The valley of the shadow of death
If you go down into the valley of the shadow of death today, there won't be a big surprise. No gad about, and no play or shout. Perhaps quite a…
Call for Evidence: How should the Government engage with faith groups?
The Prime Minister has appointed Colin Bloom (who may be known to some) as the Faith Engagement Advisor at the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. He is charged with leading a review into how the Government might best…
Concession and transition or voter fraud and prosecution? If only Alistair Cooke were alive today
Earlier this year, locked down in France, I wrote about my pleasure at discovering an important treasure trove from my childhood and adolescence. The BBC has used the wonders of…
Remembrance Sunday: lest we forget
Some wars are fought to subjugate and oppress, others to redeem and liberate. Some arise out of vengeance and resentment, others in pursuit of justice and peace. There are conflicts…
US Presidential Election: chaos, confusion, litigation and… whatever
The Trump Presidency has been like no other, and as we observe the agony of the election count it is entirely in keeping with the last four years. It feels…
US Presidential Election: the biggest loser (so far) is the credibility of the chattering classes
It has been a long night for those of us who regard ourselves as 'political junkies' with a penchant for following US presidential elections. Some months ago I issued a…
Communal worship banned in England
From 5th November, it will be illegal to gather for communal worship in England. The Government has decreed that church buildings may open for private prayer, but not for praying…
Hate Crime Bill: SNP seeks to regulate dinner table conversation in the home
There is something nasty in the SNP's woodshed; very nasty indeed. It isn't clear if it's a creepy person or a sinister political impulse, but it's nasty. Very nasty. Not…
Wales lockdown isn’t only absurd; it denies freedom of religion
Tomorrow is your birthday. You've received a card from your Mum every single year of your life, without fail, even when you were abroad, and even when she was very…
UK Internal Market Bill: the Archbishops are confused, poorly advised, and wrong
The Archbishops of the United Kingdom have written a joint letter fairly and equally to all tabloids and broadsheets decrying the moral state of the nation and calling for repentance…
Black Bishops Matter: Sentamu’s peerage has been paused for a reason
There's been a lot of noise about John Sentamu's peerage – he hasn't got one, and the Telegraph, Sunday Times and Guardian aren't happy about it. It is customary for…
Twitter censorship of the Biden scandal merits questions in Parliament
There is something rather sinister going on at Twitter. Readers will recall the daily news being full of serious allegations of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign in order to…
Bishop of Reading: ‘Evolution is God incarnate; the whole earth is God’s body’
The Rt Rev'd Olivia Graham, Bishop of Reading, has been reading a book. Perhaps she has been reading two or three. Her subject is Creation and Incarnation; her passion is…
The Church of England – a safer space for abusers than for the abused
The long awaited IICSA report into 70 years of sexual abuse, cover-up and neglect of victims in the Church of England has finally been published. It has been followed by…
Pope Francis damns Brexit
Pope Francis has written another encyclical, Fratelli Tutti. It isn't a great theological tome; indeed, it could easily be a series of religio-political blogposts on current events. Much of the…
Guardian ‘reveals’ Amy Coney Barrett is Roman Catholic (and takes her faith seriously)
The Guardian has revealed that Amy Coney Barrett, Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court, is Roman Catholic. Quite why they have only just cottoned on to this is something…
The curious case of Kristie Higgs: where is the Church of England?
Kristie Higgs is deemed to be a danger to children. So dangerous, in fact, that more than a year ago she was sacked for gross misconduct by the school where…
Vicar: ‘If you don’t worship in the CofE (or only come at Christmas), don’t complain about what we do’
The Rev'd Miranda Threlfall-Holmes had a premonition that her tweet would be unpopular, but still she shared her ecclesiology with the world: "People are only allowed to complain about the…
Trump should bring forward his Supreme Court Justice nominee without delay
The death of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg is a significant event on a number of levels. It is, of course, a personal sadness for her family and…
Covid-centralising Archbishop excoriates Government – for Covid centralising
The Archbishop of Canterbury has excoriated the Government's 'Rule of Six', the latest anti-Covid-19 policy which restricts almost the whole of society to gatherings of no more than six. Writing…