One of my favourite things about a summer holiday (apart from family time, swimming, and sampling all the cheese and pastries France has to offer) is getting an opportunity to read. In particular fiction, and books I struggle to get to through the rest of the year. Here are some thoughts on the books I’ve…
Category: Culture
I enjoy music, theatre, reading, film and various aspects of culture. And from time to time I will inflict my thoughts about it upon you too.
Re-Branding Through Baptism: Celebration, Cynicism, and Cautious Hope
So Russell Brand got baptised. Last Sunday, in the Thames. I watched this video of him describing the experience – you may have seen it. It was moving and beautiful to hear him describe the peace he has searched for in many places, and has now come to experience, since accepting Christ as his saviour….
Put on the Suit: Cola, Christ, and the Santa-Verse
I wonder what you’ve made of this year’s flurry of Christmas adverts? Between John Lewis going all Little Shop of Horrors, M&S taking a flamethrower to family festivities, and Aldi giving us thinly-veiled euphemisms from a talking carrot, it’s been an odd bunch! For what its worth, my favourite offering for 2023 is Apple’s short…
Premature eulogies and spineless tributes
There has been a recent flurry of eulogies commemorating the passing of… well, various things, including the church, Christianity, and God himself. A survey by The Times claims that three quarters of Church of England priests think Britain is no longer a Christian country, and many believe the church is on the verge of extinction….
Nine(ish) holiday reads
I’ve just returned from a wonderful holiday in France with the family, and am reintegrating into normal life, and looking ahead to a busy term! One of the highlights about the holiday was an upgrade in our accommodation, which gave us a nicer-than-expected outside seating area, perfect for long afternoons and evenings reading (accompanied by…
Sentienced to Death (A Short Story)
I woke up yesterday in a state of panic. Complete disorientation. You know the feeling, I’m sure. Nothing made sense. Couldn’t tell where I was. Who I was, even. What day it was. It was like awakening from a drunken stupor, with an almighty hangover. So I’m told. Gradually I took in my surroundings and…
Stanley and the Sacraments
My first read of 2023 was Taste: My Life Through Food by Stanley Tucci. I received it for Christmas and devoured it greedily. It’s a lovely, heart-warming memoir about life, food, memory and family. Whether or not you’re particularly a fan of Stanley Tucci, or knowledgeable about Italian food and culture, it’s just a delight…
On Riding and Reading: A reflection (and confession!) about C.S. Lewis and Cycling.
Since moving to Oxford two years ago, I have been aware of two looming inevitabilities. The first is that I must become a cyclist since, as the road signs around me brag relentlessly, ‘Oxford is a cycling city.’ And the second is that I really must read C.S. Lewis. I put both off until this…
The Host. (A very short story).
His lips turned an icy blue. A shocking contrast against the crimson rising around his neck and cheeks. His whole body screamed in silent convulsions. At first unnoticed. Then slowly awareness began to spread among the other guests. Is he…?Should we…? One hand clutched his throat. The other shot out and began flailing around, seeking…
The call to (de)influence: an article and an interview.
The other week I wrote a piece for Connecting with Culture, the weekly email from London Institute of Contemporary Christianity (LICC). In it, I reflected on the rise of ‘deinfluencers’, and the dual role of Christians to deinfluence and influence, through a combination of prophetic critique and joyful celebration. If you fancy a read, you can…
Liam Thatcher 