Coronavirus pestilence: ‘Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.’
This week on 21st March the Archbishop Cranmer blog shall be 14 years old. It seemed like a good moment to call it a day: to everything there is a…
Archbishop Cranmer
‘Lord, how would you have me spend this time?’
The third contribution to His Grace’s emergency team ministry during the coronavirus pestilence comes from Nick Barrett, a former teacher of Classics, Philosophy and Sociology, now working in the legal sector. Although my own preference in churchmanship is congregationalist…
Blogging and the voice of the Church
Someone recently tweeted that this blog should close down because people mistake it for a legitimate voice of the Church, and so it conveys a spiritual falsehood by sustaining a…
Pope Francis proclaims Thomas Cranmer ‘Doctor of the Church’
Pope Francis has proclaimed Archbishop Thomas Cranmer a Doctor of the Universal Church in recognition of his bold witness of faith and his contribution to divine worship and liturgy. Last…
Imam to preach Eucharistic sermon at University Church, Oxford
The University Church of St Mary the Virgin in Oxford dates back to 1086. It was the first building adopted by the University of Oxford in the 13th century, and…
‘Cranmer’s continual campaign against the bishops…’
The Bishop of Willesden is of the view that the Archbishop Cranmer blog is waging a "continual campaign against the bishops". Apparently, this isn't acceptable because it confuses the political…
Dean of Ely reports Daily Mail to IPSO for saying Cathedral flew UKIP flag
It beggars belief that anyone could have taken the story seriously. What dean and chapter of any cathedral would even entertain flying the UKIP flag? Oh, they'll host a Labour-supporting…
Welby: Alastair Campbell is probably not going to heaven
"Media seem to be going for gay sex and Queen funeral angles in my @BritishGQ interview with @JustinWelby," tweet-gripes Tony Blair's former spinmeister Alastair Campbell, " - loads more in…
Discrimination and discernment: an exercise in relativist supremacy
This is a guest post by the Rev’d Dr Gavin Ashenden, former Chaplain to the Queen. ___________________________ In the great amphitheatre of Twitter a gladiatorial combat recently took place between…
Same-sex marriage: what does Athens have to do with Jerusalem?
This is a guest post by the Rev'd Dr Gavin Ashenden, sometime Chaplain to the Queen. ___________________________ ‘Archbishop Cranmer’ has written a balanced and generous analysis of the House of…
Is it wrong to judge a blog by the comments it attracts?
"I guess I find it hard to take that particular blog very seriously really," wrote the Rev'd Canon Andrew Godsall, ministry development adviser in the Diocese of Exeter, of the…
“Is Justin Welby not showing the world Jesus?”
Here follows Adrian Hilton's response to Martyn Percy's first letter: Dear Martyn, Thank you for your letter. I appreciated the account of your conversation with the “senior commentator on religious…
Archbishop Cranmer – 10 years of religio-political edification and enlightenment
Ten years ago today, on 21st March 2006, the Archbishop Cranmer blog burst into the Blogosphere. Well, perhaps the irruption wasn't so much a burst as a seep, for…
Introducing TGI Monday – What does it mean to be a "real Christian"?
Move over Gogglebox. Forget Question Time. Ignore Everyday Ethics, The Big Questions and Loose Women. TGI Monday is here! It has been many months in development, through creative tensions,…
Time to forgive Guy Fawkes?
"Guy Fawkes should be forgiven because he has become a ‘global brand’, says headmaster of Catholic plotter's old school." That's a summary of an inept piece in the Telegraph…
The Investigatory Powers Bill will tell the police you read this blog
The mainstream media is full of stories of checks and balances, U-turns and climbdowns. The so-called Snooper's Charter (aka Investigatory Powers Bill) will target only terrorists and extremists, we…
Welby: "Christians are not saints"; Cranmer: "O yes we are"
"Christians are not saints," tweeted Lambeth Palace, apparently quoting from a sermon by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. "They are sinners calling other sinners to know and love…
Welcome to the new Archbishop Cranmer Blog (mergers and acquisitions..)
It has been six months in gestation - planning, preparing, pondering, praying, pleading and protesting (not necessarily in that order). And here, at last, it is. You are most welcome…