• Poverty and Privilege

    Poverty and Privilege

    Walking the Camino is a privilege.  We often use such words flippantly, even if we are showing gratitude, but what does it really mean for something to be a privilege?  For the last five weeks I’ve been working this through my head.  I am someone who has, at least in relative terms, known both sides…

  • The Passage of Time and the Blessing of Hospitality

    The Passage of Time and the Blessing of Hospitality

    It is a peculiarity of travel that you can lose sense of the passage of time.  Past events can somehow simultaneously seem both recent and distant.  So it is with my Camino.  I am two thirds of the way through my pilgrimage now, and I can’t seem to work out how or what to feel…

  • Hitting Pause

    Hitting Pause

    Barely halfway through today’s stage of the Camino, I stopped walking and booked myself into the nearest albergue.  My energy levels were good, I had all the right equipment and food, as well as plenty of time to complete the stage, but my joints had decided they had had enough.  I am ahead of schedule…

  • The Power of Story

    The Power of Story

    Today was a momentous day on the Camino; I am already a third of the way to Santiago de Compostela!  As I reflected on the miracle of my legs continuing to work, and my head continuing to let them, I wondered what it was I would remember most when the aches of my muscles had…

  • Comparing Engels to Hitler is Capitalist Hypocrisy

    Comparing Engels to Hitler is Capitalist Hypocrisy

    Being a writer of the more sporadic variety, it can often take something considerable to force me to get typing.  Sometimes however, a subject arises which probably doesn’t fall into that category, but simply requires a response.  Such is the case with Conservative MEP Daniel Hannan’s article about the artist Phil Collins’ recent unveiling of…

  • A Reflection on Acts 2:42-47

    They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to…

  • Short Thoughts on the General Election

    In their pastoral letter released prior to the 2015 general election, the Church of England’s bishops attempt to offer guidance to Anglicans as they prepare to vote.  ‘Who is my Neighbour?’, they ask, just as the lawyer in Luke 10:25-37 does.  Having correctly answered that the law requires him to love God and love his…

  • Trump, Brexit, and Change

    It’s been a few days since Donald Trump was elected the next president of the United States. There’s been so much written and spoken about this already that I really didn’t feel like I could or should contribute, however a video by Russell Brand really got me thinking through all of this, and I wanted to draw…

  • Being Working Class in the Church

    Being Working Class in the Church

    Why aren’t working-class people going to church, and what can we do about it?