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…
Extremism
Happy Brexit Year: control the language, control the argument
"An ennui hangs over British politics and the prime minister is depending on it", wrote Matthew Parris in the Times a few days ago. "Like a thin, wearisome fog it does not quite obscure but it blurs and greys, softening…
Lambeth Palace convenes Brexit colloquium – and crams it with Remainers (including one MP..)
This Friday there is to be a colloquium at Lambeth Palace entitled: 'After Brexit: European Unity and the Unity of the European Churches'. In the current political morass of 'Hard'…
What makes Jair “God above everything” Bolsonaro a far-right politician?
Those stupid people have gone and done it again. Not content with Brexit, Trump and Orbán, or the rise of the National Front, Alternative for Germany, Golden Dawn or the…
The Parable of the Prodigal Tory
There was a political party whose membership included a man and a woman. One day the man said to his party, "You know, I'm increasingly irritated by the political drift,…
The People’s Vote strategy is to goad Brexiteers with being frit
"The right hon. Gentleman is afraid of an election, is he?" goaded Margaret Thatcher. "Afraid? Frightened? Frit?" she persisted, with perfectly alliterative thrashings of her serrated tongue. "Could not take…
Regulating sharia councils (ie sharia courts) with a state quango is not the way forward
A government review into the desirability, purpose and functioning of sharia councils (ie sharia courts) has been 18 months in the making. It was instigated by Theresa May when she…
Jo Johnson’s muddled and aimless thinking about freedom of speech in universities
Universities Minister Jo Johnson delivered a much-trailed (..and here, here, here...) speech about the imperative of academic freedom of speech, which he says must be guaranteed on pain of universities…
Las Vegas shooting: Anglican Primates complain about having to pray together
As news of the appalling Las Vegas shooting reached the cloisters of Canterbury Cathedral, where gathered the eminent Primates of the Worldwide Anglican Communion (well, most of them) to continue…
Bishop of Manchester condemns ‘Hang the Tories’ left-wing hate
One effigy hanging beneath this bridge could be Boris, but it's hard to tell. They're both male – or dressed as men – so the Prime Minister isn't the target. Except…
Do smutty and sexual Ariana Grande lyrics increase the risk of terrorism?
"My daughter saw things no child should ever have to see," said the mother of young Ariana Grande fan earlier last month. She told of the emotional and mental impact…
Donald Trump is no neo-Nazi sympathiser: he’s just not a very good politician
This is a guest post by Martin Sewell, a retired solicitor. ______ When the USA elected Donald Trump to be their new President, it was, to a significant degree, because…
Charlottesville: white supremacists are fundamentally anti-American and anti-Christian
Charlottesville has gone downhill a bit since The Waltons: the town where John Boy negotiated his first bank loan, Jim-Bob learned about his dead twin brother, and grandma and grandpa…
Momentum drops commitment to nonviolence: how can CofE clergy be permitted to join this group?
"Momentum is wholly committed to working for progressive political change through methods which are inclusive, participatory and nonviolent," the Momentum code of ethics used to state. But not any more.…
Critic of Gay Pride police car gets reported for ‘Muslim mob’ joke
Inspector Mark Evans of Sussex Police is very proud of his new patrol car. So proud, in fact, that he tweeted about it, which is perfectly fine: it's a free…
The Conservative-DUP deal is good for the whole country: Labour’s hypocrisy stinks to heaven
"The DUP are, let's face it, the Wahhabists of Protestantism," Labour's Angela Eagle told the audience of the BBC's Have I Got News For You on the evening of 16th…
Government to establish ‘Commission for Countering Extremism’ – Be afraid. Be very afraid
"A commission for countering extremism will be established to support the government in stamping out extremist ideology in all its forms, both across society and on the internet, so it…
Welby says Islamism is everything to do with Islam, and Muslim leaders must take responsibility
The Archbishop of Canterbury has boldly gone where other other religious leaders fear to tread, and politicians daren't hardly ever go. Cutting straight across the liturgical denials of those who…
Diane Abbott as Home Secretary would hand victory to Islamists and terrorists
Speaking back in 1984 at the height of the Troubles, Diane Abbott gave an interview in which she said that Ireland "is our struggle — every defeat of the British…
Islam, Islamism and Islamophobia: our culture has lost its reason, or its capacity to reason
This is a guest post by the Rev’d Dr Gavin Ashenden. ___________________________ The public square is a charged place. Three contenders are striving against each other. Emotion, reason and fundamentalism…