Archbishop of Canterbury

Bishop of Sheffield: Martyn Percy asked for bread; Sentamu and Welby give a stone

No doubt there has been a lot of frantic to-ing and fro-ing between the palaces of Bishopthorpe and Lambeth since Philip North felt unable to take up the nomination as Bishop of Sheffield. People have been waiting expectantly for a…

Bishop berates poor, deluded Brexiteers who voted “quixotically” to leave the EU

February 21, 2017
630 Comments

Initial coverage looked very encouraging. The BBC reported that the Rt Rev'd Christopher Chessun, Bishop of Southwark, had exhorted the House of Lords to pass the European Union (Notice of…

Simony, syncretism or sacred service? Canterbury Cathedral to host Freemasons’ celebration

February 12, 2017
509 Comments

Canterbury Cathedral is to host a service on Saturday 18th February exclusively (if not quite secretively) for Freemasons. The Dean, the Very Rev'd Dr Robert Willis, who may or may…

House of Bishops upholds canon law: marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman

January 30, 2017
874 Comments

After a seemingly interminable period of 'shared conversations' on the nature of marriage and the relational experiences of some LGBT Christians, the House of Bishops of the Church of England…

Cartoons of Cantuar: how cartoonists have portrayed the Archbishop of Canterbury over the centuries

January 14, 2017
127 Comments

This is a guest post by Fergus Butler-Gallie, an Anglican ordinand at Westcott House, Cambridge. __________________________ It was noted in the 1930s that the only three people whose opinion actually…

Lord Carey removed from King’s College London wall of distinguished alumni

December 21, 2016
174 Comments

The motto of King's College London is Sancte et sapienter ('With holiness and wisdom'). Sadly, it appears to have abandoned both. Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey of Clifton has…

Martyn Percy: Justin Welby “is preparing the ground for a complete volte-face on human sexuality”

November 15, 2016
141 Comments

Here follows Martyn Percy's response to Adrian Hilton's second letter on 'Renewal & Reform' and the ministry and leadership of Justin Welby. It was a simultaneous exchange with Hilton's third…

Martyn Percy: the Church of England is being “reformed by bankers.. theology is ruthlessly excluded.. populism and narcissism are in the ascendancy”

November 11, 2016
207 Comments

Following Martyn Percy's first letter and Adrian Hilton's response, here is Martyn Percy's response to Adrian Hilton's first letter: Dear Adrian, Thanks for your letter, which gave me plenty to…

“Is Justin Welby not showing the world Jesus?”

November 10, 2016
116 Comments

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…

Adrian Hilton on Justin Welby: “he is challenging the ‘principalities and powers’ of institutional existence”

November 8, 2016
141 Comments

Here follows Adrian Hilton's (yes, Ed.) first letter to Martyn Percy, reflecting on the mission of the Church of England and the character and leadership of Justin Welby, Archbishop of…

Welby ponders the problem of suffering: “I’m not a good enough theologian”

October 19, 2016
269 Comments

"How can there be a God when there is so much suffering in the world?" probed broadcaster and journalist Jeremy Vine in discussion with Justin Welby in the Diocese of…

With the gift of a crozier, Pope Francis recognises and affirms the episcopal jurisdiction of the Archbishop of Canterbury

October 9, 2016
295 Comments

You can read too much into a symbol, especially if it signifies a deep spiritual longing or portends some prophetic fulfilment. What to one person is just the rain, to…

The Spectator brands Justin Welby “liberal left” – for seeking Islamist understanding

October 5, 2016
82 Comments

Spectator columnist and associate editor Rod Liddle sometimes sounds like he's channeling the EDL, or at least supping with Ukip, but he is, in fact, a fully paid-up member of…

Don’t bash the Archbishop of Canterbury – pray for him

September 18, 2016
105 Comments

Funny. Defend Nigel Farage against Justin Welby, you're "racist" or a "bigot"; defend Justin Welby against Nigel Farage, you're a "feminist-humanist-pro-Marxist" (amongst other things). There is no apparent via media…

Nigel Farage says Archbishop of Canterbury “should go”

September 17, 2016
169 Comments

"It's a great shame that the head of our established church is not actually prepared to stand up and fight for our Christian culture in this country," Nigel Farage told…

Calais unaccompanied refugee children: Welby grills and Government blathers

September 7, 2016
204 Comments

Question: "To ask Her Majesty’s Government what plans they have to speed up the reuniting of refugee children in the camps of Calais and Dunkirk with their families in…

Justin Welby takes to Twitter to teach us how to pray

September 6, 2016
145 Comments

And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray,…

The Bishop of Grantham is gay and celibate – so bloody what?

September 3, 2016
522 Comments

It will come as a surprise to many to hear that there is a Bishop of Grantham; moreso that he is no relation of the Dowager Countess. But to…

Why is it "great to welcome" Muslim hate-preachers to Lambeth Palace?

July 31, 2016
146 Comments

"Great to welcome Herod Antipas to the Cenacle on Mount Zion today," tweeted Jesus, just after the Tetrarch of Galilee has ordered the decapitation of the notorious hate-preacher John…

EU Referendum: Sentamu preaches "moral responsibility" and Welby "peace and reconciliation"

June 12, 2016
87 Comments

Don't you just love the Church of England's concept of 'neutrality' in the matter of the EU Referendum? A whole sea of bishops has endorsed the Remain campaign (that…