Your Views

Dear Editor,

Your report in the July issue of en on the life of Jonathan Bryan, born non-verbal, who died at 19, was the most inspiring, truthful and spiritual testimony to Christian faith that one could wish to read. Thank you for giving it to us.

Dear Editor,

You report on the new Texas law requiring classroom walls to display the “Ten Commandments”. I studied the Louisiana version of this law for my forthcoming book Democracy after Christendom. Both laws, identically, prescribe the text to be displayed. This is a redacted version of Exodus 22v2-17 in the King James Version. Louisiana requires a “context statement” saying that the text forms part of the history of the USA’s educational and legal system. Neither law states the real Biblical context, nor that the display is a translation of an originally Hebrew text. I wonder what would happen to a teacher who explained to students the Biblical context and the Christian understanding found in Matthew 22.36-40.

Dear Editor,

Food has always figured largely in my life. I enjoy it! It occurred to me that many churches in Britain have church lunches for various reasons, often for fellowship. I have observed the same thing in Spain. Apart from the food on offer, one notable difference I have observed is the time spent on the exercise. My experience of British church meals is that they tend to be short affairs, with people concentrating on the food rather than on the fellowship, whereas the reverse is true in Spain. If the purpose of the meal is to get alongside people, then it seems a bit pointless to get it down as fast as possible and disappear, without talking to anyone other than family.

Dear Editor,

I read with interest Jon Barrett’s article “Is our apologetics ‘frightfully early 2000s, darling’?” I fully agree that there has been a big shift in the kinds of questions that people are asking – something that I have observed first hand during the 200+ mission weeks I’ve spoken at in universities around the UK and the rest of Europe over the last 20 years.

Dear Editor,

There is no doubting the importance of the theme of covenant in Biblical revelation. However, the precise relationship of the Old and New Covenant is debated among evangelicals.

Dear Editor,

I was saddened to read Tim Farron’s article in the July edition of en, where he used his platform to “take a pop” at a rival political party.

Dear Editor,

May I offer to Vernon Wilkins my apologies for misunderstanding his review of the CSB and my thanks for correcting me. (Letter en posted 27 May).

Dear Editor,

Recently an article by Emily Pollok reminded us that Papua New Guinea is officially declared a Christian country (May issue of en).

Dear Editor,

It was good to see John Woods’ timely review of We Who Wrestle with God. I have read and re-read lots of Jordan Peterson, so here are some thoughts.

Dear Editor,

Thank you to Ann Culley (May en) for her moving letter on singleness and life after mission work. Her words resonated deeply with me. As a child, I felt called to mission, believing it meant overseas service. Instead, I’ve served in the NHS since 2011.

Dear Editor,

I was very surprised to see Dan Strange’s remark that the valuable formula that we are “in the world but not of it” is not from Scripture (although I think he was endorsing it). It’s from John 17, verse 14 plus verse 18.

Dear Editor,

I would like to comment on the recent article “In defence of Trump”.

Dear Editor,

In his letter (en March 2025), Andrew Proud bemoans my bemoaning of the CSB’s replacement of ‘propitiation’ by ‘atonement’. I protest! I bemoaned not! I am a great fan of the word ‘atonement’, and have a zillion times explained Tyndale’s invention of the term in my own Bible teaching, and its meaning.

Dear Editor,

In Lois McCrea’s article discussing the problems working mums face there was one very notable omission. The husband and his contribution to running family life was not mentioned once.

Dear Editor,

Re “The BBC and the Bible” (en April). I write to express a view on the sad tale of the problems there were in setting up the Museum of the Bible in Washington DC, as outlined by Chris Sinkinson in your April edition.

Dear Editor,

An en reader wrote recently: “I’m interested to know why there is very little training of Christians in general,” (en letters, March 2025). Great question! It hasn’t always been thus; in the church’s history there have been times when intensive training for all believers – not just for pastors and leaders – has been a high priority. Knowing God is an eternal and joyful task, and being learners and lovers of God is core to our identity as His people.

Dear Editor,

Many thanks to George Crowder for his thoughts (‘Four myths about contending for the truth in the CofE’, en April 2025) based on Jude 3-4, which, as he alludes to in his first point, does not solely affect the CofE. However, I would suggest that the grass IS greener in some other structures such as Newfrontiers, Vineyard, etc.

Dear Editor,

If anyone was in any doubt as to the downward spiral of spiritual degeneration that the Church of Scotland is in, they need look no further than the news concerning St Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh.

Dear Editor,

Should empathy really be thrown out the window as my friend Bill James argues in his comment piece in March’s en (p.15)? Is sympathy sufficient?

Dear Editor,

The article in the January issue of en “Is creation care a gospel issue” first introduced me to the phrase “gospel issue”. Maybe I am behind the times, but to me the gospel has essentially been John 3:16 – known as “the gospel in a nutshell”.