A Ref21 reader has asked if I have any thoughts on lectio divina , a rather pretentious term for contemplative Bible reading, whether individual or in a group. A description of what it typically entails can be found here . On the positive side, it is a good thing to read scripture thoughtfully and...

A couple of things came to my attention over the weekend. The first is the new devotional from Thomas Nelson. It is difficult to see exactly what this represents. I am somewhat of the old school `Real men don't read Jane Austen' variety, preferring Hardy and Conrad, though I can appreciate what a...

Church history has thrown up some sharp wits with a remarkable facility for one-line putdowns. Athanasius had his moments. Newman was surely one of the masters. But Il Padrino has to be Doc Martin, as polemically robust as the lace-up boots that bear his name. A friend just brought this internet...

I am an avid reader and longtime subscriber to the British conservative political magazine, The Spectator . It contains some the best writing and, with a regular column by Rod Liddle, the lefty who writes like a righty, what is there not to love? Matthew Parris is also one of the outstanding...