Seen elsewhere: Blair, Blessings and Beginnings

Superb meditation on Genesis 1 by Gary Alderson
This is a parody of their creation myth. And it's a challenge to it. This God is not to be compared to the scruffy random gods who create a universe through family squabbles. This is a God who, when he says it - it happens. Who really is in control. This is a God who creates a world that can be trusted to be coherent, consistent, understandable - and above all - good.

Thinking Anglicans draws attention to the anomaly in who Church of England clergy are obliged to marry, and not marry. Here's a bit of it:
Thus we find ourselves in the curious position whereby Church of England clergy (i) are under a legally enforceable duty to solemnise the matrimony of atheists, non-believers and adherents of other faiths; (ii) have a statutory discretion to refuse to marry divorcées, transgendered and certain others exercisable in accordance with their conscience irrespective of the religious beliefs and affiliations of the couple; and (iii) are canonically prohibited from conducting a service of blessing following the registration of a civil partnership. Ironically, devout Christians in the latter category are denied the ministrations of the Church by way of a blessing whereas Muslims, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jews and non-believer couples can compel the use Church of England rites and liturgy and the ministrations of its clergy. The pastoral damage which might result from this mixed message cannot be adequately explained away as an anomaly of the historic accident of establishment in a plural society.

Cranmer on Tony Blairs faith, 'tolerance' of other faiths, and how Blair is making up for lost time in 'doing God'.

If you'd like to stretch yourself, try this exam paper on the lyrics of modern Christian worship songs. Put down your coffee first in case you spill it.

Start the Week is back live after a summer break, lots of links and stories on mission and fresh expressions.

It seems you can now get credits for chatting to your mates on Facebook. Actually, there's a bit more to it than that, but Fuller seminary are now offering a module in Internet Evangelism and Cybermissions. Not entirely sure what I think about this.

Bruce Hood, the scientist behind the 'have we evolved to be religious?' story of the last few days, corrects a few things in the original news story.

staggering new Hubble Space Telescope pictures.