Coronavirus

Flood, fire, famine and pestilence: the end is nigh (maybe)

Wildfires blaze across the western states: California and Oregon burn day and night. Death Valley hit a blistering 54.4°C, which might be the highest recorded ambient temperature on Earth. Across Germany and Belgium, floods are devastating states and lives: thousands…

Church hymn-singing choirs restrictions covid

Why does the Government still not allow hymn-singing in Church?

June 18, 2021
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"My Lords, regardless of matters of hindsight, does the Minister agree that prolonging the restrictions might be justified for certain reasons?" asked the Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Rev'd Nick…

Polish Catholic Church London Police Good Friday

When the police enter a church, storm the altar and shut down worship, a line has been crossed

April 5, 2021
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How hard is it to remain socially-distanced in a large church building? How hard is it to sit in pews in 'support bubbles' and leave enough space in front and…

SNP Nicola Sturgeon Braid court judgment closure of churches scotland pandemic

Nicola Sturgeon broke the law in banning Christians from church

March 25, 2021
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Thank God for Christian Concern, the Christian Legal Centre, and the intrepid Andrea Minichiello Williams. No-one else seemed to care about the SNP's ban on church worship – at least…

Michael Gove: “The Church has.. a critical, central and important role in building back better”

February 21, 2021
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It seems somewhat counterintuitive, in an age of increasing secularity, and with an incessant stream of triumphant tweets from the National Secular Society, that the world's perception of the Church…

captain tom moore jarel robinson-brown tweet cult white british nationalism

Curate says clapping Captain Tom is “a cult of White British Nationalism”

February 4, 2021
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The Rev'd Jarel Robinson-Brown is a curate in London. He sets out his biography (and presumably mission priorities ["Black Prophetic Fire"]) on his Twitter account: "Human | Cleric | Writer…

Welby slams EU’s anti-Christian action in implementing Article 16

January 30, 2021
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Yesterday the EU unilaterally implemented Article 16 of the Northern Ireland Protocol in order to prevent Covid vaccines leaving the EU for the UK. They did this because the UK…

archbishops letter nation covid deaths call to prayer

Archbishops call the nation to prayer as Covid deaths reach 100,000

January 27, 2021
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As the number of deaths caused by Covid-19 passes 100,000, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have written an Epistle to the Nation calling everyone to prayer. And if you…

Lockdown UK: only in Scotland is public worship prohibited (except for the rich)

January 6, 2021
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Epiphany 2021. The Wise Men have arrived in the guise of SAGE – the wisest of the wise. If we follow the star of science and heed their advice, coronavirus…

Freedom revisited: perhaps we need a new revelation

January 4, 2021
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"If Boris Johnson has a political philosophy it is that he will not restrict our liberties unless there is an overwhelming reason to do so", tweeted BBC's Robert Peston after…

2021: a new year of change and the promise of hope

December 31, 2020
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As seasons go, 2020 was a year to cast away. It was a time die, a time to break down, a time to weep and a time to mourn. Its…

holy innocents child solitary confinment

Holy Innocents: why are we putting 12-year-olds in solitary confinement for 23½ hours a day?

December 28, 2020
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Herod then with fear was filled: "A prince," he said, "in Jewry!" And all the little boys he killed At Bethl'hem in his fury. Childermas – the Feast of the…

It’ll be lonely this Christmas

December 23, 2020
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"Even if we can't be together as normal, no-one needs to feel lonely this Christmas", tweeted Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden. "We're giving £7.5m to charities, arts organisations, libraries and local…

Covid: God’s judgement upon Brexit?

December 21, 2020
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"We have sown the Brexit wind, and now reap the Covid whirlwind", tweeted John Milbank ("Theologian, philosopher, poet, political theorist"). "Past generations would have seen divine judgement manifest here", he…

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…

Communal worship banned in England

November 1, 2020
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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…

wales lockdown greeting cards freedom of religion churches closed

Wales lockdown isn’t only absurd; it denies freedom of religion

October 26, 2020
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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…

Vicar: ‘If you don’t worship in the CofE (or only come at Christmas), don’t complain about what we do’

September 24, 2020
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The Rev'd Miranda Threlfall-Holmes had a premonition that her tweet would be unpopular, but still she shared her ecclesiology with the world: "People are only allowed to complain about the…

welby covid rule of six centralising centralisation

Covid-centralising Archbishop excoriates Government – for Covid centralising

September 16, 2020
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The Archbishop of Canterbury has excoriated the Government's 'Rule of Six', the latest anti-Covid-19 policy which restricts almost the whole of society to gatherings of no more than six. Writing…

rule of six last supper covid marshal police

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,…