The perfect reflection of sky in still water. The sudden illumination of a snow-capped mountain as the shadows shift. The soft clouds which hang wistfully in the valley or gather round the highest peaks. Georgia was definitely a good choice of holiday destination, I think to myself with deep satisfaction. It’s beautiful here. I want…
I hadn’t expected Auschwitz to be such a tourist destination. It was a grey and sombre Friday in November yet, apart from the absence of those ubiquitous key ring vendors, it felt as touristy as the Eiffel Tower. Groups of teenagers on school trips flirted loudly with each other and dropped litter. Coach loads of…
Although Helen Bamber has been celebrated as an ‘iconic’ human rights defender, the most fitting way to honour her is to redirect our attention to the marginalised and silenced people to whom she devoted her life. We don’t have to look hard to find them… Read on for my reflections on the life and legacy of…
(Originally published here on openDemocracy) In the past 5 years, over 500 young people who migrated as lone children have been removed after spending their formative years in the UK. We have a responsibility for their long term safety and flourishing, says Emily Bowerman. A couple of weeks ago, a 19 year old girl called Yashika…
Perversely, while everyone else sinks into the ‘January blues’ I’m smiling with relief that we’re as far away from Christmas as possible. Bah humbug? No, I hope not. Fingers crossed I’m not becoming one of those negative people whose opt-out tendencies mar the celebrations of others. Nevertheless, the closer Christmas came, the worse I felt.…
“Where are the Christian people today who see the status quo, who do not like what they see (because there are things in it which are unacceptable to God), who, therefore, refuse to come to terms with it, who dream dreams of an alternative society which would be more acceptable to God and who determine…
This post was originally published with the title ‘Are we just here for a better life?’ on the Threads blog here. Click through to Threads to join the ensuing discussion there… 311 African migrants recently drowned seeking peace and safety in Europe. For once, there was public outcry, and the calls for justice and compassion…
‘His life was trees’ was one of our favourite bench inscriptions back in those park-roaming university days. How would we choose to be remembered, we wondered, if the totality of our lives had to be whittled down to a one-liner (which, depending on the park’s location, stood a high likelihood of being defaced anyway)? On…
Is anyone else bored of this ‘emerging church’ malarkey? As with many words which used to excite me (‘missional’, ‘incarnational’, ‘holistic’ etc etc), this has rather lost its pizzazz, which perhaps says more about my fickleness than the speed at which innovation becomes institution. The point is I wasn’t enthralled by the prospect of this…
A photo of light reflected in a river. Like stars on a dark night. Glimpses and fragments of wonder. Glimpses and fragments of wonder. This is the phrase that’s wandering round my mind this arvo. I’ve just binged on Brian Draper’s daily advent reflection emails which have been accumulating in my inbox. Better late…
emilyintheworld 