The censorious self-righteousness of Imam Qari Asim MBE
Imam Qari Asim MBE (for services to inter-faith relations and the community in Leeds) was sacked last week by Michael Gove as a Government advisor on Islamophobia. The principal reason…
Division
Lambeth Conference 2022 looked outward, sideways and upward, but the world only saw inward
From the four corners of the world the came, to kiss the shrine of Canterbury. Some 660 bishops from 165 countries representing dioceses and Christian communities from the global Anglican Communion – the third largest Christian community in the world.…
BBC says it’s ‘unfortunate’ the Queen is Defender of the Faith
As the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of Her Majesty the Queen entered their final day, the BBC gave us a running commentary on the Platinum Pageant as it crawled along the…
Net Zero.. racial justice.. mental health.. What exactly are cathedrals for?
Cathedrals can light the way to Net Zero, says the Rt Rev'd Graham Usher, Bishop of Norwich and the Church of England's lead Bishop for Environmental Affairs. And he set…
Welby prays Lambeth Conference won’t be dominated by human sexuality
The Archbishop of Canterbury has expressed his sincerest wish, if not profoundest hope, and quite possibly his most earnest prayer that this summer's Lambeth Conference won't be dominated (again) by…
Welby adds his voice in support of terrorised MP Rosie Duffield
Labour MP Rosie Duffield cannot attend her party's conference this year, principally owing to the abuse and threats she is receiving from transgender rights activists for stating (quite simply) that…
Former archbishops split on assisted suicide, and there’s no Anglican via media
In the red corner is George, Lord Carey of Clifton, Archbishop of Canterbury 1991-2002. He favours the legalisation of assisted suicide (or assisted dying, if you prefer) because "there is…
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…
I do trust Tories, says Bishop of St Davids, lying through her smiles
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 Davids says all Tories are duplicitous liars
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…
Bishop of Reading: ‘Evolution is God incarnate; the whole earth is God’s body’
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…
BBC ‘Songs of Praise’ producer compares ‘Rule, Britannia!’ to the Holocaust
There has been much stuff and nonsense written about the 'Last Night of the Proms' and the BBC's decision to offer only orchestrated versions of 'Rule, Britannia!' and 'Land of…
Archbishops go on consecration strike – they will make no more bishops
Something peculiar happened in the Church of England last week. We are, of course, very used to peculiar things happening in the Church of England, but this was so peculiar…
Screwtape: ‘Our task, as always, is to undermine and to divide’
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…
Bishops urge Boris to get on and deliver Brexit
It has been a while in coming: the Bishops and Archbishops of the Church of England have to-and-froed on the Referendum result, and blown hot-and-cold on Brexit, and wax-and-waned on…
Welby to Remainers: “stop whingeing.. the majority voted Leave.. that is democracy”
Following the open letter on Brexit (doom and gloom) signed by 60% of Diocesan Bishops, the Archbishop of Canterbury has called for Remainers (including Bishops) to "stop whingeing", accept the…
Before peace, reconciliation and healing, there must come reckoning
Donald Trump is not a modest man. He is not polished, well read, stylish, university educated, 'sophisticated', or a paragon of moral virtue. But he is the duly elected President…
Bishop says Brexit is marred by politicians’ personal ambition, and calls for ‘strong, compelling and united vision of the future’
"My Lords, I always rise to speak in this Chamber with some fear and trepidation but never more so than today," confessed the Lord Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev'd…
Project apocalypse: Welby calls the nation to prayer over Brexit
In his 'State of the Nation' address to the General Synod of the Church of England, the Archbishop of Canterbury is calling the nation to prayer because "social divisions feel…
Defections, divisions, tribalism and schisms
'What causes fights and quarrels among you?' asked James the brother of Jesus, writing to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. And then he proceeds to answer his own question: Don’t…