Welby in Amritsar — damned if he does; damned if he doesn’t
The Archbishop of Canterbury visited the site of the 1919 Jallianwala Bagh massacre in the Punjabi city of Amritsar. He didn't merely visit it, he prostrated himself very publicly before…
Christianity
Labour plans to downgrade Christianity in the school curriculum
There's something tucked away on page 15 of Labour's 'Race and Faith' manifesto which has received no comment at all. No-one seems to have noticed their intention to downgrade Christianity in the Religious Education syllabus, and thereby diminish children's knowledge…
Church of England guidance used against Christian in court
There's something ever so slightly disquieting about this, but not for the reasons permeating the websites and chat-threads of Evangelical Christendom. Dr David Mackereth, who said in a Department of…
If a Christian doctor can be forced to deny biology, there is no hope for theology
Piers Morgan has some robust views about religion and sexual-reproductive morality, and if you happen not to agree with his perfectly enlightened worldview, you are a lunatic, a bigot, or…
When did traditional morality become ‘fundamentalist’?
It was a question posed by Professor John Milbank on Twitter a few days ago. Or, rather, it wasn't posed as a question, such as the 'when' inquiry into conceptual…
Mounstephen calls for sanctions on countries which persecute Christians
The Bishop of Truro Philip Mounstephen has finally published his independent report on persecuted Christians across the world, and it doesn't disappoint. The review was commissioned by Foreign Secretary Jeremy…
There is no such thing as ‘spiritual abuse’
Another abuse scandal has broken out in the the Church of England, and it is once again facing the responsibility as to how best to respond. Most sexual abuse is…
Tory leadership contest: how ‘Christian’ are the candidates?
We have arrived at the final two candidates in the Tory leadership contest: either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt will be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and…
Royal Assent: Crown neutrality on Brexit is unsustainable
The last time Royal Assent was withheld from a parliamentary bill was in the wake of the union of England and Scotland in 1707/8, when Queen Anne declined to support…
Home Office refuses asylum to Iranian Christian convert – quoting violence in the Bible as evidence of bogus claim
An Iranian Muslim who converted to Christianity because it is the true religion of peace has had their application for asylum in the UK rejected because the Home Office didn't…
Charles, Defender of the Faithful persecuted for Jesus’ sake
Yesterday, from the pulpit of Westminster Abbey, the Prince of Wales made a plea for peace; and not only peace, but for reconciliation. And not only did he make a…
Advent Sunday: people don’t know Jesus, and that’s our fault
There's a lot of confusion about Jesus: there are so many ideas about who he was or is that it almost seems as though there are lots of Jesuses. He…
Michael Gove delivers Theos Annual Lecture: “I speak as a Christian”
Michael Gove delivered this year's Theos annual lecture last night, and his subject was environmental justice, stewardship and the moral purpose of government. The whole lecture is well worth reading,…
Church of England Evangelical Council warns against redefining marriage
The Church of England Evangelical Council describes itself as "a network of networks, bringing evangelicals in the Church of England together for the sake of the gospel". It was created…
Patriarchal pronouns: if we should stop calling God ‘he’, may we call Satan ‘she’?
The Rev'd Canon Rosie Harper wants to vomit. That's what she wrote in her article 'Toxic masculinity: Why we should stop calling God "he"'. What makes her want to vomit…
BBC Newsnight provides a pulpit for the myth of secular neutrality
"The best guarantee of religious tolerance is a well-organised secular state... there is a higher authority; it's called the law," proclaimed author Ian McEwan on the BBC's 'Newsnight', in a…
No, Ruth Davidson: the burqa is a world away from a crucifix
Scottish Tory Leader Ruth Davidson is of the view that a Muslim wearing a burqa is no different from a Christian who wears a crucifix. She said: "If you use…
Uncovering the world of mediums, clairvoyants, empaths, shamans, psychics, and ghost hunters
The organisers wanted me to come with an open mind, but of course that was impossible. In the first place, I have never been convinced that the idea of an…
Men rip off Muslim girl’s hijab and cut cross into her skin
This is just what Jesus would do, isn't it? "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword so…
Do we need a new public theology?
"There's such a need for good public theology," tweeted Fr Gregory Platten, Vicar of All Saints Church, London, N20. "Increasingly struck by how much theology is written for theologians alone:…