Posts written by Martinsewell

This author has written 88 articles

Kavanaugh confirmation: somebody was lying about the fear of flying – and that lie could change legal history

September 29, 2018
Martin Sewell
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For the past few days I have been thinking about the Senate hearing into the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. As I looked forward to it, in both sense of the word, I had a sense that…

It is pointless pouring the new wine of safeguarding into the old wineskins of arcane ecclesiology

September 6, 2018
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The Church of England media report on Monday told us that “a senior church figure” had been invited by the police to discuss an alleged failure to report a serious…

CofE clergyman tells suicidal sex-abuse victim to “crawl back under a stone”, and that he “probably enjoyed” it

August 20, 2018
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Surprising as it may seem, the wave of comment following the death of former Iwerne Chairman and serial abuser John Smyth very nearly wasn't the worse news for the Church…

John Smyth dies – just as the CPS gives police go-ahead for his extradition and prosecution

August 12, 2018
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John Smyth, who was accused of the sadistic beatings of young men under the guise of Christian discipleship, has died at his home in Cape Town. This brings to an…

John Smyth tortured Christian boys at Iwerne – where’s the CofE inquiry?

August 6, 2018
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The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) hearings into the crimes and cover-up relating to Peter Ball have rightly shocked many in the Church of England, yet what may…

Synod – Reasons to be Cheerful (Pt 2): inclusion is the fruit of evangelism

July 16, 2018
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It is probably because I am of a certain vintage that often, when I am thinking of a title for a blog post, a song lyric pops into my head.…

York General Synod - Bishop Peter Hancock with abuse survivors

Synod – Reasons to be Cheerful (Pt 1): the secret to a contented flock

July 15, 2018
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Sometimes we need to remind ourselves that the glass is half full, and I offer these thoughts on General Synod in the irrepressible spirit of the late Ian Dury, which…

whitewash child abuse singleton report adequate

It is time for General Synod to protest: victims of sexual abuse deserve better than ‘adequate’

July 5, 2018
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Critics of the Church of England’s responses to historic sexual abuse can be fairly generous. Consider the words of David Pearson, founder of the Child Protection Charity CCPAS, who was…

Supreme Court Judge Anthony Kennedy retires: Donald Trump was elected for such a time as this

June 28, 2018
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Yesterday, the real prize of winning the last US General Election was presented to the American people. The resignation of US Supreme Court Judge Anthony Kennedy offers Donald Trump the…

CofE Safeguarding: General Synod is being managed, manipulated, duped and disrespected

June 18, 2018
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Since the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse moved the focus of its hearings away from the Church of England until returning later in July, campaigners for the reform of…

bishop michael curry - spirit of pentecost

Bishop Michael Curry brought with him the Spirit of Pentecost

May 23, 2018
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The reaction to the Royal Wedding address/sermon delivered by Bishop Michael Curry has resulted in post-match analysis akin to that of 'Match of the Day'. Dull it wasn’t – everyone…

Identity politics in the Church is just sectarianism writ small

May 15, 2018
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It all began last week with a tweet from the always provocative and interesting Canadian academic Jordan Peterson. Listening to the constant denigration of the intelligence of those who support…

Why is the General Synod of the Church of England so poor at holding Bishops to account?

May 1, 2018
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Travel is said to broaden the mind, but occasionally it reminds us to pay more attention to what is closer to home, right under our noses. Many years ago, on…

‘Hatred is not needed to stamp out evil’: Martin Luther King (Jr and Snr) remembered 50 years on

April 4, 2018
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Today is the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr Martin Luther King, one of the greatest figures of 20th-century America. Inevitably there will be much discussion of his legacy…

The Lamentation: a reflection for Good Friday

March 30, 2018
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The Lamentation is one of the limited number of subjects permitted to an icon writer within the Orthodox tradition. It renders the observer present at one of the low points…

In Holy Week we should hold our Archbishops’ feet to the fire

March 26, 2018
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Many years ago during the course of a philosophical discussion, an old writer friend of mine offered me one of the most simple yet incisive observations on the human condition.…

Abuse victim: “The cruel and inhuman treatment I have received from the National Safeguarding Team in Church House, and others in the Church of England hierarchy, makes what Peter Ball did to me pale into insignificance”

March 8, 2018
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It has not been a good week for the Church of England. We were warned as much by our Lead Bishop for Safeguarding, Peter Hancock, when he led the safeguarding…

Church of England bullies George Bell’s elderly niece by denying her choice of lawyer

February 12, 2018
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Just as the General Synod of the Church of England was sotto voce congratulating itself on finally looking at its multiple failures towards its victims, a decision was being made…

Did Lambeth Palace know the ‘fresh information’ about Bishop George Bell before Lord Carlile published his report?

February 5, 2018
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It was all going so well for the George Bell Group and the less well-known Bell Society. The Carlile Report had delivered a blow every bit as devastating as they…

The George Bell saga evidences a CofE legal culture which is not merely incompetent, but predisposed toward deception and injustice

January 25, 2018
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How many times must I forgive my errant brother? St Matthew tells us it is seventy times seven, which, by my reckoning, suggests that Archbishop Justin has at least another…