Where to begin...

A number of events recently almost got me started on the blog. Rowan William's lecture about the relationship between Sharia and British Law was the first. Members of the parish will have heard my sermon about it. For those who didn't I am on the side of those who think you should read the lecture before you assume you know what he is talking about, and I believe that he was raising important issues about the increasingly difficult relationship between secular and religious law. 

An excellent comment on this can be found here. The text of the lecture can be found on Archbishop Rowan's website.

For those of you who don't think that this conflict is on the increase keep an eye on the lack of a free vote being allowed to members of the Cabinet over the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill. This is an issue that I believe we should take very seriously as Christians. Especially with proposed amendments this Bill is likely to:

1.  further liberalise the abortion laws and therefore lead to an increase in the number of abortions
   
2. lead to the creation of Animal/Human hybrids
3. remove the need for a Father for a child in law and on birth certificates
4. increase the use of embryos in stem cell research even though alternatives are available.

If this is something you too are concerned about please fill in the cards available in Church this Sunday and send them to our MP, Celia Barlow. You might also want to check out this link.

Another event which seemed a propitious starting point was attending my first SSC chapter as an aspirant. Most people at St Peter's won't have heard of SSC, it is a priestly society which I have been thinking about joining for some time. I was encouraged to see that many of the priests whom I respect are members. More about that another time.