Mercy, forgiveness and judgment: Boris Johnson did not lie to Parliament
If you detest Boris Johnson or blame him for the great evil of Brexit and for ruining the country and just want him gone, there's no need to read on.…
Hypocrisy
World Council of Churches must expel the Russian Orthodox Church
What kind of Christian conscience can slaughter a young mother and her three-month-old baby one day, and pop off to church, light a candle, and praise Jesus the next? Ukrainian journalist Valerie Hlodan was only 27 years old, but with…
How does facilitating people-traffickers reflect the nature of God?
The Home Secretary's announcement that the thousands of asylum seekers (or economic migrants) crossing the Channel in an endless stream of dinghies (246,190 last year) are to be sent to…
The hypocrisy of the Canons of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford
Yesterday, the Rev'd Angela Tilby, an Emeritus Canon of Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, was blocked on Twitter by someone in the Cathedral. This wasn't the first time she had been…
The dutiful Queen
The image of Her Majesty the Queen seated alone at the funeral of her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, was one of the most arresting and abiding images of 2021.…
The Prime Minister partied while clergy lamented
"Could the Minister advise those of us on these benches," ventured Nick Baines, Bishop of Leeds, "how we should respond to clergy who took an enormous personal toll in having…
The Downing Street party and the spirit of the law
Perhaps a gathering of a dozen or so people with cheese and wine doesn't constitute a party. Perhaps a gathering of a couple of dozen people at a place of…
Daniel Finkelstein: opponents of assisted dying are ‘radicals’
In his Times article today, Daniel Finkelstein insists that to legalise assisted dying (/suicide) would be "a small change"; a very modest development; a necessary and popular incremental reform. As…
Bishop dismisses Matt Hancock’s adultery as “a bit of a fling”
Two marriages have broken down, with all the heartache, tears and loneliness of the innocent parties. One wedding ring has been thrown to the floor in the passion of betrayal;…
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…
Institutional narcissism in the Church of England
"The BBC, the NHS and Oxfam have a bad case of institutional narcissism", wrote Matthew Syed in the Sunday Times yesterday. It is a terse but cogent thesis, coming in…
Why has Cardinal Wuerl (retired) been given $2m by the Washington Archdiocese?
"In 2020, the Archdiocese of Washington allocate more than $2 million for the 'continued ministry' of retired Cardinal Donald Wuerl. For comparison, the archdiocese earmarked $400k for charitable giving", tweeted…
Wanted: Christians who can cause a little more offence
Would Luther have been a blast on Twitter? Historian Tom Holland thinks so. In an edition of 'The Rest is History' podcast, he observes: "What happens is that Luther obviously…
‘Fawlty Towers’ censored by the BBC
The famous 'Don’t mention the War' episode of the classic, brilliant comedy series 'Fawlty Towers' has been removed from the UKTV catch-up service. In that episode, hotel owner Basil Fawlty…
Archbishop cheers Labour MP for breaking lockdown law
We are in the midst of a global pandemic, and the law of the land is clear: "no person may participate in a gathering which takes place in a public…
Boris Johnson and the Episcopal Land of Zoom
This is the 18th contribution to His Grace’s emergency team ministry during the coronavirus pestilence. The author is an Incumbent in the Church of England, who wishes to remain anonymous.…
Care in a covid climate: in defence of Justin Welby
"The Archbishop of Canterbury has been secretly volunteering as a chaplain at St Thomas’s Hospital during the coronavirus lockdown, the Telegraph has learned." The Telegraph learned this when the rest…
Tory leadership contest: when did vice signalling become a virtue?
The Tory leadership contest has taken a strange turn. Perhaps it's a purposeful distraction from their (non-)strategies for realising Brexit, but they seem to have taken to vice signalling (or,…
Bemused by Brexit? Come to church for tea and prayer – unless your vicar is a Remainer
At this moment of national crisis and international humiliation (which it is), the Church of England is encouraging people to come to church to be 'Together' for a cup of…