God doesn’t do things the way we think he should. That theme emerges reading de-conversion stories or listening to people explain why they left Christianity based on supposedly intellectual arguments. God doesn’t fit our expectations. He is not like us; he is wholly different.

According to Christianity, what God values above all is relationship. But for relationship to be meaningful, it must be freely chosen; for relationship to be freely chosen, there must be the possibility of it being rejected; and wherever there is the possibility of rejecting relationship, there is also the possibility of pain and suffering.

The Anglican Communion’s Director for Theological Education, the Revd Dr Stephen Spencer, considers the mental health implications of the Covid-19 pandemic and reflects on the lessons to be learned by the disciples on the road to Emmaus.