Brexit and the ‘moral failure’ of ‘no deal’
In his speech to the House of Lords last week on Brexit, the Archbishop of Canterbury spoke eloquently about the moral responsibility that comes with parliamentary sovereignty, and of the…
Archbishop of York
Church of England’s Brexit prayers – what exactly do they mean?
A few months ago the Archbishop of York issued a Brexit prayer, or, rather, 'A Prayer for Parliament in Time of Brexit Trouble'. It was a fairly benign effort which was very well received in the Church of England, not…
Church in Wonderland: the Clergy Discipline Measure shoves victims down a rabbit hole
On 22nd November 2017 the Rt Rev'd Peter Burrows, Bishop of Doncaster, was having lunch in a cafe when his chaplain began a discussion about the case of Fr Matt…
Sentamu: ‘pure’ (‘real’/ ‘hard’) Brexit is “a childish dream”
On the BBC's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday, the Archbishop of Canterbury was asked about the disparity (/gulf) between the laity and clergy in the Church of England regarding the…
National Secular Society equates Anglicans with Islamists baying for blood
While the Church of England was preparing to lead the nation in a corporate commemoration of the 100th anniversary of Armistice Day 1918, the National Secular Society issued a tweet.…
Why a woman may be the next Archbishop of York, but not of Canterbury
His Grace The Most Rev'd and Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu, Lord Archbishop of York, has announced that he will retire from his post on 7th June 2020, three days…
Why is the General Synod of the Church of England so poor at holding Bishops to account?
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…
Did Archbishop Sentamu fob off the Clergy Discipline Commission to protect bishops from allegations of misconduct?
As the police continue questioning the Most Rev'd and Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu over his alleged failure to respond properly to a report of clerical child abuse, here's a…
Where’s the headline: ‘Welby slams Sentamu’s lack of humanity and leadership’?
Giving evidence to the Independent Investigation into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) this week, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was asked: The other thing that we have seen a lot…
Sentamu ordered ‘no action’ against paedophile priest – leaving him to abuse again and commit suicide
The Church of England "covers up and manipulates and colludes with the abuse", so Matthew Ineson told the BBC's Inside Out programme last night (available on iPlayer until 3rd April).…
Sentamu calls on Christians to pay more voluntary tax (which isn’t tax, but a free-willed tithe)
The Archbishop of York began his 'state of the nation' speech to Synod with a showdown: "On 20 January 2015, I launched this book, On Rock or Sand? Firm Foundations…
Child abuse in the Church of England: hypocrisy, inconsistency and ongoing cover-up
Child abuse is a seriously distressing matter. The violation, confusion, fear, self-loathing, guilt, depression... suicidal thoughts. It can take years and decades to come to terms with the misery and…
Church of England schism: a timely new reformation or tit-for-tat boundary pushing?
On 31st October 1517, an obscure Catholic monk called Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the door of All Saints', the Castle Church in Wittenberg, protesting at the sale…
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…
Bishops divided on Brexit Bill: moral obligation and ethical liberation
'Will the Bishops vote for Brexit?' was the question posed a few weeks ago. Yesterday the House of Lords voted on an amendment to the European Union (Notification of Withdrawal)…
Would the appointment of Bishop Martyn Percy offer remedy against Justin Welby’s asserted theological ignorance?
Here follows Adrian Hilton's response to Martyn Percy's second letter on 'Renewal & Reform' (R&R) and the ministry and leadership of Justin Welby: Dear Martyn, Thank you for your letter.…
EU Referendum: Sentamu preaches "moral responsibility" and Welby "peace and reconciliation"
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…
Thy Kingdom Come: a week of prayer for confidence to make Jesus known
"Jesus Christ calls every person to follow him. As Christians it’s our duty and joy to share that invitation. That’s why the Archbishops of Canterbury and York are inviting…
Church of England continues its decline – but is revival stirring?
The Church of England has published its attendance stats ('Statistics for Mission') for 2014. Don't yawn. Yes, the interesting Anglican stuff is leavening this week in a Canterbury crypt,…
The Church of England's investment in social media is a major embarrassment
Quite often when I attend a variety of events and conferences, I’ll end up in conversation with total strangers from all sorts of backgrounds talking about this blog. It’s…