In 1945 several men fled to Christ in the face of the enormity of their sin. Major Henry Gerecke, a Lutheran army chaplain had been appointed to the accused at Nuremberg. His work was recorded by F T Grossmith in his book The Cross and the Swastika.
Continue readingFaith
Unto us a child is born
At this time of year we, in the West, have remembered the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem. Many in the Eastern church have yet to arrive at their day of remembrance, but whether West or East whilst it is good to remember his day it is better to remember what he said when he came into the world:
Continue readingFear men?
Having come across Perkins in relation to the Creed, Coco noticed the following words:
Continue readingLastly, whereas wee haue learned that the soule of man is immortall, wee are hereby taught to take more care for the soule, then for the bodie. For it can not be extinguished. When it is condemned, euen then it is alwaies in dying, and can neuer die. But, alas, in this point the case is flat contrarie in the worlde: for men will labour all their life long to get for the bodie, but for the soule they care little or nothing at all, chuse it whether it sinke or swimme, goe to heauen or to hell, they looke not to it. This doth appeare to be true, by the practise and behaui|our of men on the Lordes day: for if the nomber of those which come to heare Gods worde, were compared with those which runne about their worldly wealth and pleasure, I feare me the better sort would be found to be but a little handfull to a huge heape, or as a droppe to the Ocean sea, in respect of the other. But wilt thou goe an hundred myle for the encrease of thy wealth, and delight of thy bodie? then think it not much to go ten thousand miles (if neede were) to take any paines for the good of thy soule, and to get foode for the same.
He descended into hell
It was asked the question of one of you, dear readers, what He descended into hell means.
Continue readingXmas treats?
Whilst, in the words from the article, LICC is not ‘automatically aligned with [Coco’s] opinions1‘ this is an interesting article from the London Institute of Contemporary Christianity.
Not on our side: Christmas and the danger of co-opting Jesus
Continue readingGnats and camels
It was an amusing tale in the published by the BBC Council’s clean-up warning for St George’s crosses but also the co-incidence with an article published by the LICC that prompted Coco. We do so easily see the gnat, but fail to notice that there is a camel in our beaker of notoriously middle-class or upwardly-mobile freshly ground and brewed, steamed, iced, skinny, but extra hot, caramel latté (Coco’s judgement on that drink: ☹).
Continue readingProtected: East Hill
A song for August 2025
The dew this evening fell
To refresh the ground again.
We thought it would be well
And remembered then the pain.
The pain of leaving home,
Of walking in a strange place,
But freedom then to roam
Gave to pain a new brand face.
Each day we walk uncertainly,
Not knowing of the end,
But the God of grace and mercy
Knows well how to defend.
He saw the world before it was
And knew how it would be.
And yet he made it all because
Of love for you and me.
The pain that we all feel
For the wrongs that we have done
Though grievous to his soul
Yet for it he would atone.
There on the Roman cross
His blood for the world was shed.
It was for him no loss –
Let us now by him be led!
Another year has passed away,
Another now employ.
May you know joy and peace alway
In him without alloy.
The sons of God
One writer comments that in Genesis 6:1–4, the reader encounters one of the most challenging passages in all of Scripture to interpret. In this article Coco seeks to challenge that thesis by pleading that a plain reading of the text is all that is required.
There are several articles available on the internet explaining who the sons of God are of whom Moses makes mention in Genesis 6. Two of these may be found here:
https://equip.sbts.edu/article/who-are-the-sons-of-god-daughters-of-man-and-nephilim
Who Are the Sons of God, Daughters of Man, and Nephilim? By Mitchell L. Chase
Augsburg
Poker anyone
As one who only knows one thing about poker, that it was the second thing a cowboy did after he had entered the bar, I have heard it said that it is quite unlike any other card game. In any other game, if you don’t know how to play, you can still play. In poker, if you don’t know how to play, don’t.
That was the situation in Augsburg. It has been repeated many times since in different contexts, perhaps famously when one nation left an economic bloc it placed its cards face up on the table, and secondly more recently when a new president stretched out his arm to an old enemy – but that game is not yet over we must wait to see what the outcome is.
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