Humility

2020: Forgiveness is the key to a Happy New Year

December 31, 2019
Archbishop Cranmer
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As we turn the page of time once again, and the teens of this millennium turn to the 20s – roaring or restrained – it is a good opportunity to reflect and renew; to meditate on meaning and ponder purposes…

“Shabby and shambolic” – the CofE still conspires against truth and justice in historic sexual abuse

August 2, 2019
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Anyone wishing the Church of England well might have hoped that the end of the IICSA hearing last month represented the nadir of its unhappy handling of victims complaints. Despite…

Child sexual abuse: the Blackburn Pastoral Letter is game-changer for the Church of England

June 21, 2019
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When St Paul began writing his letters I doubt he expected them to become as copied, shared, dissected and analysed as they are today. He wrote to help and support…

Emotional abuse in the Church: Bishops need psychological help

March 8, 2019
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There is a Jewish proverb that a good name is worth more than precious stones. In this reflective and penitential season of Lent, members of the Church of England House…

Independent group selfie division defection

Defections, divisions, tribalism and schisms

February 21, 2019
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'What causes fights and quarrels among you?' asked James the brother of Jesus, writing to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. And then he proceeds to answer his own question: Don’t…

Scrupulous for Christ: saving the Church from the doctrine of the infallibles

November 1, 2018
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Ever since Jesus cried 'Woe' to the scribes and Pharisees, his disciples have been calling out the two-faced hypocrites and judiciously discerning whitewashed tombs – those who look all meek…

Jimmy Carter acts justly, loves mercy, and walks humbly with his God

August 19, 2018
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He was President of the United States when Charlie flirted with Angels, Starsky tore around with Hutch, and Steve Austin cost $6million ($33million in today's bionics). He's mostly remembered for…

Lambeth Awards: why is the CofE patting itself on the back over Safeguarding?

April 9, 2018
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The Lambeth Awards were bestowed last week at Lambeth Palace. The Anglican Oscars non-academic honours for exemplary service and inspirational ministry were instituted in 2016 as part of Justin Welby's…

Welby IICSA clericalism deference ashamed

Welby condemns the church’s deferential culture of clericalism and tribalism

March 22, 2018
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"I have seen afresh the insanity of clericalism and of a deferential culture and how we have to struggle against that," the Archbishop of Canterbury said yesterday in his evidence…

Is Mark Rylands the humblest bishop in the Church of England?

March 19, 2018
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The Rt Rev'd Mark Rylands is presently Bishop of Shrewsbury. He is well-known to readers of this blog for being a thoughtful and intelligent advocate for UK secession from the…

‘Sorry’ seems to be the hardest word: apologetics and apologies in the Bishop Bell case

February 16, 2018
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This is a guest post by the Very Rev'd Professor Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. _________ An apology is a written or spoken expression of regret and remorse;…

Las Vegas shooting: Anglican Primates complain about having to pray together

October 4, 2017
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As news of the appalling Las Vegas shooting reached the cloisters of Canterbury Cathedral, where gathered the eminent Primates of the Worldwide Anglican Communion (well, most of them) to continue…

Sheffield gets its second best bishop – Pete Wilcox, Dean of Liverpool

April 7, 2017
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Downing Street has announced the name of the second best Bishop of Sheffield. The Queen has had her mind changed on the matter. The Crown Nominations Commission had the name…

Church in Wales being hounded to appoint Jeffrey John the next Bishop of Llandaff

March 22, 2017
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The Church in Wales is the Anglican Church in Wales, and it is disestablished. It's appointments procedure is therefore an entirely internal matter, at some arms' length from the kingdom…

The search for the Top 100 UK Christians – nominations now open for #CranmerList2016

November 17, 2016
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It's that time of the year (again.. comes round quickly, doesn't it?) when our minds turn naturally to consideration of year's momentous events, significant people and lists of achievements: best…

Welby ponders the problem of suffering: “I’m not a good enough theologian”

October 19, 2016
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"How can there be a God when there is so much suffering in the world?" probed broadcaster and journalist Jeremy Vine in discussion with Justin Welby in the Diocese of…

Same-sex marriage/blessing confronts Church of England with "a structural flaw of fatal proportions"

August 30, 2016
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We have reached Chapter 5 in the great Anglican sexuality saga: 'Church of England parishes consider first step to break away over sexuality'. It isn't clear what the dénouement…

Welby: witness gently for Jesus, and wait until you're asked (most of the time)

May 22, 2016
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There's always a danger when you pick up a comment piece from a newspaper that you glance at a headline and form an opinion from a crass summary of…

Maundy Thursday foot-washing reminds power of its purpose

March 24, 2016
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Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his…

Anglican Primates pronounce, but the Holy Spirit prevails

January 16, 2016
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The media bulletins are full of 'Episcopal Church suspended from the Anglican Communion', with a list of prohibitions and fulminations about 'second class Anglicans', with Giles Fraser reminding us…