Mark Vernon
The plague that changed a civilisation
At its peak, 5,000 people died in Rome during the Plague of Cyprian every day.
Dante 700 years on: the lessons on Hell are as relevant as ever
2020 marks the 700th anniversary of Dante's masterpiece "The Divine Comedy", a poem charting his journey through Hell.
Netflix's Messiah: what's it all about and is it any good?
The show has prompted controversy - Netflix has been asked not to stream it in Jordan. But my sense is it brilliantly explores what might happen if a figure akin to the Jesus of the Bible appeared today.
The real meaning of Christmas is about more than social justice
Many Christians will feel compelled to proclaim a social message at Christmas. And yet, this interpretation worries me.
If churches can't satisfy people's hunger for truth, we can expect to see more Christians leave
If people cannot connect with God in the institutional church setting, we can expect to see more prominent Christians leaving their positions of leadership.
Was Pascal right about God and belief?
Pascal's Wager has become a notorious reason to believe in God but science is starting to back up his idea that what we do makes a difference to what we believe
How to see angels: They are nearer than we think
Angels are popular. Many people believe in them and, for a supposedly secular age, a surprising number of individuals have seen them.
Christmas is a spiritual eruption: What the West can learn from the Eastern Church
Jesus' birth is not primarily an historical event, though it was that. It's a spiritual one.
The idea of a male God is deep-rooted â but wrong
When an archbishop says, 'God is not a father' it's as if the faithful reply: 'Of course, father. You're absolutely right, father.'
Light Parties: Is the church's alternative to Halloween really a good idea?
There is a wisdom in resisting the church's move to seize All Hallows Eve for evangelistic purposes.
William Blake: The Christian prophet determined to open our immortal eyes
On Sunday, hundreds of people gathered in a damp, London cemetery called Bunhill Fields for the unveiling of a gravestone.
Can theologians help biologists find life on other planets?
There is one question to which no-one yet knows the answer. It has a huge bearing on whether we are alone in the cosmos. How does life start?
Can science prove Christian meditation works?
'Wellness tourism', as trips to religious and secular retreats are called, is growing twice as fast as overall tourism, according to the Global Wellness Institute.