Richard Russell looks at the way scientific knowledge grows out of its philosophical and religious roots. What is the relation between religion (in the sense of ultimate commitments) and the academic disciplines? Frequently any positive relationship is denied. The sciences claim to have Read more
At my church, we have been going through Isaiah in this month’s sermon series. When we got to chapter 42, I was struck by the call in verse 10 to ‘sing a new song’. This is a phrase I’ve come across again Read more
Guest blogger Audrey Southgate reflects on lessons drawn from studying a morally problematic figure. Some view the past as a shackle from which the present must free itself. By contrast, I grew up delighted by the stories that linked the Read more
Delighted that the Baptist Times has published my parable about the football genius Maradona. Picture it. We are enjoying Sunday lunch with friends and the conversation turns to football. It could be Brexit but it isn’t. Before you Read more
Where does science come from? Historically, the predecessor of what we now call the sciences was natural philosophy, which was, evidently enough, a branch of philosophy. But when we study science at school and university, it’s rare to hear much Read more
It’s a rainy day outside and my mind has wandered to puddles. Puddles are commonplace (in England especially!) without much beauty or substance, but they can do one great thing: they can reflect what’s above them. I’ve been pondering distinctiveness Read more
In this short piece I want to explore the power of crafting and asking good questions. Picture it. I am talking to a non-Christian social worker, let’s call her Susan. My wife and I are foster carers for a young Read more
In his recent post ‘Forays into finance’, Richard reflected on the challenges of institutional sin in his new context of the financial sector: an industry governed by forces which seem to tend towards exploitation of others, manifesting sin beyond the personal Read more
For the last 18 months I’ve been a research fellow on a project about financial stability that’s run by a small consultancy firm. Since I was trained as a biologist and have done nearly all my academic work so far in Read more
The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord. Proverbs 21:31 Despite the Bible’s frequent exhortations to the contrary, I often find myself reverting to stubborn independence—trying to do things my own Read more