages and the death of her sister, Rachel Held Evans - she was confronted with sorrow she didn’t know to how face. Why do so many Christians insist on an immediate, redemptive story arc when they experience suffering?
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Opinion
Prince Harry is hurting. Christians need to show compassion
Prince Harry has been vilified for his tell-all memoir, but Rev Canon Yvonne Richmond Tulloch says Christians should show compassion for a man processing unresolved grief
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Opinion
Conflict within a family is hard for everyone – William and Harry are no exception
As the publication of Prince Harry’s tell-all memoir Spare continues to generate headlines, the Royal Family have thus far not spoken out. But behind the scenes, relationships must be strained. Emma Fowle offers some advice
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Thank God it's Monday
God’s Undertakers: ‘We constantly pray that families encounter God’s peace in their grief’
The Church is made up of Christians from a myriad of different professions, and yet ordinary tales of God at work rarely get told. In this series, we bring you stories of faith on the frontline
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Opinion
Official mourning for the Queen is over, but her family still need our prayers
When the funeral finishes, the toughest part of the bereavement journey is often only just starting. Here’s how churches can support those struggling with grief
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Magazine Features
How the Queen’s death is revealing ‘latent spirituality’ in the UK
As a nation mourns, deeply Christian longings are coming to the surface. Perhaps our country isn’t as secular as we’ve assumed, wonders Bishop Graham Tomlin
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Opinion
As the Queen’s funeral approaches, here’s why we need it
The function of the funeral is as vital to state as it is to the individual, says George Pitcher. Here’s how it helps us in our grief
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Opinion
Our nation is experiencing widespread grief, loss and ‘death denial’. Here’s how the Church can help
The Queen’s death comes during turbulent times and hard on the heels of the Covid-19 pandemic. But the Church can help society heal, says Rev Canon Yvonne Richmond-Tulloch
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Interviews
Rev Richard Coles on grief, death and what heaven looks like
Having lost his husband David to alcoholic liver disease, Rev Richard Coles is set to explore grief in a new Channel 4 documentary. He tells Sam Hailes that bereavement never caused him to doubt his faith and argues it's a mistake to hold funerals that celebrate a person's life
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Real Life
Like Ronaldo, I lost a son. At first I wanted to scream at God. But now my faith is stronger
When Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodriguez announced the death of their baby, it brought back memories for Ian O’Reilly, whose own son, Tristan, died days after being born at Shrewsbury Hospital. 22 years later, his faith has been tested and refined by his grief, but is stronger for it
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Magazine Features
Easter reflection: Why Jesus is still the hope of the world
Jesus’ resurrection takes place against a backdrop of grief and despair. As the world grapples with war in Europe, Rachael Newham reflects on how the sadness of Good Friday and Holy Saturday reveals a king who came to minister to us not through power and might but through scars and tears
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Real Life
I’m a Christian with OCD. This is my story
From the age of 17, Sarah Clarkson’s imagination has been bombarded by unwanted and disturbing images. She explains how the love of God has been present, even while she has learned to live with OCD
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Reviews
Jesus wept. But his followers don’t
There are eleven different types of tears in the Bible. But today’s Christians often minimise the importance of lament. Do we need to think again?
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Regular Columnists
The BBC's Hillsong documentary made me weep. But they aren't the only church to be exposed
There was a moment during the BBC Storyville documentary on Hillsong Church that I broke down and wept. It wasn’t a quiet type of crying – the type where you can easily wipe away a tear – but a cry that roared from somewhere from deep within ...
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News Analysis
As Plymouth grieves its mass shooting, the reassuring presence of local churches is making a difference
The ability of local churches to respond immediately and be there for the long term has been vital in helping communities in Plymouth deal with grief. Emma Fowle reports
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Interviews
Guvna B: The pioneering rapper on grief, vulnerability and what it really means to be a man
Following the death of his father, the grime artist and author opens up about faith and doubt
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Opinion
Why our church has created a Garden of Lament
Rev Caroline Taylor from St John’s Hoxton explains why the oft-forgotten practice of lament is so important
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Magazine Features
The emotional cost of lockdown
‘If we pull together everything will be OK.’ That was the message politicians gave us when the pandemic began. But, more than a year on, serious questions are being asked about the cost of lockdowns. Claire Musters takes a closer look at how months of isolation have affected us all