Sampson responded to a Christian Post open letter to the worship leader from columnist Michael Brown, entitled “Reaching out to a Hillsong leader who is renouncing his faith.” In it Brown said he prays Sampson “would have the integrity of heart to seek the truth earnestly, with humility and passion, and that all others with questions will put those questions on the table.”

After emphasizing he truly wants answers to his questions, Sampson admitted he’s “struggling with many parts of the belief system that seem so incoherent with common human morality.”

“If most of humankind had a choice, would we not rid the world of the scourge of cancer? Or sickness and disease? Why doesn’t God do such a thing? Of course there is an answer to this question, but the majority of a typical Christian’s life is not spent considering these things,” he wrote. “Questions such as these remain in the too hard basket.”

The artist, who has been with the worship team at Hillsong since he was 16, clarified he wouldn’t say he has “renounced” his faith but would say “it’s on incredibly shaky ground.”

He said: “I have and continue to analyse the arguments of prominent Christian apologists and biblical scholars, and am open minded enough to consider the arguments of atheist debaters and debaters from other religions.
“If the truth is true, it will remain so regardless of my understanding of it….

The 15 year old attended St Bede’s Catholic Church in London’s Clapham Park.

The priest Father Marcus Holden asked for prayers for the family last week and the church held vigils and opportunities for members to come in and pray throughout the week after she went missing on Sunday 4th August. 

They will now host a public mass on Thursday at 8pm. 

In a statement, the Archdiocese said: “It is with great sadness that we received the news today of the discovery of the body of Nora Quoirin, who disappeared whilst on holiday with her family in Malaysia.

“Little can take away the desolation that is experienced at the loss of a loved one. However, at this most painful of times the Catholic community wishes to extend its prayerful support to Nora’s family in heartfelt love and compassion: we walk alongside them as they grieve her loss.

“Mindful of their sadness, we also pray for the comfort of those who have been involved in the search for Nora, the parishioners of St Bede’s RC Church, Clapham Park, where the family attend Mass, as well as school friends and staff.

“God is in all things and his grace is with us in all circumstances. We commend Nora to God’s tender care, asking him also to pour out peace, consolation and healing on those that mourn her this day.

“We respectfully ask that the family and friends of Nora are granted privacy at this time.”

Father…