Mark Woods

• Christchurch and Genesis 4: The pathway to evil

  We don't know what led the Christchurch killer to do what he did. At one level it's important to find out; at another, not so much.

• It's Ash Wednesday – and what I'm giving up for Lent is none of your business

  There's a lot to be said for keeping Lent in such a way that no one knows you're doing it at all.

• As a new poll claims to show widespread support, what's wrong with assisted dying?

  Where's the drama in someone saying, 'Actually, I think I'll just let nature take its course'?

• Same-sex marriage, Romans 14 and the Lambeth Conference

  Just how toxic things are capable of getting, when the Lambeth Conference is still a year away, was seen only this week.

• The unexpected challenge of the Parable of the Pounds

  Every so often, a new look at an old story opens our eyes to a new meaning.

• Why has this verse replaced John 3:16 as most popular on social media?

  John 3:16 deals with the profoundest mysteries of the faith, with life and death, a bloody sacrifice and an eternal hope. It calls for a response, an existential choice between light and darkness.

• 'The 21': The story of the Coptic Christian martyrs

  Exactly four years ago, on a beach in Libya on February 15, 2015, 21 orange-clad men were beheaded by fighters of Islamic State.

• Just how guilty is Islamic State bride Shamima Begum?

  There is, indeed, a case for saying that young people of a certain age are not really responsible for their actions.

• Happy #DarwinDay: How to read the Bible and not worry about evolution

  I suspect that Christians cling to creationism despite the evidence because they believe rejecting it means rejecting the Bible.

• Why calling Liam Neeson a racist is just avoiding the issue

  The one uncontroversial thing to say about the Liam Neeson interview is that he probably wishes he'd never given it.

• #NationalComplimentDay: Why it's not as easy as it sounds

  The world is full of short-tempered people, angry at things they read or hear, or that their day hasn't gone well. What better way to spread a little sweetness and light?

• What's wrong with Jordan Peterson? 12 Rules for Life, and why they aren't

  Generally speaking, Peterson is loathed by liberals and loved by conservatives – including and especially Christian conservatives.