Nick Baines

Bishops urge Boris to get on and deliver Brexit

September 27, 2019
Archbishop Cranmer
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It has been a while in coming: the Bishops and Archbishops of the Church of England have to-and-froed on the Referendum result, and blown hot-and-cold on Brexit, and wax-and-waned on the meaning of democracy in the present morass into which…

Welby to Remainers: “stop whingeing.. the majority voted Leave.. that is democracy”

September 2, 2019
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Following the open letter on Brexit (doom and gloom) signed by 60% of Diocesan Bishops, the Archbishop of Canterbury has called for Remainers (including Bishops) to "stop whingeing", accept the…

Brexit: open letter reveals Bishops split 60:40 on Government’s approach

August 29, 2019
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The open letter on Brexit published yesterday by a group of Diocesan Bishops is interesting on a number of levels, not least of which is the fact that it is…

Brexit Derangement Syndrome: the contagion reaches the Bishops

August 7, 2019
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Every profession seems to have been infected, and within each there is notable carrier who is especially unwell. Brexit Derangement Syndrome is spreading like the Plague of Justinian, and there…

Boris Johnson becomes the first baptised Catholic to made Prime Minister

July 24, 2019
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Today is the Feast Day of St Boris (really). And today Boris Johnson kisses hands with the Queen (not the hand of the Queen) to become the 55th person to…

Jesus laptop tweeting CofE charter social media

CofE Social Media Charter neuters the prophetic and subsumes truth to ‘respect’

July 2, 2019
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"I just signed up to #CofECharter," tweeted the former Times religious affairs correspondent (and quite delightful) Ruth Gledhill, precisely 48 seconds after the Archbishop of Canterbury had announced his initiative…

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Euro elections: you can ‘send a message’, or you can vote to get Brexit done

May 22, 2019
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Being an Anglican blog, there is no absolutism, command or demand in respect of the way people choose to exercise their vote; there is no 'must' or 'should' or 'ought',…

The Conservative Party does not govern – or even exist – by divine right

April 5, 2019
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The Conservative Party is often referred to as "the natural party of government". Certainly, they dominated much of the 20th century – being in power for half of it, while…

Welby to MPs: ‘Respect the vote of the people and unite our country’

March 28, 2019
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By their 'indicative votes' ye shall know them. Last night MPs tried to determine what, if anything, they preferred to Theresa May's 'deal', and they said 'no' to everything. Motion…

Darkness and devils: the inescapable framework of Brexit betrayal

February 11, 2019
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"I've been wondering what that special place in hell looks like, for those who promoted #Brexit," tweeted Donald Tusk last week, as he made his State of the UK address…

Bishop denounces Boris Johnson as an “amoral liar”

January 9, 2019
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It was a good lecture by the Bishop of Leeds, if a little long. Delivered to mark the centennial celebrations of Bradford Cathedral, he expounded some of the root causes…

Channel migrants: the greatest kindness we can show is to send them straight back to France

January 2, 2019
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The Bishop of Dover the Rt Rev'd Trevor Willmott has called for a kind and compassionate response to the Channel migrants – those from Iran or Iraq who are desperately…

Happy Brexit Year: control the language, control the argument

December 31, 2018
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"An ennui hangs over British politics and the prime minister is depending on it", wrote Matthew Parris in the Times a few days ago. "Like a thin, wearisome fog it…

While bishops bicker over Brexit, there is one who shows a better way

November 22, 2018
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Should there be a second referendum (aka a 'People's Vote') on Brexit, the Bishop of Oxford was asked. "My own view is that it would make things worse and it…

Diocese of Leeds is not in ‘financial crisis’: Bishop Nick Baines is balancing the budget

August 1, 2018
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Apparently the Diocese of Leeds is in a state of "serious financial crisis". Bishop Nick Baines is pacing the cloisters with furrowed brow, anguished about having to sell off one…

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Bishop Nick Baines derides Brexit British hopelessness

July 25, 2018
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There's a lot of anxiety about. The torch which once lit our path is being extinguished. Our institutions and communities are beset with moral problems, dilemmas and quandaries. Our politics…

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EU Withdrawal: Bishops seek the ‘best shape’ Brexit (as opposed to dreamy Brexiteer ‘wishful thinking’)

May 9, 2018
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In the ongoing saga of EU withdrawal, the House of Lords voted yesterday by 245 votes to 218, a majority of 27, to remain in the Single Market; that is,…

Do we need a new public theology?

April 6, 2018
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"There's such a need for good public theology," tweeted Fr Gregory Platten, Vicar of All Saints Church, London, N20. "Increasingly struck by how much theology is written for theologians alone:…

Brexit: the Bishop of Leeds asks “What’s it all for?” as he condemns the corruption of public discourse

January 31, 2018
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The Bishop of Leeds the Rt Rev'd Nick Baines delivered a measured and thoughtful speech in the House of Lords on the EU (Withdrawal) Bill. His theme was basically the…

Bishops damn church insurers Ecclesiastical Insurance Group (EIG) over ‘horse trading’ with child abuse survivors

October 15, 2017
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Ecclesiastical Insurance Group (EIG) is the Church of England's insurance company. It was founded in 1887 to insure the Anglican church (...against acts of God?). Mark Hews, CEO, says: "We…