From 5th November, it will be illegal to gather for communal worship in England. The Government has decreed that church buildings may open for private prayer, but not for praying with others. There shall be no preaching or teaching, and…
Tomorrow is your birthday. You've received a card from your Mum every single year of your life, without fail, even when you were abroad, and even when she was very…
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 Guardian has revealed that Amy Coney Barrett, Donald Trump's nominee to the Supreme Court, is Roman Catholic. Quite why they have only just cottoned on to this is something…
"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,…
Lord Hall, the outgoing Director General of the BBC, has demanded that the Corporation improve the diversity of its staff to better reflect those who pay its TV licence. "You…
The news and media are dominated by the economic fallout of the Coronavirus pandemic. Will the recovery it be V-shaped, U-shaped, or L-shaped? Will the recession last two years or…
We are just beginning to see changes in the severity of the coronavirus lockdown. Even as the rules are being gradually loosened, which will be welcomed by many of us,…
The Government is coming under a lot of criticism for its 'Stay Alert' messaging as we move incrementally out of the coronavirus lockdown. 'What exactly does this mean?' has become…
In all honesty I cannot pretend that the lockdown has been onerous for my wife and me. Just before it was imposed, I was approaching the age at which Alex…
Today’s Gospel reading gives me the opportunity to share with you one of my favourite paintings, that of The Supper at Emmaus, by the Italian Renaissance genius Caravaggio. It hangs…
This is a guest post from Canon Simon Butler, vicar of St Mary's, Battersea. ____________ I’m grateful for being given a right of reply to the article about an exchange…
This is the 15th contribution to His Grace’s emergency team ministry during the coronavirus pestilence. The author wishes to be known as The Snail @. He has a background in…
This 13th contribution comes courtesy of Alison Bailey Castellina MA (Oxon), who founded the forerunner of The Tymes Trust national charity for children with ME, and led the national Christian…
This is the 12th contribution to His Grace’s emergency team ministry during the coronavirus pestilence. It comes from Mike Stallard, who has been in education all his life, and is…
The 11th contribution to His Grace’s emergency team ministry during the coronavirus pestilence is another letter from senior devil, Screwtape, to his nephew and apprentice devil, Wormwood. It comes again…
I have a sense that many clerics today find themselves no less confused and variously out of sorts than their widely dispersed flocks. Some report being frazzled with too much…
This is the eighth contribution to His Grace’s emergency team ministry during the coronavirus pestilence. The author is a Christian and key-worker, who has had a busy week. Were…
This morning I want to depart from our Lectionary readings to offer a text which inspired a first-class sermon which I once heard at Rochester Cathedral. A few years ago,…
Last night the Prime Minister placed the UK in lockdown to help abate the spread of coronavirus. You should be staying at home unless you must travel for essential work,…