P.S.
PS is an email and web-based blog format issued regularly by Contemporary Christianity. The format provides an online space for writers toexplore issues relating to church, culture and life in Northern Ireland, seeking to understand the times through insights from Scripture, theology, reason and the observations that flow from lived experience.
PS will never claim to have all the answers, but we hope to prompt questions that leave our readers a little closer to the answer at the end of the piece than they were at the beginning.
Our writers range from well-known names in academia and full-time ministry, to professionals with particular subject matter expertise, to lay people with passion for a subject and a gift for writing.
You can get involved in conversations by posting comments in the threads below the blogs, and if you’re interested in writing for us, you can get in touch by emailing info@contemporarychristianity.net.
Glenn Jordan (1964-2020): A short tribute
It is impossible to put into words the feelings of loss, shock, grief and sadness felt with news of Glenn’s sudden death last Thursday. Our hearts and prayers are with Adrienne his soul-mate and confidant; Philippa and Christopher whose maturity inspired him;...
And Now For Something Completely Different
The first four weeks of lockdown were revealing. Introverts were as happy as Larry having been given permission to withdraw, with no pressure to mix socially, and commended for their diligence in self-isolating. Extroverts suffered withdrawal symptoms like drug...
PS…And your lanyard says in God we trust
Larry Norman’s ‘Great American Novel’ is a classic Christian song, prophetically ahead of its time in its articulation of the United States’ claim that Christian values are at the centre of its national life, whilst a litany of truths about power structures and daily...
Another National Crisis
The UK’s criminal justice system has been in crisis for some years – a crisis which has become particularly acute in our over-crowded, over-stretched and under-staffed prisons and probation services. Against this background it was good to hear that the NI Justice...
The Handshake
The handshake is a Presbyterian ritual, as sacred as Psalm singing, sermon preaching and offering collecting. Each Sunday morning with the Benediction proclaimed, I make my way, accompanied by a grand organ voluntary, down one aisle to the vestibule. Then the quick...
These unprecedented times…
…I feel sure that phrase is overused. The world has known physical and economic distress on a grand scale before. Many people have suffered and died from disease, war, natural disaster; governments have been unprepared and healthcare providers have been...
Valuing our Workers
Over the past few weeks, in amongst all the pain and suffering there have been many very uplifting stories of what people have been doing. Perhaps the most striking one has been that of Capt Tom Moore, the 100 yr old former army officer who raised £32 million for...
When trouble strikes and fears take root
On Wednesday 15th April John Dunlop was the Thought for the Day contributor on BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme. John has kindly given us permission to publish his reflection from that day as a PS blog. This ‘Thought for the Day ” has been recorded...
Rhythm and Blues
Who would have thought that walking is almost as good for depression as taking an antidepressant? As we all now know from the Government’s Coronavirus advice, exercise is not just good for our physical health but also for our mental health. And not just any old...
A TIME TO BE INSTRUCTED BY OUR HEARTS
A few weeks ago I went to church on Sunday evening. The format of the service was different from the usual pattern insofar as instead of a conventional sermon, there would be an open time of sharing. Anyone could get up and speak about what God was doing in their...
Grace in the cracks
The last time I contributed a PS blog was in June 2016. Back then, I wrote about how the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland had appointed a Task Group to look at how the denomination had responded to the troubles. One thing led soon to another. The...
Finding Brexit Hope
EIGHTY YEARS ON On the evening of Monday 2nd September I met a group of Christian friends for a teatime meeting. On our way there we’d been listening to drive time news as we inched through Belfast traffic, with the breaking story being that the Prime Minister was to...