Freedom revisited: perhaps we need a new revelation
"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…
Freedom of Worship
Lockdown UK: only in Scotland is public worship prohibited (except for the rich)
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 infection rates will fall, hospital admissions decrease, and the NHS…
Hunt pledges UK power and influence to stem global persecution of Christians
As promised in December, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt has launched his independent review into the persecution of Christians across the globe. Flanked by the Rt Rev'd Philip Mountstephen, Bishop of…
Prince of Wales to UK Christians: “Do not take your rights of freedom of worship and freedom of expression for granted”
The Prince of Wales has visited London's Melkite Greek Catholic parish, based at St Barnabas Church in Pimlico. Coptic Orthodox Bishop Angaelos was in attendance, along with Syriac Archbishop Athanasius…
EU Court moves toward a ban on Christians wearing crosses in the workplace
This isn't the headline in most of the UK media, for some reason, which appears to prefer singling out Muslims and hijabs. There's nothing quite like a bit of…
Global persecution of Christians more extreme than ever
This week many in the church and a few in the media have their eyes on Justin Welby and the Primates meeting in Canterbury, waiting to see if the…
Rev'd Barry Trayhorn "forced to resign" as prison worker – for quoting the Bible in chapel
HMP Littlehey is a 'Category C' men's prison ("Those who cannot be trusted in open conditions but who are unlikely to try to escape") and Young Offender Institute near…
The Church must challenge the State's fuzzy 'British Values'
Fundamental British values have been defined by the Government as: “the rule of law, individual liberty, and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs." According…
A National Register of Faith Leaders? Government plans to vet all ministers of religion
There was an odd article in the Telegraph last week. Odd because the headline, photograph and content didn't quite cohere. Andrew Gilligan has apparently got hold of a leaked…
China abolishes the cross of Christ
China's stock-market has plunged: its GDP has crashed, the yuan has been devalued and economic confidence is in free fall. Another boom-and-bust bubble has burst: Mammon threatens another tidal…
Cameron can no more "destroy the Caliphate" than he can abolish the New Jerusalem
David Cameron's long-awaited speech on Islamic extremism (aka Islamism) was sort of worth waiting for. As he expounded his 'One Nation' vision to defeat the "poison" of extremism, he…
The Epistle of St Nigel: Ukip’s crass ‘Christian Manifesto’
Ukip have issued a 'Christian Manifesto'. They haven't issued a Muslim one, or a Hindu one, or a Sikh one, or a Buddhist one. Nor have they issued a…
Charles confirms he will be anointed and crowned 'Defender of the Faith'
There has been considerable and worthwhile coverage of 'Building Bridges' - The Sunday Hour interview with The Prince of Wales on the subject of Islamic extremism, radicalisation and the…
Today we will not forget those who suffer for Jesus Christ
In 1955 a young Dutch Christian joined a Communist youth group in order to visit Eastern European countries, with the intention of discovering how Christians lived behind the Iron Curtain. Weeks…
Rochester & Strood: the Christian case for supporting Mark Reckless
According to the latest opinion polls on the wacky race for Rochester & Strood, the suave, educated, cultured and erudite Peter Perfect Mark Reckless is blazing ahead for Ukip,…
Justin Welby's call to battle
What exactly is the grand plan that is going to result in the disintegration and destruction of ISIS? On Tuesday military chiefs from 22 of the 60 countries making up…
While thousand are persecuted and martyred, the Church ponders sexuality
Apparently, ISIS/ISIL/Islamic State has declared war on Christians. The latest cover of their propaganda magazine Dabiq shows the black jihadi flag flying above St Peter's in Rome. It is…
Christianity versus Communism: Hong Kong's battle for liberty and democracy
No matter what issues of religion and politics have occupied us over the past week, there has been a feeling that we ought to be following the umbrellas, black T-shirts…
Eric Pickles: Jihad will be defeated by the "guiding principles of the English Reformation"
Since Sayeeda Warsi left the Government, the Rt Hon Eric Pickles MP has assumed direct responsibility for matters of faith. They were, of course, always under the aegis as Secretary…