Is the Church of England doing religion without the Holy Spirit?
Much has been written about the Holy Spirit, or the Holy Ghost, or the Paraclete; the third person (hypostasis) of the Trinity. In fact, so much has been written over…
Church
Is Mark Rylands the humblest bishop in the Church of England?
The Rt Rev'd Mark Rylands is presently Bishop of Shrewsbury. He is well-known to readers of this blog for being a thoughtful and intelligent advocate for UK secession from the European Union – the Church of England's only Brexit Bishop,…
How Bishop George Bell became a victim of Church of England ‘spin’ and a narrative of ‘decisive leadership’
This is a guest post by The Very Rev’d Professor Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. _______ Some may begin to wonder how exactly the Church of England’s National…
Bishop Philip North is good news for the poor – what a shame he’s sidelined
It is #GoodNewsFriday – space and time to tell of God's love, miracles, joy, hope and peace – and Bishop Philip North provides today's subject matter. Here are a few…
Justine vs Justin: the ‘not yet’ and ‘never’ of same-sex marriage in the Church of England
In an interview for Sky News last week on same-sex marriage and the Church, Justine Greening (the Education Secretary who also happens to hold the Equalities portfolio) told Sophy Ridge:…
The two opposed expressions of Anglicanism
There is a letter published in today's Telegraph signed by 23 conservative (/traditionalists/orthodox) Anglicans concerning the tensions in the Church over England (and wider Anglicanism) over same-sex marriage and other…
Sorry, left-wing clergy, but God supports strong and stable government
A gaggle of left-wing clergy is a tad upset that the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have used their General Election 'Pastoral Letter' to exhort Christians to consider the need…
‘Dear Patrick…’ Words of comfort for clergy who feel forsaken by mutual flourishing
Returning to the Church of England's gender wars and sexuality skirmishes (which never really went away), the Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, who advocates righteous discrimination against traditionalists who discriminate…
Palm Sunday – Christians cry ‘Hosanna!’, but the world seeks another messiah
Christians find their voice today: 'Hosanna!' they cry; Zion's king is coming. 'Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he…
In defence of church pews: God save us from white plastic, stackable stainless steel and bright blue upholstery
There is "no theological basis" for the retention of church pews, declared John Gallagher, Chancellor for the Diocese of Rochester, as he dismissed the view of conservationists who wanted to…
Shared conversations: some came to seek truth; others to conquer. Why can’t we just be kind?
Commenting on the Bishops' statement Marriage and Same Sex Relationships after the Shared Conversations ("a gamma minus piece of drafting if ever there was one"), Canon Professor Mark Chapman prophesies…
Richard Chartres, Bishop of London – thank you
He radiates everything that a prince of the Church ought. There's a certain solemnity; a spiritual authenticity caped in holy gravitas. He exudes authority, grace and peace, like the Anglicanism…
May promises a real, clean, hard Brexit – “a truly Global Britain”
"The United Kingdom is leaving the European Union," Theresa May assures. And today she leaves us in no doubt about the manner of that leaving: We seek a new and…
Is it wrong to judge a blog by the comments it attracts?
"I guess I find it hard to take that particular blog very seriously really," wrote the Rev'd Canon Andrew Godsall, ministry development adviser in the Diocese of Exeter, of the…
The Reformation 500 years on: do we need 95 New Theses for the 21st century?
‘Protestants’ acquired their name because they were first and foremost, protesters. They publicly declared their dissent. In the expressing of dissent from and rejection of prevailing mores, they understood themselves…
Vicky Beeching, vocation, and the church that exists to serve our selfish ends
There was a piece in the Guardian (where else) this week by Vicky Beeching, entitled: 'The first openly gay bishop is a huge step forward – but it’s not enough'.…
While the Church of England becomes a safe place for children, it is hell for those wrongly accused of abuse
"To address the whole culture of silence in Church is vital," writes the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in the Church of England Newspaper, "it is a form of…
The great canon doctor Martyn Percy implicates Justin Welby in "secular sorcery"
"Everything you need to know about the Bible can be summed up by the great canon doctor Martyn Percy: 'The Bible did not arrive by fax from heaven.'," writes…
Fireman Sam slips on the Qur'an, and all Sharia breaks loose
Firstly, it wasn't Fireman Sam who apparently slipped on a page of the Qur'an; it was Elvis. But the headline 'Elvis slips on the Qur'an' would probably cause problems…
Rev'd Jim Graham (1931-2016): 'Well done, thou good and faithful servant'
The Rev'd Jim Graham, Pastor Emeritus of Gold Hill Baptist Church, Chalfont St Peter, Buckinghamshire, has passed into Glory. The name may not be known to the Establishment, but…