Is Spock a Christ Figure? After 50 Years of Star Trek, Some Think So
It was fifty years ago this week when the sci-fi pop culture phenomenon Star Trek, first hit TV screens. While it's mostly largely secular humanist in outlook, that hasn't stopped religious themes slipping into Star Trek's storylines, sometimes quite overtly. In fact, its most beloved character has done some very Christ-like things.
Need Better Friendships? Here Are Four Things That Make Them Rich
'Who can you call in the middle of the night when everything has gone wrong?" When I first heard this question some years ago it shook me to the core. I didn't have an answer. Even recently, I've found myself in need of deeper friendships. So I did some thinking and came up with a
When Looking in the Mirror Isn’t Pretty
We’ve all had days we’d rather not see our reflection in life's big metaphorical mirror. Catching a glimpse of our true selves can sometimes leave us unimpressed. I had one of those moments one day at a 'driver survivor' rest stop in Australia. I'd rather not tell you, but I've already shared it on BBC
Hate Will Not Have the Final Say. A Note of Hope in a Tragic Week
British MP Jo Cox's murder yesterday sent the nation into shock, halted the EU referendum campaign, and sparked spontaneous vigils last night. It came just days after another history-making tragedy, the Orlando shooting. The loss of a young wife, mother, politician and humanitarian, applauded by all as a woman of astounding compassion, and those lost
Can You Be Born Again Through a Pair of Jeans? Plenty Of Us Think So
I saw an ad the other day. The headline read, 'Be born again.' It was for a plastic surgeon. It's not the first time advertisers have promised eternal life. Levi's jeans once did the same. And yet, science has proven what Jesus taught centuries ago: material things will never satisfy spiritual needs
To Help a Friend with Depression, Here’s the Best Thing You Can Do
When I was asked to speak on mental health for BBC Radio 2's Pause for Thought segment, I consulted my brilliant Facebook community. They shared deeply and with insight on just how we can be more accepting of those who suffer this way. The starting point? See people as bigger than their illness
In Praise of Serendipity, God’s Sneaky Surprises
You know those happy coincidences or unexpected discoveries that take us by surprise? We call it serendipity. Not all serendipity is chance, accident or coincidence. A good deal of it is in fact divine. Like my miraculous little encounter as I stood, with aching legs and blistered feet, among the back pillars of Durham Cathedral
Everything in This Cafe is Free—Just Like God’s Gifts
Imagine walking into a cafe, ordering a flat white and a piece of cake, sitting down at a table while they're brought to you, and then, after enjoying your morning tea, you go to pay the bil
Guilty Pleasures: Should I Or Shouldn’t I?
When BBC Radio 2 asked me to talk about guilty pleasures, it wasn't my obsession with 80s soul and funk music, or my tendency to eat Nutella from the jar, or the sneaky flavours I sometimes add to my coffee, that was my deepest concern. It was my habit of sitting in coffee shops for
We are More Than Our Greatest Success or Worst Failure
Frank Sinatra will forever be remembered for the song My Way, even though he hated it. The same thing happens to celebrities and politicians all the time as one song, controversy or policy failure becomes lodged in public memory. But there is more to them than that. And there is more to you than others