All UK Church articles
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Opinion
Gen Z are hungry for full-fat faith. Let’s give it to them
Headlines heralding a return to Christian faith continued apace this weekend, with The Times reporting on the young converts coming back to church. Luke Hancorn says he’s seen it in his own congregation - and is convinced that something new is afoot. This is what we’ve prayed for, he says. Let’s not back down now but boldly proclaim the gospel of good news
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Opinion
John Henry Newman has been made a Doctor of the Church. But who is he and what does it mean?
St John Henry Newman, one of the most influential English theologians of the 19th century, is to be made a Doctor of the Church by Pope Leo. Jack Chisnall, who lived in Newman’s room at Oxford, explains what it means - and the impact Newman had on his own life and faith
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Opinion
When funding was pulled from youth work, the Church stepped up. Did the government notice?
After years of cuts, Keir Starmer’s pledge to invest millions in young people will be welcomed by many. But Andy du Feu notes the Church has been plugging the funding gap for years — and it’s about time Westminster acknowledged that
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Opinion
For the quiet revival to grow louder, it needs theologians at its heart
Every revival in history has been accompanied by a simultaneous renewal of theology. Yet, as the recent closure of Spurgeon’s College shows, the Church today is in urgent need of fresh investment in the next generation of theologians, says Graham Tomlin
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Reviews
Inside the Cult of the Jesus Army is a sensitive portrayal of the pain of abuse
Focusing on former members as they unpack the trauma inflicted by years of coercion, control and abuse within the Jesus Army, a new BBC documentary lays bare the grim reality the cult managed to mask for decades. Watching it, Tim Wyatt says, there’s little to do but weep with them
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Opinion
By living in a civil partnership, Cherry Vann is openly contradicting God’s Word. She isn’t fit to be Archbishop
Cherry Vann has been entrusted with the spiritual leadership of a Church while publicly rejecting the moral standards it is called to uphold, says Christian Concern’s Andrea Williams
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Opinion
I’m celebrating the UK’s first female archbishop. I don’t care that she is in a civil partnership
Those who are opposing Cherry Vann’s appointment as the new Archbishop of Wales on the basis of her sexuality are conveniently forgetting that they once opposed the ordination of women altogether. Prof Helen King says their arguments are hypocritical and outdated
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Opinion
Assisted suicide would have told my friend his life was over. We told him it still mattered
Reflecting on his final months with a terminally ill friend, Jamie Gillies warns that the passing of the Assisted Dying Bill would have dire consequences for society’s most vulnerable
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Real Life
‘We surveyed our community asking one simple question and our congregation doubled as a result!’
Rev Vinny Whitworth shares how a midweek ministry, born from a simple community survey, transformed the life and future of his small Bolton church
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News Analysis
You’ve just purchased a Bible for £24.99. Where does the profit go?
Donald Trump making $1.3m from sales of the ‘God Bless the USA’ Bible has caused outrage among some Christians. But where our Bibles are made and who profits from sales of scripture is more complex – and controversial – than you might think. Tim Wyatt explores
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Reviews
We don’t need to recover a ‘golden age’ of Christianity. ‘The Great Return’ falls short
Jamie Franklin’s The Great Return urges the Church to reclaim its past dominance but confuses the decline of Christendom with that of Christianity, argues Dr Joshua Bloor. True renewal, he argues, must centre on Christ, not nostalgia
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Real Life
‘The Jesus Army nearly broke my faith – but Christ’s teachings still sustain me’
The Jesus Fellowship Church started as a small Christian commune but became one of the most abusive cults in Britain. Since closing in 2019, it has paid out more than £7.7m in compensation to abuse survivors and twelve members have been convicted of sexual offences. John Everett shares his story of how he was recruited into the Jesus Army, and what happened when he left
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Opinion
Too young to preach? There’s no such thing
If the Church is serious about raising up the next generation, they need to be intentional about making space in the pulpit, says Matt Davies. You don’t have to wait until you’re retired to be a preacher. At just 19, he has been doing it for four years. And he’s longing for the day when it’s not unusual, but encouraged
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Magazine Features
The Forgotten Door: In our rush to prove truth, the Church forgot about beauty
It’s not always a solid argument that wins a heart to Christ but, increasingly, an encounter with something far more transcendent. Let’s get rid of the moss and bring on the beauty, says Andy Kind
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Magazine Features
Tirades of abuse, constant criticism and physical assault: Meet the church leaders abused by their congregations
As one church leader reports being afraid to open their emails in anticipation of the abuse they’re likely to receive, Heather Tomlinson investigates the claim that pastors - not congregants - are the most common victims of spiritual abuse
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Opinion
Have Church of England leaders remembered church teaching on sex?
The General Synod of the Church of England has voted to ditch an infamous 1991 document which expressed traditional views on human sexuality. What are the implications of the church’s decision? Rev Dr Christopher Landau gives his view
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Opinion
Too much of our theology is influenced by America. Let’s look at the rest of the world
With Donald Trump’s second state visit to the UK approaching, Alex Smith explores the extent to which American politics and theology continue to influence British Christian thought
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Opinion
Don’t just pray, ‘Thy kingdom come’. We need to pray, ‘My kingdom go’
Andy Flannagan introduces a new song for the church, which invites Christians to relinquish control and submit to God’s authority
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Opinion
92 baptisms in Bournemouth? You’d better believe it!
More than 1,000 people from five different churches gathered on Bournemouth beach last weekend. As 92 people came forward to be baptised, local church leader Chris Sinkinson says that it’s another example of the changing spiritual atmosphere in Britain
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News Analysis
The pro-life movement lost the votes on abortion and assisted suicide. What went wrong?
After the House of Commons voted to decriminalise abortion and legalise assisted dying in the same week, campaigners are warning that decisions on life and death issues are being taken without proper scrutiny