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We don’t need a ‘Christian alternative’ to Wordle
Veronica Zundel says it’s time to stop creating a ‘safe’ version of every cultural phenomenon
Women have always been central to the story of Christianity
Professors Joan Taylor and Helen Bond talk about the women they discovered when researching early Christianity, and the book that contains their findings, Women Remembered
Who says you have to pick friends your own age?
Alli Blair and Carley Serwat found an intergenerational connection enriched their lives in a way they could never have imagined…
‘The need to find love is universal’
Catherine Larner spoke to Lizzie Damilola Blackburn about breaking into commercial fiction with a Christian protagonist
Road Dance is a difficult watch with a powerful message for those who are forced to hide their shame
WW1 film Road Dance is a far cry from the sweet period drama writer Suzie Kennedy was expecting. Instead it told the powerful story of a woman terrified of judgement in the face of unspeakable trauma.
I’m a Christian actor and I have to tread carefully when I’m asked to play a Christian role
Christians are often portrayed as hypocritical, narrow-minded, and weird in TV and films. That’s why actor Tanya Wylie is careful before taking on characters with a faith.
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Some Christians aren’t keen on feminism, but I think fighting for women’s rights often doesn’t go far enough
While many have negative feelings towards the idea of feminism, specialist Belle Tindall argues that we usually fight for better opportunities for ourselves and the women around us but we should go much further.
Netflix’s documentary Our Father about Dr Donald Cline is deeply disturbing… especially for Christians
Fertility doctor Donald Cline, an elder at his church, inseminated hundreds of women in his care with his own sperm without their consent. And disturbingly, he quoted the Bible as justification.
Ncuti Gatwa is the new Dr Who - but does the Time Lord know his Lord and Saviour?
Ncuti Gatwa has been named the next Dr Who - the first black, gay man to be given the prestigious role. But is the young star a Christian and what is his faith like? Lauren Windle explores the Time Lord’s relationship with the Lord our God.
Pixar’s family film Turning Red encourages us to let it all out - but that can be a dangerous message
Disney Pixar’s new coming of age movie Turning Red explores many valuable and encouraging themes, but writer Rachel Hanna disagrees with one fundamental feature of the film.
‘Ok, we’re all a bit stunned that Will Smith hit Chris Rock but isn’t it time we stopped idolising celebrities?’
Suzie Kennedy says we put far too much pressure on famous faces to be perfect and thinks this might be a good time to question why we put them in place of God in our lives
Churches, don’t ditch the technology
In our rush to get back to ‘normal’, are we leaving behind the most vulnerable once again? Veronica Zundel asks
Will Smith slapped Chris Rock around the face then in the next breath thanked God for his Oscar… and we’re not sure what to make of it
As the UK wakes up to the bizarre reports of Will Smith’s violent outburst at the Oscars, writer Lauren Windle tries to make sense of the events and asks why he had to bring God into it?
A new generation is watching Friends thanks to Netflix, but should your teenager be one of them?
Friends is having a comeback as a whole new batch of teens follow the exploits of the six main characters. Here writer Lauren Windle, explains why she thinks you should let your older children watch it and why you should watch it with them too.
The film Belfast includes a damning portrayal of the Church but there are plenty of positives too
Northern Irish writer Rachel Hanna shares her thoughts on the award-winning film Belfast, that sees families struggle with the difficult choice between staying in a war-torn city or fleeing to unfamiliar and potentially hostile lands for safety.
Peace or Fear: Netflix’s ‘Sweet Magnolias’ reminds us of the choice we have when troubles come
When our world comes crumbling down around us, we can respond from a place of fear or, like the Sweet Magnolias a place of prayerful peace. Writer Lizzie Fraser explains how she felt watching the second series of the popular Netflix programme.
Worried you could get conned by a fake heiress or a ‘Tinder Swindler’? Here are the signs…
Chancers have taken centre stage with the release of Netflix’s Inventing Anna and the Tinder Swindler. Extiquette expert Lucy Challender reveals the things to look out for if you’re conerned you could be getting conned.
‘I’m in service to Christ’: Kanye West’s turbulent faith journey from arm’s length to all in
Award winning artist Kanye West is all over the news for his divorce, his manic social media rants and arguments and his three-part Netflix series. Here Lauren Windle explores his faith journey from refusing to ‘put his life in Jesus’ hands’ to declaring that his ‘job is to spread the Gospel’.
There is power in forgiveness
For the final feature in her series on living free, Candy Ellie lays bare the far-reaching impact of stress-induced emotion
A Romeo and Juliet love story
Ram and Sunita Gidoomal are from different castes (class systems), which meant those around them felt their relationship simply couldn’t work. They proved everyone wrong
When did parenting become a competitive sport?
In the month celebrating Mother’s Day, Veronica Zundel says it is time to stop competitive mothering
Conviction is the Holy Spirit’s job not US pastor Brian Sauvé’s who just told women to put more clothes on
American pastor Brian Sauvé sent Twitter into uproar with a post about how women dress on social media this week. Here Woman Alive’s editor Tola-Doll Fisher explains why she thinks he should be more focused on developing personal wisdom than telling others how to dress.
I think God would be more concerned by those who watched the Pamela Anderson sex tape than the couple who starred in it
After watching the new Disney+ series about the leaked Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee sex tape, writer Lauren Windle explains that the spotlight should not be on the famous couple, but on those who sought sexual gratification from their misfortune.
Netflix’s Tinder Swindler is a dating app cautionary tale and Christians aren’t exempt
The shocking documentary exposes a conman who manipulated women into giving him thousands. Writer Lauren Windle explains why it would be foolish for Christians not to heed the warning.
Love as a driving force
The Lady’s Mine is New York Times bestselling author Francine Rivers’ first novel for four years. Claire Musters finds out about the romantic fiction she wrote during lockdown
Dancing On Ice star and Paralympian Stef Reid speaks about reaching out to God in the wake of the accident
Paralympic long jump world record holder Stef Reid is braving the ice in ITV’s hit show, but it hasn’t all been glitz and glamour for the sportsperson who lost her leg in a boating accident at the age of 15
Ricky Gervais’ Netflix series After Life is crude and brutal but offers a stark reminder about caring for the bereft
Famously atheist, Ricky Gervais undoubtedly doesn’t believe in the ‘after life’ but his dry humour and raw honesty is a reminder that working through bereavement can be slow and agonising.
I’m a publisher and these are the ten books I can’t wait to read in 2022
Did you put ‘do more reading’ on your 2022 goals list? Well help is at hand as publisher and fiction writer Elizabeth Neep highlights the ten books she is eagerly anticipating this year.
Party or pray: Netflix’s Don’t Look Up divides people into two categories in the end times
Netflix’s star-studded film Don’t Look Up paints a grim picture of the human response to end times. But, despite the chaos, writer Lauren Windle was moved when the political satire included a touching tribute to God.
Regifting shouldn’t be controversial, it should be celebrated
Got a present you aren’t going to use? Writer Lauren Windle explains why she thinks we should all be giving unwanted gifts a ‘second life’.
As Billie Eilish speaks out about the dangers of porn, the church needs to realise lust isn’t just a ‘male problem’
Billie Eilish offers an important reminder that it’s not just men who are affected by porn, it’s women too. Lauren Windle explores what the church can do about it.
As deaf dancer Rose Ayling-Ellis wins Strictly, we explore why hearing people need to help deaf people to be heard
The Strictly Come Dancing final 2021 was an historic moment in television, and it was especially significant for the deaf community. Deaf actress Rose Ayling-Ellis and her professional dance partner Giovanni Pernice defied all expectations by winning the trophy on the night, and they deserved every inch of the glitterball!
A Big problem: Allegations about Sex and the City’s Chris Noth do so much more than taint the show’s revamp
Following the release of And Just Like That, two women have come forward with allegations of sexual assault against actor Chris Noth, aka Mr Big. Writer Lauren Windle discusses what this means for the alleged victims and the show
All the best Christmas TV to look forward to over the winter holiday
Everyone knows the TV bosses up their game over the festive period in a bid to get our attention, here’s Lauren Windle’s round up of the best telly on offer this Christmas.
I watched Sex And The City before I was a Christian… the first time
The Sex And The City reboot And Just Like That sees the writers ‘up the ante’ to keep present day viewers on their toes, pushing the already sexually expressive characters to their limits. Writer Lauren Windle asks, if we need to ramp up the old classic, or if it was already shocking enough.
Why Christians should think twice before buying fast fashion
Don’t end up on Santa’s (or God’s) naughty list by buying cheap fashion items from disreputable brands this Christmas, warns marketing executive and affordable fashion fan Cynthia Ajayi.
If I’ve had my Christmas decorations up since mid-November, am I a bad Christian?
Yesterday was the official start of advent, which means Christmas trees and fairy lights will be going up all over the place, but what if the festive season started in your house weeks ago? Does going big on the tinsel make you a bad Christian?
Giving thanks this Thanksgiving
The woman behind the popular Woman Alive Book Club, Amy Boucher Pye, is an American living in England. Here she shares her memories of Thanksgiving, and encourages us all to take some time today to think about the things we can be grateful to God for
‘Idols aren’t just inanimate objects. Mine was a garden’
Holly Satterthwaite shares how identifying and killing the idols in our lives puts God back in the driving seat and makes us better witnesses of Christ’s love
‘As far as I was concerned, affairs were for characters in soaps and films, not Christian marriages!’
Babs Bray felt great compassion for Alice Evans when the news of husband Ioan Gruffudd’s alleged infidelity broke. Despite Babs’s heartbreak after her ex-husband’s affair came to light, she was determined to forgive her ex and do the right thing
Why do Christians think Jesus was white?
The Nazis and Hollywood may have played a significant part in perpetuating the white Jesus myth, but it’s up to us all to reclaim his true Jewish identity, argues Victoria Omotoso
‘There is always light at the end of the tunnel,’ says supermodel Bella Hadid
With Bella Hadid candidly sharing her mental health struggles on social media, Helen Roberts looks at the devastating effects the comparison trap can have on us all
“Praise the Lord” declares Britney Spears as her newfound freedom begins
Britney’s prayers may have finally been answered as a judge puts an end to her father’s conservatorship, but Rachel Pearce questions whether the popstar is truly free
‘Time is running out at COP26’
Alice Corrie, technical and communications officer for Climate Stewards, spent this week at the climate summit – and is more convinced than ever that much of the change needed will have to come from us
‘No Blacks, no Jews, no women above the fourth floor’: Why, despite its shocking characters I’m still watching this hit US TV show
Succession has just been renewed for a fourth season and everyone is talking about it. Our editor Tola-Doll Fisher unpicks why she finds it so compelling
Young people really do want us to talk to them about sex
Rachel Gardner urges us to get over our embarrassment and fear of saying the wrong thing, because we have a vital role in helping to shape young people’s attitudes towards relationships and sex
Why we walked to Glasgow ahead of COP26
Would you walk 1,200 miles to get people talking about the environmental and financial implications of climate change? That’s exactly what Rachel Mander and a team from Young Christian Climate Network (YCCN) did ahead of the all-important Glasgow summit
How will your household be affected by Rishi Sunak’s new Budget?
Whether you earn the national living wage or are a higher-rate taxpayer, the Budget will undoubtedly affect your household’s finances. Here are some of the key Budget changes, along with tips for making your money go a little further
Spiking: we need to stop it!
Restored’s Bekah Legg responds to the worrying news that girls are being spiked via injections in nightclubs across the UK
‘Music has been a sustaining force for black people throughout history’
As part of Black History Month, singer Dawn Thomas reflects on her own history, the impact her parents had on her life, and the message of hope she wants to bring others through her music
Your children should not be watching Squid Game – I’m 33 and I don’t know if I’m old enough
Lauren Windle shines the spotlight on Netflix’s new, extremely popular, show
‘Violence against women is a chronic situation that must be rejected’
Hannah Baylor says it is time for ‘women to claim their worth’ and ‘men to challenge and change their own, and other men’s, behaviour’
Sexual soul ties are real - and dangerous
The time of year when singles rush to couple up ahead of winter – known as ‘cuffing’ – is upon us. However, Candy-Ellie Graham warns us that it isn’t worth cuddling up to just anyone
What it means to be black British
TV and radio personality Diane Louise Jordan talked to Jeannette McCarthy about her new project The Making of Black Britain
Women as God intended
Author Michele Guinness tells Clare Blake that women have come a long way, but we still do not enjoy true equality
‘The default is white British, and everything else is different and other’
Author Chine McDonald spoke to Rachel Pearce about her new book, God Is Not A White Man: And Other Revelations
The dos and don’ts of dating, according to four famous Bond girls
With the latest Bond film, No Time to Die, out on 30th September, Rachel Pearce looks to her favourite Bond girls for some hot dating tips… For Your Eyes Only!
Can Dan Walker nail the dreaded paso doble to win this year’s Strictly Come Dancing?
As the contestants take to the dancefloor live for the first time this Saturday, Lauren Windle explores what Strictly contestant Dan Walker can learn from his sashaying predecessors of faith
Could a Christian go on Married at First Sight?
Lauren Windle questions whether Christian contestants could appear on this controversial reality TV show without compromising their faith
Five ways to prepare your wardrobe for autumn-winter 2021
With London Fashion Week finally underway, fashionista and YouTube influencer Cynthia Ajayi encourages us to get prepared for the coming season
Will Love Island’s Molly-Mae Hague hold Pretty Little Thing to account?
Lauren Windle believes Molly-Mae’s new job raises questions for Christians who love fashion
Who’s protecting our kids?
Restored director Bekah Legg believes parents have a pivotal part to play in protecting young people from physical and online abuse
‘Let’s stop treating suicide as a crime or sin’
Having lost her son to suicide, Jill Baker marks World Suicide Prevention Day (10 September) by placing a lit candle in a window. She invites us to join her, and to reflect on the way we talk about suicide and support those around us who are struggling. She believes we can do better.
It’s time the government started protecting children from porn
CARE chief executive Nola Leach calls for age-check porn legislation
Pen Farthing: new Noah or new level of selfish?
Some animal lovers were delighted when Pen Farthing chartered a private plane to rescue 94 dogs and 74 cats from Afghanistan, but Rachel Pearce questions whether prioritising animals over humans is hugely heroic or incredibly selfish
Misogyny, hate crimes and terrorism: terminology matters
The language we use about violence against women matters, says Bekah Legg, who urges us to use our words carefully to combat a growing culture of misogyny and rape
Are you brave enough to take on the ‘Shack Challenge’?
Global Care is looking for volunteers to take part in its ‘Shack Supper’ and ‘Shack Shelter’ challenges. Could you take on one…or both?
Why we need more God-centred media for young people
As the summer holidays are in full swing, and churches are welcoming back their congregations, Sally Tate introduces RaiseUp, a new initiative providing a wealth of resources
Opening up spaces to talk
The topic of gendered violence and gendered inequality is complex and emotive but one young woman, Natasha Eeles, has made it her mission to challenge and change it.
G7: we needed more actionable steps
Lovely Chavan from the Young Christian Climate Network believes the G7 talked about many vital issues, but didn’t provide a clear explanation on what happens next
‘World leaders must stop reiterating empty promises’
Rachel Mander from the Young Christian Climate Network reflects on the recent G7 summit in Cornwall
Why take care of the earth?
Avery Foley, from Answers in Genesis, explains that when God is the focus of our lives, we should naturally want to care for the earth he created.
Pursuing racial justice
On this, the one-year anniversary of the death of George Floyd, the US national prayer director for 24-7 Prayer, Lisa Koons, reflects on the racial justice movement born in the wake of his death and the teaching of Jesus about the pursuit of justice.
On the ground in Israel
Elizabeth Atteih is based in Haifa, where her husband is pastor of their church. Here she describes what life was like during the latest escalation of the conflict between Israel and Palestine – and how she feels about the current cease fire.
A momentous week
Chine McDonald shares her thoughts on what the events of this week mean for the conversation about racial justice both in the UK and around the world.
'Christians Must Hold Toxic Media Accountable when it comes to mental health'
Piers Morgan, famous for controversial media commentary, shared his thoughts on Oprah’s interview with Meghan Markle and Prince Harry yesterday. Here's what Macaila Britton thinks
'The Queen’s faith should determine how she reacts to the Meghan and Harry interview'
Millions of people are thought to have tuned in to watch the interview with Oprah last night. Here's why Lauren Windle thinks a response should come from the Royal Family themselves and not their PR team
Why Harry and Meghan’s baby news gives us all hope
As a news reader, Premier's Tola Mbakwe has been used to hearing and reporting on bad news almost every day during COVID-19. Here's why she thinks we should all be celebrating the latest from the royal family
Violence against Christians in Nigeria is spiralling out of control
In 2017 Amina was part of a group kidnapped by Muslim terrorists and held hostage for eight months. Five years before, the terrorists came to her home and slaughtered her husband. Premier reporter Tola Mbakwe spoke with Amina about her experience
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