“Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.” Mark 6.31 Loyal friends, I shall be taking 12 days of leave, so please forgive my silence over that period. Maybe you are planning some holiday too. That would be good. Rest is God-given and helps us to remember that we are human beings and not human doings. Laying off the work restores our humanity. Yet it does not undermine the significance of work either. Not only do we return refreshed, we return with a fres

"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." Jeremiah 33.3 In rejecting dualism - the mode of thought that separates one thing from another - Scottish theologian TF Torrance paved the way for the reunion of science and religion. He contended that each needed the other: science is the method by which humankind is able to make sense of creation, while religion provides the appropriate reference point for scientists, reminding th

"I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well." Psalm 139.14 The antidote to dualistic thinking - the false separation between God and creation, spirit and matter - is provided in the doctrine of the Trinity, in which God is perceived in dynamic relationship: Father, Son, Holy Spirit. This, in turn, finds further expression in God's creation of the world and his incarnation into that world to redeem it. So when the

"... he is like the light of morning at sunrise on a cloudless morning..." 2 Samuel 23.4 On Monday Annice dropped me at Trumpan and I walked into the setting sun as far as Waternish Point, where I spent a few fitful hours under my survival blanket until the light was sufficient to allow me to begin my trek along the peninsula ridge. This was to be a celebration of the summer solstice. It started well as I tramped through the evocative ruins of Unish House - the first of its k

"The heavens declare the glory of God..." Psalm 19.1 The relationship between science and religion has seldom been easy. It's strange when one considers how much they have to offer one another: science reveals the wonder of the universe, religion reveals its creator. Yet society has seen fit to pit one against the other. Blame it on the dualists! Graeco-Roman philosophers conceived of two tiers of perception: physical and metaphysical. This way of thinking contrasted with the

"God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46.1 Today is 'International Day of Prayer for Emergency Services'. We thank God for the women and men who risk their lives to rescue others and for the families who support them. We acknowledge the training they undergo in order to develop the skills and endurance that are necessary and we commend them to the protection of Almighty God. Our prayers and appreciation are sharpened in the knowledge that ou

"... plead the case of the widow." Isaiah 1.17 Throughout Scripture God asserts his concern for widows - usually in conjunction with orphans and those who are poor. In the ancient world, women lacked equal rights and therefore became dependent upon the men in their lives. If they were married that meant their husband. But when a man died that often left his widow destitute because there was no social security. So widows were counted in the same ranks as orphans and poor peopl

"Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God..." 1 John 4.7 I once heard that the term "dunce", a disparaging reference to the one at the bottom of the class, is a corruption of the name John Duns Scotus. If ever there was an historical injustice! The late mediaeval theologian of that name was one of the most eminent thinkers to grace the divinity halls of Europe's ancient universities - and he was Scottish! One can see how it happened: John Duns Scotus cha

"Honour your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you." Exodus 20.12 It seems fitting that this commandment should concern both fathers and mothers because it is as men and women that human-beings most adequately reflect the image of God - according to the account of creation in Genesis. So it is in honouring both human parents that we best please our heavenly Father, who loves us and blesses us. The promise that accompanie

"Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it." Luke 17.33 So it was a draw. Disappointing for England, who expect victory; triumph for the Scots, who are relieved to retain a fighting chance of making it through to the knock-out stages of the competition. Like so much in life, assessing performance is a matter of perspective - and one's appetite for suspense as opposed to security. When it comes to the Christian life, Jesus tau