Current page: Reporter / Martyn Whittock
Martyn Whittock
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Charismatic movements in the 20th and 21st centuries
In the 20th century a great deal of discussion – and controversy and disagreement – was generated by contrasting viewpoints concerning the way the Holy Spirit is experienced by individuals and communities and the impact of this on services and worship. That dynamic conversation and exploration continues.
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When two Mediterranean Christians transformed the English Church
In the 7th century AD, the Christian Church in England was transformed by the work of two remarkable men. Neither was born in England, or for that matter in the British Isles.
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Christians in the Middle East and the threat to an ancient community
Let us not forget the Christian communities of the Middle East. There is much to think about as we survey the present turbulent world. But as we think and pray about its many areas of need, let us not forget them.
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The strange afterlife of the John the Baptist Movement
The Bible tells us that disciples of John the Baptist left him to follow Jesus, but the 'John the Baptist Movement' clearly did not just go away.
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The rise of the US evangelical right
Whatever one thinks about that – and opinions sharply differ – it is a political and cultural phenomenon of great importance. But what is its history? How has the US 'evangelical right' emerged as such a political force? And why is it so supportive of Donald Trump and MAGA?
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The Temple epicentre of conflict
The destruction of the Temple in AD 70 also impacted on the way in which the conflict leading to the events of Easter was emphasised in the emerging Christian community and its foundational documents.
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The legacy of Lord Shaftesbury - and a mis-named statue in London's Piccadilly Circus
How a mis-named "statue of Romantic Love" in London's Piccadilly Circus is actually a reminder of an extraordinary Christian reformer.
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The triumph of medieval Spain's Catholic monarchs over Islam
In January 1492 – the same year that Columbus was landing in the New World – a momentous event was happening in the Old World.
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800 years of the traditional Nativity scene
The way that Christmas is traditionally portrayed owes a lot to St Francis of Assisi.
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The first Christians in North America
The Icelandic sagas tell the story of hardy Christians who took their faith with them across the seas.
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The 'other Reformation'
The Swiss model was radical in its impact but did not fundamentally disturb the economic status quo. However, there were others who felt that the challenge to the Catholic Church was only the start of a much more radical reordering of society. Their version of the Reformation is often forgotten.
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The battle for the creeds
The early debates over doctrine were crucial in the history of Christianity and have framed Christian understanding and discussion ever since.
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The Baptist preacher on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth
Most people in the UK today will not previously have heard of John Chilembwe, but his history is intimately intertwined with that of British colonial rule in Africa and, also, with the impact of the First World War on that continent and its peoples.
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John Nelson Darby: the man who popularised dispensationalism
John Nelson Darby is known as the 'father of dispensationalism' but others helped to forge this theological framework of salvation history.
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What we can learn about the early church from Pliny the Younger
Writings from the suspicious Pliny are an important source in understanding what the early church was like.
