Ian Ellis

One familiar image of harvest is that of a tractor at work in a field

Ian Ellis: Harvest thanksgiving should never be an act of complacency

Ian Ellis: Peace should not be taken for granted amid border poll talk

Prime Minister Andy Burnham (left) alongside President Volodymyr Zelensky, during a commemorative ceremony marking Ukraine's 35th Independence Day outside St Sofia cathedral in Kyiv, Ukraine last month. The Prime Minister signalled the UK's continued support for the country under his administration

Ian Ellis: Events in Ukraine underscore importance of solidarity

The Supreme Court - in a November 2025 ruling on a case known as JR87 - framed the current RE syllabus as amounting to indoctrination

Ian Ellis: New era in RE would demand new steps from churches

President Trump has been accused of underestimating the Islamic Republic, imagining that he could dislodge the regime and claim a quick victory

Ian Ellis: Prayers for resolution to Iran conflict

Churches were instrumental in drawing up the current RE syllabus

Ian Ellis: Churches should keep close watch on new RE syllabus

King Charles III

Concerns raised after King's ‘Defender of the Faith’ title dropped

Irish prime minister Michéal Martin. The Republic has six month presidency of Council of the EU (Photo by Paul Faith / AFP via Getty Images)

Ian Ellis: Ireland takes the EU presidency at a time of global challenges

John Healey’s resignation demonstrated both the steadfastness of his commitment to the proper defence of the UK and his personal integrity

Ian Ellis: We must be told Russia defence plan

Hurdles can arise in many forms, from examination results to apprenticeship availability

Ian Ellis: NI craves strategy to meet needs of today's young people

The civil war in Sudan has led to the displacement of a reported 12 million citizens and devastating famine conditions

Ian Ellis: In time of war, churches have important roles to play

The damaged Unit Number 4 after the disaster at Chornobyl in April 1986

Ian Ellis: Significant advances in nuclear safety since Chornobyl disaster

US president Donald Trump issued far-reaching executive order concerning Cuba earlier this year

Ian Ellis: People of Cuba are facing a very precarious situation

The death and resurrection of Jesus tell the whole story of how God brings light out of darkness and hope out of despair

Ian Ellis: At Easter, reflect your faith in acts of kindness, mercy and love

As the number of older people increases exponentially so too does the demand for health services

Ian Ellis: State of NI’s health service an unnecessary worry for elderly

Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to proceed with a visit to China and have talks with president Xi at the end of January was met with differing views

Ian Ellis: PM right to maintain good relations with China
It has been an especially challenging time for prime minister Sir Keir Starmer as a result of the nauseating Mandelson debacle.
Ian Ellis

President Trump is a phenomenon, and his administration's approach can be expected to have lasting consequences

Ian Ellis: Global instability reminds us of importance of peace

Blue-green algae at Battery Harbour on Lough Neagh near Cookstown in Co Tyrone. The Lough Neagh environmental crisis will be a matter for continued and careful vigilance in 2026

Ian Ellis: Challenging year lies ahead for churches, NI and Europe

Letters to editor

Letter: The light of Christmas does indeed transform the darkness

Even a small light transforms darkness. If there is a power-cut, we all know that just one candle can help us get from one room to another in our homes

Ian Ellis: The light of Christ transforms the darkness at this time of year

The Supreme Court recently ruled that a Christian-focused religious education syllabus was unlawful

Ian Ellis: Communicating religious faith to children isn’t indoctrination

Supermarkets may be full in the West, but millions face food poverty around the world

Ian Ellis: Churches reflect on how they can help tackle world hunger

On the one hand the Union Flag is the flag of the UK, while on the other hand there is a very substantial part of Northern Ireland's population that does not identify as British

Ian Ellis: Let’s show consideration for each other, for sake of youth

Campaign marches and demonstrations have taken place across the UK demanding that Russia return Ukrainian children

Ian Ellis: Abduction of Ukrainian children is callous and unconscionable

US president Donald Trump’s state visit to the UK later this week has divided political opinion. For example, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has declined an invitation from the King to attend a state banquet in honour of Mr Trump. Sir Ed revealed he made the decision after having prayed about the matter. A politician talking about their faith causes squeamishness in the UK, whereas the opposite is the case in America, observes Ian Ellis

Ian Ellis: UK’s reticence over religion in politics is absent in Trump’s America

As children have been returning to school, Ian Ellis has been reminiscing

Ian Ellis: Back-to-school time throws up some fond memories

As Christian leaders, the bishops stress the importance of health care that attends to the whole person – body, mind, and spirit – with health care provision that supports “life in all its fullness”

Joint plea to save clinic from closure
Church of Ireland and Roman Catholic and Protestant bishops have joined voices in a bid to save an emergency hospital clinic from closure in Enniskillen.
Billy Kennedy

Irish language signage is to be installed later this year at Belfast's Grand Central Station, Stormont's Sinn Fein infrastructure minister has said

Ian Ellis: A language should not be politicised or foisted on people

US vice-president JD Vance is one prominent person from a Protestant background who has become a member of the Roman Catholic Church

Ian Ellis: Vance has provoked a deeper reflection on the subject of love

Sheila Nunan engaged over some 20 months with eight religious bodies to compile the report. It was published on April 8, 2025

Ian Ellis: Protestant lateral thinking may be needed over redress scheme

Researchers have found that churchgoers are more likely than non-churchgoers to report higher life satisfaction and a greater feeling of connection to their community

Ian Ellis: Society is at centre of cultural shift on faith and religion

Easter declares, to our surprise and joy, that life is so much greater than the sum of our days, so much greater than we may first imagine

Ian Ellis: Easter is all about faith – and life

The Oval Office spat between Presidents Volodymyr Zelensky and Donald Trump was shocking

Ian Ellis: Churches have role to play in restoring needed global trust

At a service following the inauguration of Donald Trump as US president, Episcopal Bishop of Washington Mariann Budde made a direct plea to the president from the pulpit to show mercy in particular to illegal immigrants and sexual minorities

Ian Ellis: Plea for unity is one every nation must heed

A key matter for Lord Murphy to consider is surely the effect on political morale and public sentiment in Northern Ireland of the glaring lack of cross-community support for the current trade arrangements

Ian Ellis: People don’t deserve ongoing acrimony over post-Brexit issue

On Christmas Day, Russia launched a fierce attack on Ukraine with missiles and more than a hundred attack drones

Ian Ellis: Champions of freedom should stand with Ukraine

Loneliness, which is often highlighted as a cause for concern at this time of the year because of Mary and Joseph's experience of trying to find accommodation in Bethlehem, is a great scourge

Ian Ellis: Christmas reminds us that there is always room for hope

Donald Trump ran a vigorous campaign, gathering such widespread support that, placed alongside his controversial background, seemed baffling to so many

Ian Ellis: Sense of healing needed in deeply divided US society

German president Frank-Walter Steinmeier has given speeches stressing the need to preserve democracy. Far-right party, Alternative for Germany (AfD), surged to become the second placed party in last June's European Union parliamentary elections

Ian Ellis: Extreme right-wing ideologies threaten to divide societies

Blue-green algae at Lough Neagh. People need to know the water they drink will be clean

Ian Ellis: The Season of Creation makes me think of Lough Neagh’s woes

Universities are huge institutions without which the world would be in great trouble. Without the knowledge and understanding that universities foster, everyday life could not continue as we know it, writes Ian Ellis

Ian Ellis: Serious challenges lie ahead in higher education

Although French President Emmanuel Macron’s party and right-leaning representatives were able to join together to re-elect a president of the National Assembly, this does not necessarily mean that the formation of an actual government is now within sight. The right-leaning representatives simply did not want anyone from the left to take the position, writes Ian Ellis

Ian Ellis: Escalating divisions in today’s world are deeply distressing

Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, seen here with Rishi Sunak, is the next Secretary General of Nato

Ian Ellis: Nato allies to meet with Nato-Ukraine Council next week

Ex-chief medical officer Dame Sally Davies has spoken movingly of how she lost her god-daughter - who had been born with cystic fibrosis - after she developed a bug that was resistant to treatment, leading to her death 18 months ago. Dame Sally said antimicrobial resistance (AMR) was now 'the third most important underlying cause of death across the world, after heart disease and stroke'

Ian Ellis: The global health challenge of antimicrobial resistance (AMR)

The Russian presidential election in March is generally regarded in the West as having been a sham because of the inability of opposition candidates to run free campaigns, writes Ian Ellis

Ian Ellis: We shouldn’t be cynical about our western democratic processes

Pilgrims carrying wooden crosses to Lindisfarne in Northumberland on Good Friday. Pilgrims walk to Lindisfarne, Northumberland on Good Friday. It’s both an island and not an island. I found a common purpose among those who were there, however much their motivations for coming may have varied. Photo: Jane Barlow/PA Wire

Ian Ellis: A refreshing religious and spiritual visit to Lindisfarne

The Smartphone Free Childhood organisation wants parents not to give their children smartphones until they are aged at least 14

Ian Ellis: Smartphones are a brilliant advance for humanity but come with perils

The CoI Bishops’ Appeal also supports projects away from the media spotlight where the needs are equally urgent and where climate change is having a devastating impact on the lives of millions of people

Church of Ireland thanks for Bishops’ Appeal support

Canon Ian M Ellis, who is a former editor of The Church of Ireland Gazette. Writing in today's News Letter, Canon Ellis observes that the theory of emotional intelligence reminds him of the biblical injunction to love one's neighbour as oneself

Ian Ellis: Emotional intelligence (EI) and its deeply religious parallels

Healing and restoration of the broken spirit, however achieved, bring us in fact to the heart of God, writes Ian Ellis

Ian Ellis: Easter tells us that there is truly everything to hope for

Republican Party presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at a primary election night party in South Carolina, which he won in his bid to get the party's nomination for the presidential election in November. Some 60% of Republican voters in that state identified themselves as evangelical white Christians (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Ian Ellis: Pro Trump evangelicals believe he will deliver their vision

Blanket legislation to exonerate sub-postmasters convicted in England and Wales will be introduced within weeks after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said they were victims of “one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in our nation’s history”

Ian Ellis: Post Office IT scandal is a David versus Goliath tale

Many prisoners do end up returning to prison for committing an offence after being released, but it need not be that way

Ian Ellis: Harsher prison sentences will not necessarily make society safer

Priest Ivan Rybaruk prays with the family of fallen Ukrainian soldier Victor Ivanov at the cemetery during Christmas celebration in Kryvorivnia village, Ukraine, on Dec. 24. Ivanov was killed by Russian armed forces near Bakhmut. Journalists have died in the conflict too (AP Photo/Evgeniy Maloletka)

Ian Ellis: We are indebted to journalists who report from dangerous places

There is great power in light, and even a small light can be transforming, writes Ian Ellis

Ian Ellis: Christmas time brings the power of peace

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