Neil Brighton
@neilbrighton.bsky.social
Baptist minister (UK), trustee. Lived briefly in Perú. Interested in theology, missiology, current affairs, finance (esp related to pensions). Spends too much time on social media.
With budget coming up there's talk of tax rises. But what if the Chancellor also included sweeping reforms to make the system better & which had broad support from experts across the spectrum.
If she is going to break her manifesto pledges, she might as well go big. Her legacy might be positive.
If she is going to break her manifesto pledges, she might as well go big. Her legacy might be positive.
🏦 Economists don't agree on much, but one thing most will say is that the UK tax system needs improvement.
In a new joint @centaxuk.bsky.social paper, experts from across the political spectrum look at reforms to make the system fairer.
In a new joint @centaxuk.bsky.social paper, experts from across the political spectrum look at reforms to make the system fairer.
November 5, 2025 at 12:27 PM
With budget coming up there's talk of tax rises. But what if the Chancellor also included sweeping reforms to make the system better & which had broad support from experts across the spectrum.
If she is going to break her manifesto pledges, she might as well go big. Her legacy might be positive.
If she is going to break her manifesto pledges, she might as well go big. Her legacy might be positive.
Read the link and then the comments. There's hope for humanity yet.
October 11, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Read the link and then the comments. There's hope for humanity yet.
Reposted by Neil Brighton
A French lemonade from 1651
August 8, 2025 at 1:30 PM
A French lemonade from 1651
Reposted by Neil Brighton
Sad to hear Walter Brueggemann has died. News comes from biographer Conrad Kanagy (his book on Brueggemann: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/review-and...). I've read numerous Brueggemann books & learned a lot. Glad I got to meet him several years ago.
June 5, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Sad to hear Walter Brueggemann has died. News comes from biographer Conrad Kanagy (his book on Brueggemann: publicwitness.wordandway.org/p/review-and...). I've read numerous Brueggemann books & learned a lot. Glad I got to meet him several years ago.
Redefining 'messy' church
I mean, that's a lot of donkeys at one service.
May 24, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Redefining 'messy' church
Reposted by Neil Brighton
Once upon a time, 1963ish, Ladybird embarked on a grand new project: the ‘Peter and Jane’ reading scheme.
Artist Harry Wingfield illustrated the first books.
Amazingly, the girl who posed for those first books got in touch with me.
Here she is: meet Jackie Stanley (aka Jane)
Artist Harry Wingfield illustrated the first books.
Amazingly, the girl who posed for those first books got in touch with me.
Here she is: meet Jackie Stanley (aka Jane)
May 24, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Once upon a time, 1963ish, Ladybird embarked on a grand new project: the ‘Peter and Jane’ reading scheme.
Artist Harry Wingfield illustrated the first books.
Amazingly, the girl who posed for those first books got in touch with me.
Here she is: meet Jackie Stanley (aka Jane)
Artist Harry Wingfield illustrated the first books.
Amazingly, the girl who posed for those first books got in touch with me.
Here she is: meet Jackie Stanley (aka Jane)
Reposted by Neil Brighton
Wonder if Qatar are gifting the “palace in the sky” aircraft to Trump like a fancy new printer, and Trump will then be beholden to Qatar for increasingly expensive oddly shaped fuel cartridges.
May 11, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Wonder if Qatar are gifting the “palace in the sky” aircraft to Trump like a fancy new printer, and Trump will then be beholden to Qatar for increasingly expensive oddly shaped fuel cartridges.
Reposted by Neil Brighton
Samuel Escobar, Latin American theologian and missions leader, dies at 90: Samuel Escobar Aguirre, a leading Peruvian theologian, missiologist and Bible scholar, died April 28 at the age of 90. Born in Arequipa, Peru, in 1934, Escobar devoted his life to serving the church and advancing theological…
Samuel Escobar, Latin American theologian and missions leader, dies at 90
Samuel Escobar Aguirre, a leading Peruvian theologian, missiologist and Bible scholar, died April 28 at the age of 90. Born in Arequipa, Peru, in 1934, Escobar devoted his life to serving the church and advancing theological reflection from a distinctly Latin American perspective. He became one of the most influential voices in the global evangelical movement, helping to shape the emergence of Latin American Evangelical Theology by offering a contextualized vision of Christian faith amid the con
dlvr.it
April 29, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Samuel Escobar, Latin American theologian and missions leader, dies at 90: Samuel Escobar Aguirre, a leading Peruvian theologian, missiologist and Bible scholar, died April 28 at the age of 90. Born in Arequipa, Peru, in 1934, Escobar devoted his life to serving the church and advancing theological…
Reposted by Neil Brighton
If you know, you know
April 21, 2025 at 8:19 AM
If you know, you know
Reposted by Neil Brighton
For those of you who don't know, Private Eye runs a regular feature showing suboptimal advertising placements in online media.
Some corkers in the current edition.
@privateeyenews.bsky.social
#Malgorithms
Some corkers in the current edition.
@privateeyenews.bsky.social
#Malgorithms
April 20, 2025 at 1:04 PM
For those of you who don't know, Private Eye runs a regular feature showing suboptimal advertising placements in online media.
Some corkers in the current edition.
@privateeyenews.bsky.social
#Malgorithms
Some corkers in the current edition.
@privateeyenews.bsky.social
#Malgorithms
It looks as if Democrats have understood a rationale for tariffs (protecting domestic jobs etc) but also recognise overall they don't actually work because higher prices, reduced economy, unintended consequences hurt everyone.
Republicans look like they have no idea but want to 'follow my leader'
Republicans look like they have no idea but want to 'follow my leader'
Democrats think tariffs help American workers but don’t support them because of higher prices.
Republicans think tariffs *don’t* help American workers, but support them anyway.
God knows what anyone is supposed to do with that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Republicans think tariffs *don’t* help American workers, but support them anyway.
God knows what anyone is supposed to do with that ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
March 13, 2025 at 11:50 AM
It looks as if Democrats have understood a rationale for tariffs (protecting domestic jobs etc) but also recognise overall they don't actually work because higher prices, reduced economy, unintended consequences hurt everyone.
Republicans look like they have no idea but want to 'follow my leader'
Republicans look like they have no idea but want to 'follow my leader'
Reposted by Neil Brighton
So the Telegraph has a feature on the Exclusive Brethren which seems to borrow rather a lot from this (outstanding, in my view) New Statesman cover story by my amazing colleague Pippa Bailey.
If you fancy reading the original (and much better) source material...
www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2...
If you fancy reading the original (and much better) source material...
www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2...
Escaping Eden
For those who leave the Exclusive Brethren sect, separation comes at great personal cost.
www.newstatesman.com
March 10, 2025 at 5:14 PM
So the Telegraph has a feature on the Exclusive Brethren which seems to borrow rather a lot from this (outstanding, in my view) New Statesman cover story by my amazing colleague Pippa Bailey.
If you fancy reading the original (and much better) source material...
www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2...
If you fancy reading the original (and much better) source material...
www.newstatesman.com/long-reads/2...
That would be a really interesting bit of research. It seems clear to me that there is significant influence, but there are also some important differences. Nevertheless it often seems that it is the more malign aspects are the ones that cross the pond.
I’m saying it again… there’s a PhD to be done in tracing the influence of US evangelical culture to the UK.
So much of recent work by @kkdumez.bsky.social @bethallisonbarr.bsky.social @drleahpayne.bsky.social resonates with UK experience.
Who is up for it?!
So much of recent work by @kkdumez.bsky.social @bethallisonbarr.bsky.social @drleahpayne.bsky.social resonates with UK experience.
Who is up for it?!
March 6, 2025 at 9:39 PM
That would be a really interesting bit of research. It seems clear to me that there is significant influence, but there are also some important differences. Nevertheless it often seems that it is the more malign aspects are the ones that cross the pond.
History doesn't repeat itself but it rhymes
March 4, 2025 at 9:25 AM
History doesn't repeat itself but it rhymes
Trump's view roughly translates as he (Zelensky) can come back when he's prepared to sell out his country so that the US can make some money and do a deal with Putin. Trump thought doing a deal would be easy & is frustrated that it's hard, plus it requires mastering complexity and nuance.
March 1, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Trump's view roughly translates as he (Zelensky) can come back when he's prepared to sell out his country so that the US can make some money and do a deal with Putin. Trump thought doing a deal would be easy & is frustrated that it's hard, plus it requires mastering complexity and nuance.
IMO Starmer was right yesterday to do the charm Trump stuff; but today's meeting btwn Trump and Zelenski shows that the reality is that the US can't be trusted, is being led by a shameful (probably ill) man-child, whose actions will trash the US and endanger others around the world.
February 28, 2025 at 6:29 PM
IMO Starmer was right yesterday to do the charm Trump stuff; but today's meeting btwn Trump and Zelenski shows that the reality is that the US can't be trusted, is being led by a shameful (probably ill) man-child, whose actions will trash the US and endanger others around the world.
A small clerical error
Citigroup credited client’s account with $81tn before error spotted
Citigroup credited client’s account with $81tn before error spotted
US bank meant to send $280 but no funds were transferred despite ‘fat finger’ mistake
The US bank Citigroup credited a client’s account with $81tn when it meant to send $280 – before the “fat finger” error was caught.
The mistake was spotted only after…
www.theguardian.com
February 28, 2025 at 12:42 PM
A small clerical error
Any normal political party would kick out a politician who lied and behaved with this callous disregard for their country or its allies. But here we have POTUS acting as the PR department for an adversarial state. And no pushback. The US has gone off the rails.
Trump goes after President Zelenskyy of Ukraine...Turning a relationship with this foreign nation upside down.
February 19, 2025 at 6:15 PM
Any normal political party would kick out a politician who lied and behaved with this callous disregard for their country or its allies. But here we have POTUS acting as the PR department for an adversarial state. And no pushback. The US has gone off the rails.
Reposted by Neil Brighton
A number of prominent UK Conservatives' statements about Donald Trump resemble one of those news stories that begins with a magazine feature about a new age mystic who believes he can talk to bears and ends with a newspaper article about a new age mystic being mauled to death by bears.
February 19, 2025 at 11:56 AM
A number of prominent UK Conservatives' statements about Donald Trump resemble one of those news stories that begins with a magazine feature about a new age mystic who believes he can talk to bears and ends with a newspaper article about a new age mystic being mauled to death by bears.
Reposted by Neil Brighton
Pretty disturbed by some of the Kremlin framing on the Trump talks being bought by parts of the media worldwide. It’s as if the genesis of the war is entirely forgotten. This isn’t a conflict which needs mediation. It was an unprovoked act of aggression. It could end tomorrow if Putin just withdrew.
February 18, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Pretty disturbed by some of the Kremlin framing on the Trump talks being bought by parts of the media worldwide. It’s as if the genesis of the war is entirely forgotten. This isn’t a conflict which needs mediation. It was an unprovoked act of aggression. It could end tomorrow if Putin just withdrew.
Reposted by Neil Brighton
President Trump and Elon Musk’s efforts to shake up the US government are providing a lesson in how not to reform the state www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/trum...
Donald Trump and Elon Musk are showing how not to go about government reform | Institute for Government
Would-be government reformers would be wise to reject the Trump/Musk approach.
www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk
February 13, 2025 at 12:04 PM
President Trump and Elon Musk’s efforts to shake up the US government are providing a lesson in how not to reform the state www.instituteforgovernment.org.uk/comment/trum...
Reposted by Neil Brighton
Pope backs Rory Stewart in his showdown with J D Vance >>
MAJOR BREAKING: Pope Francis has written a letter to US Bishops saying he’s following “major crisis” of “mass deportations;” takes on Vance saying “The true ordo amoris that must be promoted is that which we discover by meditating constantly on the parable of the “Good Samaritan”
February 11, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Pope backs Rory Stewart in his showdown with J D Vance >>
Hmmm....
An unbuilt highway. A river crossing without a bridge. A botched subway plan.
How Peru's political disfunction turned Lima's new airport into a disaster
How Peru's political disfunction turned Lima's new airport into a disaster
Nice Airport, If You Can Get to It: No Subway, No Highway, No Bridge
Head-scratching blunders at the Jorge Chavez International Airport in Lima are the painful fallout from Peru’s relentless political turbulence.
www.bloomberg.com
February 7, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Hmmm....
Reposted by Neil Brighton
If I told you that the Bank of England upgraded its growth forecasts yesterday, would you believe me?
It did....
i HAvE nOt gOne CRazY - honest
This is a hill I am prepared to die on - the BoE and others (all central banks, IMF, OECD etc etc) report their "forecasts" in a terrible way
🧵
It did....
i HAvE nOt gOne CRazY - honest
This is a hill I am prepared to die on - the BoE and others (all central banks, IMF, OECD etc etc) report their "forecasts" in a terrible way
🧵
February 7, 2025 at 1:32 PM
If I told you that the Bank of England upgraded its growth forecasts yesterday, would you believe me?
It did....
i HAvE nOt gOne CRazY - honest
This is a hill I am prepared to die on - the BoE and others (all central banks, IMF, OECD etc etc) report their "forecasts" in a terrible way
🧵
It did....
i HAvE nOt gOne CRazY - honest
This is a hill I am prepared to die on - the BoE and others (all central banks, IMF, OECD etc etc) report their "forecasts" in a terrible way
🧵