Martyn Whittock

• 

  The Temple epicentre of conflict

  The destruction of the Temple in AD 70 also impacted on the way in which the conflict leading to the events of Easter was emphasised in the emerging Christian community and its foundational documents.

• 

  The legacy of Lord Shaftesbury - and a mis-named statue in London's Piccadilly Circus

  How a mis-named "statue of Romantic Love" in London's Piccadilly Circus is actually a reminder of an extraordinary Christian reformer.

• 

  The triumph of medieval Spain's Catholic monarchs over Islam

  In January 1492 – the same year that Columbus was landing in the New World – a momentous event was happening in the Old World.

• 

  800 years of the traditional Nativity scene

  The way that Christmas is traditionally portrayed owes a lot to St Francis of Assisi.

• 

  The first Christians in North America

  The Icelandic sagas tell the story of hardy Christians who took their faith with them across the seas.

• 

  The 'other Reformation'

  The Swiss model was radical in its impact but did not fundamentally disturb the economic status quo. However, there were others who felt that the challenge to the Catholic Church was only the start of a much more radical reordering of society. Their version of the Reformation is often forgotten.

• 

  The battle for the creeds

  The early debates over doctrine were crucial in the history of Christianity and have framed Christian understanding and discussion ever since.

• 

  The Baptist preacher on Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth

  Most people in the UK today will not previously have heard of John Chilembwe, but his history is intimately intertwined with that of British colonial rule in Africa and, also, with the impact of the First World War on that continent and its peoples.

• 

  John Nelson Darby: the man who popularised dispensationalism

  John Nelson Darby is known as the 'father of dispensationalism' but others helped to forge this theological framework of salvation history.

• 

  What we can learn about the early church from Pliny the Younger

  Writings from the suspicious Pliny are an important source in understanding what the early church was like.

• 

  What do Old Testament kings, the title of Christ, and the most sacred part of the coronation service have in common?

  The answer, of course, is anointing with oil.

• 

  Why is the coronation service set within the order of the Eucharist?

  In many ways, it is Communion, rather than crowns, that is the most important and counter-cultural aspect of the coronation service. That is a very challenging message.