Archbishop Cranmer

Fr Alan Griffin suicide safeguarding CDM

Church of England safeguarding drove Fr Alan Griffin to suicide

A priest is dead. That's okay: all priests die; ashes to ashes, and all that. But this priest killed himself because he was subject to a CDM. That's a Clergy Discipline Measure, which, for those who have feelings, is perched…

Flood, fire, famine and pestilence: the end is nigh (maybe)

July 16, 2021
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Wildfires blaze across the western states: California and Oregon burn day and night. Death Valley hit a blistering 54.4°C, which might be the highest recorded ambient temperature on Earth. Across…

hedgerley church save the parish general synod elections

General Synod elections: can ‘Save the Parish’ save the Church of England?

July 13, 2021
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"There are about to be General Synod elections. So, stand. Stand and write in your manifesto that you are standing to ‘Save the parish’," writes the Rev'd Marcus Walker, Rector…

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Three Lions — a Psalm of England

July 11, 2021
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Three Lions — a Psalm of England It's coming home It's coming home It's coming Football's coming home (we'll go getting bad results) It's coming home It's coming home It's…

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Institutional bullying in the Church of England: it’s time to face the liturgical music

July 7, 2021
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On 1st July 2021 a research paper by Clive Billenness was published to assist the Diocese in Europe in addressing the problem of institutional bullying within the Church of England.…

‘Key limiting factors’: the end of stipendiary parish ministry

July 3, 2021
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Priests are expensive. Church buildings are expensive. Theological formation is expensive. So the Church of England has set out its 'Vision and Strategy' for cost-cutting: 10,000 new lay-led churches over…

Bishop Liverpool Paul Bayes Gender Neutral

Bishop of Liverpool seeks to expunge male and female from marriage

June 30, 2021
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"I want to see a gender-neutral marriage canon, such as they have in the Episcopal Church or in the Scottish Episcopal Church," said the Rt Rev'd Paul Bayes, Bishop of…

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Bishop dismisses Matt Hancock’s adultery as “a bit of a fling”

June 28, 2021
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Two marriages have broken down, with all the heartache, tears and loneliness of the innocent parties. One wedding ring has been thrown to the floor in the passion of betrayal;…

Pope meets Spider-Man: when did religious leaders cease being superheroes?

June 24, 2021
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The cynic will say religious leaders were never superheroes (or superheroines), but, of course, they were. The precise nature and source of their superhuman powers may be lost in antiquity,…

Boris Johnson is not a professing Roman Catholic: he will still advise the Queen on the selection of Bishops

June 21, 2021
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Is Boris Johnson a Roman Catholic? Yes and no. During an ITV interview with Robert Peston, the Prime Minister was asked if he is now "a practising Roman Catholic", following…

Diocese of Oxford Dean of Christ Church Martyn Percy

Diocese of Oxford misrepresents the President of Tribunals, leaving Martyn Percy ‘under a cloud’

June 19, 2021
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This is a guest post by Martin Sewell and David Lamming, members of General Synod. The statement posted belatedly on the Diocese of Oxford website on 18th June Decision…

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Why does the Government still not allow hymn-singing in Church?

June 18, 2021
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"My Lords, regardless of matters of hindsight, does the Minister agree that prolonging the restrictions might be justified for certain reasons?" asked the Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Rev'd Nick…

Dean Martyn Percy Dirty Dossier Risk Assessment Christ Church Oxford

Who wrote the ‘Dirty Dossier’ on the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford?

June 16, 2021
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Christ Church, Oxford, is being challenged to reveal who produced controversial safeguarding documents aimed at its Dean, the Very Rev'd Prof. Martyn Percy. The unattributed Risk Assessment relates to the…

The Parable of the Bad Samaritan

June 14, 2021
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On one occasion a lawyer member of the General Synod of the Church of England stood up to test the Bishop of Oxford. “Bishop,” he asked, “What must I do…

Christ Church Cathedral Oxford Canon Angela Tilby Twitter block

Christ Church Cathedral Oxford blocks its own Canon on Twitter

June 10, 2021
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The Rev'd Angela Tilby is a Canon Emeritus of Christ Church Cathedral Oxford. She is also a writer, broadcaster, columnist, and Canon of Honour at Portsmouth Cathedral. She is thoughtful,…

I do trust Tories, says Bishop of St Davids, lying through her smiles

June 7, 2021
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The apology issued by the Bishop of St Davids (of the Church in Wales) in the wake of her 'Never never never trust a Tory' tweet is disingenuous. It is…

Bishop of St David's Bishop of St Davids Joanna Penberthy

Bishop of St Davids says all Tories are duplicitous liars

June 3, 2021
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The Bishop of St Davids, the Rt Rev'd Joanna Penberthy, was the first woman to be elected a bishop in the Church in Wales, and into an archbishopric which can…

Christ Church Oxford: Dean Martyn Percy cleared for the fifth time

June 2, 2021
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In the case of the allegation of sexual assault and harassment made against Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church Oxford, the Church of England determined that the CDM (Clergy Discipline…

Was Tim Dakin made Bishop of Winchester without being validly ordained priest?

May 30, 2021
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There is something very peculiar going on in the Diocese of Winchester (which may or may not have spent £500,000 on NDAs). Not only has its Bishop 'stepped back' or…

CDM PTSD: the trauma, stress and disorder of the Clergy Discipline Measure

May 28, 2021
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The Clergy Discipline Measure (2003, amended by the Safeguarding and Clergy Discipline Measure 2016) is a Measure passed by the General Synod of the Church of England for the maintenance…