Thought for the Day
A one-minute read to inspire or challenge. Written by members of the church and updated every few days.
28th November 2025
Trinity Theology
In the church’s history, the theology of the Trinity has from time to time caused major difficulties; for Baptists, for example, the lapse of many in the General Baptist tradition into Unitarianism. But thinking positively here is a helpful summary of Christian theology.
Thus in God the Father we have God before us; in Christ our Saviour, God for us; and in the Holy Spirit, God with us forever. Here in the one Godhead the nature of fellowship is perfectly manifested in the way that the creator God relates to the Redeeming God, and to the God who sustains all life, all together in perfect fellowship.
Some reflection on this doctrine is probably appropriate this year as we celebrate the anniversary of the Early Church expressing its faith in the Nicene Creed in AD 325. Its first affirmation is of God as the source of all being, so affirmation is made of ‘God, the Father Almighty, maker of all things visible and invisible’, and that not just a one-off event but an ongoing process of care and development.
In this work of creation, the Son partners his Father, but in distinctive action. Born of the virgin Mary, the Son models the life of love of God and neighbour, surrendering his life for a broken world through his body broken in cruel crucifixion upon the cross. Conquering sin and evil, his death is not the end, but in resurrection, he becomes the living Lord of all who will put their trust in him.
In the creed the Holy Spirit is described as the Lord and Giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son. Diverse Christian traditions emphasise the work of the Holy Spirit differently. ‘Those who see the Spirit at work in exciting and ecstatic and emotional events’ it has been well said, ‘should not suppose that the Spirit is not at work in the humdrum ways of ordinary life and in rational existence as well as emotional.’ Thank God that our God is the God of the ordinary as well as the extraordinary.
John Briggs
26th November 2025
Do you ever shout at the television? Of course you don’t! However, I’m afraid I do. I know there’s no point, but it relieves my feelings. What provokes this futile reaction is usually when I turn on the television to watch a particular programme only to be told to watch something else on iPlayer NOW. […]
21st November 2025
A few years ago when Merry and I were walking through a street market in Bangladesh, I screwed up my courage to attempt to haggle over the price of oranges. The sum asked of me, though undoubtedly higher than anything asked of a local, was very cheap by European standards, but I thought I should […]
14th November 2025
Younger members of our extended family rather like the idea that we have our very own “whomping willow” tree in the garden. This tree in J. K. Rowlings’ Harry Potter books is sentient and might attack you! On a windy day, as the … well … willowy… branches dance around, it’s not hard to see […]
12th November 2025
During this past weekend we had the pleasure of attending the wedding celebration of my schoolfriend Ian. Ian met his first wife at Tyndale; he came along with me and Jackie came with Jan Smith (now Kuhn). Jackie died at a shockingly early age. So here he was marrying the lovely Sue with the support […]
7th November 2025
If you think the rate of technological change is ever-increasing, then you are not alone. We had a technology conference at work this week and one of the recurring themes was AI – “Artificial Intelligence”. It was good to get past the media hype and listen to those working in the industry. The most insightful […]
5th November 2025
So there will be a public inquiry into Orgreave chaired by the Bishop of Sheffield. FORTY years ago, striking miners tried to picket Orgreave coke plant (fuel not drugs!!) near Barnsley and police brought in from the whole country tried to stop them. A pitched battle ensued with arrests and trials for affray etc and […]
29th October 2025
The royal visit to Rome last week was welcome. The pictures of Pope Leo and King Charles, Supreme Governor of the (Protestant) Church of England, praying together was a symbol of the overcoming of historic estrangements in a world where disunity and hostilities are all too evident or actually deepening. But there’s a slightly amusing […]
24th October 2025
When I was at school I was very fortunate. We had an assembly each morning which included a Bible reading, a hymn and the chanting of a Psalm. Once a week it was the ‘School Psalm’ – Psalm 121. Why that particular Psalm was chosen I never discovered. Nevertheless I think it was a good […]
22nd October 2025
MORE ON ANGELS. Angels feature rather more in Scripture than in Baptist thinking, but most of our Christmas carols feature the agency of angels, who fulfil a number of roles: But the work of angels in Christian history is less easily identified. Here Hebrews 13,2-3 is helpful: ‘Do not neglect to show hospitality; by doing […]