Accidental Saints: Finding God in All the Wrong People - Richard Coles

We all know that saints are both dead and respectable. But St Paul called all the people of God the early church saints whether they were behaving in a saintly way or not. What if God is showing us the glory, the grace and the transformative love of his presence in the people who happen to be there, whether we like it - or them - or not? And what if we are called to be saints as well, and do the same for other people? This edited film of the event features Revd Richard Coles, presenter of BBC Radio 4’s Saturday Live and the only priest in the Church of England to have had a No 1 hit. Formerly a member of The Communards, he is now Vicar of Finedon, Northamptonshire and the author of the bestselling memoir Fathomless Riches: Or How I Went from Pop to Pulpit (W&N) and Lives of the Improbable Saints (DLT). Chaired by Canon Mark Oakley, part of the Adult Learning Programme. The film of Nadia Bolz-Weber is not available.

[@terrymott2816]

Beautiful message, raw and honest. Thank you.

[@mosog8829]

Mat 24:15 Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place PROPHESY FULFILLED

[@cornelia915]

Dear Paul Ryan, I see you continue to sharpen your bible to make a more effective weapon. God loves us all, brother. Not just the "perfect" ones.

[@michaelcaza-schonberger9282]

Hebrews 4:12, God’s Word is sharper than a two edged sword! None of us are perfect, however that doesn’t give us an excuse to sin! We must stay true to Scripture!

[@divadaedalus]

Michael Caza-Schonberger Proof texting can be a dangerous, unholy weapon.

[@williamoarlock8634]

'God' loves screwing us all over in that three-way 'perichoresis' of his.

[@FossilisedFishooks]

brother and sister? surely!

[@paulryan4566]

He comes across as self-centered and deeply inward-gazing. A man of God who rarely talks about God but prefers to entertain an audience. If there is a monster lurking in the deep recesses of the soul then you have to face it and deal with it. Pretending it is not there is just a state of denial. The role of a priest in God's church is to demonstrate grace and judgement as a human reflection of God's spiritual leadership over all creation. NBZ an

[@Isaac-ju8lx]

His point at the end about the monster in the locked chamber of the soul was that it may just be another window through which the light of god shines through, which you would be right about having to face it in order to find that out, but how could you find that out without gazing inward? If he bothered to share this insight, how would he be self centered about it?

[@kristophercoulston1854]

You seem so critical my friend. I hope you can look inward, identify the hate and judgment, and erase it according to the Word of God. Praying for you.

[@paulryan4566]

moreover, he fails to speak out against the obvious sins that displease God. I do not believe he will ever be able to reconcile his personal sexuality with the uncompromising truth of God's word.

[@edwardm1326]

Uncompromising words that have been mistranslated. Besides he didn’t choose to be gay. It’s like asking him to reconcile his kidneys or his ears. There’s nothing he can do about it.

[@captainswing4487]

I am certain God,s word is about universal Love rather than uncompromising truths.

[@paulryan4566]

d Coles, lean more towards grace. She comes from a place of hard reality. He does not.

[@paulryan4566]

moreover, he fails to speak out against the obvious sins that displease God. I

[@edwardm1326]

Like people who hate others for what they are rather than what they do?

[@mikelamatria3610]

War, economic exploration of the weak, crazy acumularon of wealth by a few, destruction of our planet in pursuing of profit, racism, growing inequality, poverty??? Or you refer to something related to that obsession of you, the just ones,...the genitals????