The parts of the Bible that seem to involve God commanding the Israelites to exterminate their enemies are often difficult for us. They require us to be thoughtful about how we read them, and Christians have not always been thoughtful at all: 'h...

The book of Ecclesiastes seems to concentrate on how to get by in the world without too much trouble – though when we dig below the surface, we find there's more to it than that.

The opening words of this chapter are very striking. Writing in a time of persecution, the author is keen to stress the need to hold fast to the truth. He even says it's impossible for those who abandon the faith after receiving the Holy Spirit ...

As we read this chapter, it might help to remind ourselves of the title of the book – it's the letter to the Hebrews. In other words, it's aimed at Jewish Christians deeply immersed in what we call the Old Testament. They were looking for...

The last chapter of Colossians consists mainly of greetings and commendations which give us a window into the relationships Paul had with his fellow-workers. While he commends them all, he seems to have had a particular fondness for Aristarchus, Mark...

The new nation of Israel is coming into existence, and its institutions have to be created from scratch. Everyone has questions, there's much to be decided and Moses feels he's the only one who can do it. He makes himself permanently availa...

Jacob's brother Esau has been marrying women from Canaan, who worshipped other gods. Jacob has been sent on a long journey to find a wife from his own people. Those were very different times: polygamy was standard, and the individualism, persona...

I was in the computer industry for ever and I never thought I would be in charge of a church yard...

There are a few surprises in today’s reading – if not to us, who may be very familiar with it, then certainly to its characters, and its first hearers.

This story takes place as tensions between Jacob and Esau are rising. It's becoming clearer that Jacob is the son through whom God will make a nation and bless the world. His dream of a ladder up to heaven with angels going up and down is a symb...

Jesus faced opposition from his family. Their view that he is 'out of his mind' (verse 21), seems to be linked to the accusation by the scribes that he was 'possessed by Beelzebul', (verse 22), and provokes a very sharp response: ...

Theos Think Tank researcher, Hannah Rich, offers insightful discussion of the Church's response to debt problems.

Eliphaz the Temanite has heard Job’s words, but it’s clear he hasn’t accepted them. When it comes to understanding God’s ways, he thinks he’s got it nailed and no matter what evidence Job puts forward, he’s not about to let it get in the ...

'I’m not a keen gardener. I love pottering about, but I’m rubbish. I buy pretty things and they shrivel and die. But I felt that the church yard could be a sanctuary...'

Dave Cox is living testament to the benefits of community gardening. ‘Working here, close to nature, amongst caring people, in a peaceful environment, is good for both my mental and physical health,’ he says.

In eSwatini, a quarter of children have lost at least one parent. You can help meet the immense needs they face with practical and spiritual support.

The second chapter of Genesis is a different creation story, complementing the first. This one focuses not on the grand architecture of the universe, but on the human world. The first man is formed from the dust of the ground: he is of the earth, lik...

Is the Bible antisemitic? According to the way a disturbing incident on the London Underground on Friday was reported by the media, yes it is.

Participants were asked to choose five words that described their response to the Bible from a list containing positive and negative expressions.

Participants were asked to imagine the Bible as a person and to decide whether it would be for or against difference causes – or if it would just be silent.