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London’s first coffee house opened in 1652, using beans imported from modern-day Yemen. Although many in Cromwell’s Britain had doubts about this new drink, others welcomed its reviving effects – and asked for another cup. Nearly 400 years on, coffee drinking in Britain is a vast industry. We drink 98 million cups of it every...

We read about leprosy in the Bible and assume it is a disease of the past. But leprosy is very much a disease of today, with more than 200,000 newly diagnosed cases every year. That means that every two minutes of every day, someone hears the words ‘you have leprosy’.  Three short words, but they...

The situation in Sudan is “so dire that ‘urgent’ does not do justice to the need for action,” the Bishop of Leeds, Nick Baines, has warned in his final speech in the House of Lords. Bishop Nick, who is retiring, used his last appearance in the House after more than a decade to secure a debate...

Our new series looks at the 7 Deadly Sins, a list compiled by Pope Gregory 1 in AD 590 to describe the nature of sin. This month we consider pride, ‘the beginning of all sin’ (Augustine). Pride is preoccupied with self and denies the need for others or God. We see it present in the...

This month, on 25th January, the Church celebrates probably the most famous conversion of all. At least, what happened to a young man called Saul on the road to Damascus has become a byword for all instant conversions – what is known as a ‘damascene’ moment. Saul was a devout Jew, a Pharisee, a student...

Each year, Burns Night takes place on 25th January to celebrate the life and legacy of Scotland’s National Bard, Robert Burns. (1759 to 1796) Burns Night is usually a combination of haggis, neeps, tatties, and warming ‘drams’, accompanied by recitals of some of Robert Burns’ famous work. Robert Burns was born in 1759 and died...

George Herbert is a much-loved Anglican poet, who died just 40 years old in 1633. His volume of poems ‘The Temple’ was published later that year. In it the poet leads the reader through the church door into the building to meditate on all that is seen inside. That procession through the church is the...

The Archbishops’ Council has welcomed the findings of the recently published Charity Commission case review on safeguarding improvements. A spokesperson said: “It provides valuable clarity to support ongoing improvements in our work. We are reassured by the Commission’s finding of no evidence of mismanagement or misconduct, and that the Commission recognises the charity has made...

Do your New Year Resolutions include the forlorn hope that you will be better at remembering people’s names in 2026? Many of us – and not only those of the older generation – have difficulty remembering names. It’s not just TV personalities and so on, but people we meet in the street. We know exactly...

The title of this book, ‘Solomon’s Song of Song’ (1:1), claims to be written by Solomon, and while his name is mentioned seven times and several verses speak of the ‘king’, the book may be more about Solomon rather than written by him. However, it is reasonable to assume that Song of Songs was written...

Observations on Christian life and faith Life is too short for us to do everything we want to do; but it is long enough for us to do everything God wants us to do. – Anon The future belongs to those who belong to God. This is hope. – W T Purkiser I find the...

You probably know from tales of Greek mythology that gods and goddesses would often appear out of nowhere in ancient Greece to beguile or trick mortals. The word for this in everyday Greek was ‘epiphany’; – the appearance or manifestation of a divine being on earth to humans. For Christians Epiphany is the season after...