Volume 19.1

In this issue…

We carry another riveting personal story. Peter Riley tells what happened when, at the tender age of 28, he became CEO of a struggling felt-making company in Lancashire in the 1980s. An apparently hopeless situation was radically transformed because, in Peter’s words, ‘God turned up’ – using some ordinary yet extraordinary human agents. After a further period of decline under his successor, Anglo Felt is thriving again under Christian management.

The power and influence of the big internet companies, sometimes known as FANG (Facebook, Amazon, Netflix, Google), are increasingly coming under the spotlight. Stephen Doel gives a balanced assessment of their impact, for good and ill, before suggesting some creative Christian responses. The fact that, as we go to press, Facebook has been forced to make a public apology and has had millions wiped off its share value illustrates Stephen’s point that – invincible though these companies seem – their power doesn’t necessarily last for ever. Karen Blakeley offers a searching critique of one particular company, Amazon, in the course of advancing love as the only way to avoid making human beings mere instruments in doing others. How we ‘see’ others is all-important. A new book on Completing Capitalism reviewed by Jim Wright offers a similarly positive approach, evaluating capital in more than financial terms.

Nick Shepherd, recently appointed as Programme Director for Setting God’s People Free, explains this important report about empowering the laity. Its recommendations are now being implemented by the Church of England. Phil Jump weighs in with a typically thoughtful piece commenting on the wake of sexual harassment allegations in the workplace and making illuminating links with the issue of slavery.

Two ‘faith and work’ organisations, CABE (Christian Association of Business Executives) and Christians at Work, which have struggled of late, have taken the brave decision to close. We salute and thank them for many years of distinguished service in the past. But we rejoice at the emergence of new thriving organisations, especially outside the London area. So we carry articles about initiatives in two of England’s other major cities, Ministry2Business in Manchester and ChaplaincyPlus in Birmingham. Both hosted events to launch the book of Richard Higginson and Kina Robertshaw’s new book on Christian entrepreneurs, A Voice to be Heard, which is attracting a good deal of attention.