Bishops

Radical progressive activism and the Church of England

Civitas have published a new report: Rotting from the Head: Radical progressive activism and the Church of England. 'Radical progressive activism' is a slippery concept, not least because not all progressives would term their activism 'radical', and not all radicals…

‘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…

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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;…

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…

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…

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…

From Lament To Action: the report of the Archbishops’ Anti-Racism Taskforce

April 23, 2021
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The Archbishops' Anti-Racism Taskforce have published their report 'From Lament to Action', which proposes a raft of changes designed to bring about a change of culture in the life of…

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The Church of England’s racist plan to eradicate racism

April 13, 2021
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There is a curious story in the Daily Mail which may not be wholly true, or it may not be true at all, but if it is true, even in…

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Islamic extremism in Brixton Prison: the curious case of the banned chaplain

January 18, 2021
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It will come as no surprise to learn that the prisoner population in the UK is suffering immensely during the Covid lockdown. As if they weren't cut off and isolated…

Bishop Liverpool Paul Bayes Brexit Dad's Army

Bishop of Liverpool depicts UK-EU Brexit negotiations as ‘Dad’s Army’

December 13, 2020
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The Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Rev'd Paul Bayes, has been honing his episcopal vocation to be a "focus of unity", to which end he tweeted that the presently fraught…

Sabbatical problematical: give the Archbishop a break, for God’s sake

November 26, 2020
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"Unlike the archbishop, Jesus could not retire to cultivate his personal spirituality because he was perpetually besieged by desperate people", writes Karen Armstrong in the Guardian's 'Comment is Free', objecting…

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UK Internal Market Bill: the Archbishops are confused, poorly advised, and wrong

October 20, 2020
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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

October 19, 2020
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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…

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Bishop of Reading: ‘Evolution is God incarnate; the whole earth is God’s body’

October 13, 2020
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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

October 7, 2020
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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…

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The Rule of Six – we are being robbed of our liberty

September 14, 2020
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"In England from Monday we are introducing the Rule of Six", the Prime Minister said. "You must not meet socially in groups of more than six. And, if you do,…

Bishop of Dover Rose Hudson-Wilkin Channel migrants

As a child drowns in the Channel, the Bishop of Dover demands action

August 20, 2020
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"What are we waiting for?" asked the Rt Rev'd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover. "Our children are being washed up on our beaches," she lamented, after the body of a…

Martyn Percy is challenging an entire cultural mindset of establishment privilege

July 22, 2020
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Reflecting upon the developing Dean Martyn Percy story, I called to mind the famous observation by Abraham Lincoln upon the institution of slavery which was defended at the time by…