Injustice

Martyn Percy is challenging an entire cultural mindset of establishment privilege

July 22, 2020
Martin Sewell
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Reflecting upon the developing Dean Martyn Percy story, I called to mind the famous observation by Abraham Lincoln upon the institution of slavery which was defended at the time by a wide cross section of people, on a variety of…

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Christ Church vs Martyn Percy: a conspiracy of lawyers, divine PR, and the purgatory of CofE Safeguarding

July 5, 2020
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The story of injustice being inflicted by the Church of England upon Prof Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, has been grinding on now for over three months, and…

The harrowing of Martyn Percy (part ii): Church of England colludes in bullying

May 27, 2020
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The harrowing of the Very Rev'd Professor Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church Oxford, ought to have ceased with his vindication in the judgment of Sir Andrew Smith. Professor Percy…

Legal Aid: why is the Government riding roughshod over the rights of the poor?

July 12, 2019
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It is a well established part of the life of General Synod that the clergy and laity can submit motions for debate to the Business Committee. Synod time is both…

Legal Aid is in crisis: can the Church of England help ensure justice?

December 18, 2018
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The Brexit drama is sucking the oxygen of publicity away from many other newsworthy stories, and one of the more regrettable casualties is the parlous state of our Legal Aid…

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The harrowing of Martyn Percy: Oxford University denies natural justice to the Dean of Christ Church

November 19, 2018
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Look here upon this picture, and on this. These images are not separated by years, but a matter of months. You may wonder how the Very Rev'd Professor Martyn Percy,…

Gender Recognition Act Church of England Trans same-sex gay marriage

Gender Recognition Act: could reform be used to impose same-sex marriage on the Church of England?

October 18, 2018
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"This week we will also complete our consultation on plans to reform the Gender Recognition Act," the Prime Minister confirmed in her video message at the Pink News Awards last…

Lord Carey challenges Bishops to break their silence on the ‘significant cloud’ hanging over the name of Bishop George Bell

October 5, 2018
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Lord Carey spoke at the 'Rebuilding Bridges Conference' at Church House today, which aims to restore the name and reputation of Bishop George Bell. This is his speech, reproduced in…

The BBC destroyed Sir Cliff Richard, just like the CofE dishonoured Bishop George Bell

July 19, 2018
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Standing outside the High Court yesterday, Sir Cliff Richard cried. He had just been awarded £190,000 general damages against the BBC (infringement of privacy; general effect on his life), plus…

Ethan Couch and ‘affluenza’: where is God in the absence of visible justice?

July 2, 2018
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‘The first thing we do, let’s kill all the lawyers’ (Henry VI, Pt II, IVii). Sure, I know. Some pernickety pedant with a literary bent is going to tell me…

In Holy Week we should hold our Archbishops’ feet to the fire

March 26, 2018
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Many years ago during the course of a philosophical discussion, an old writer friend of mine offered me one of the most simple yet incisive observations on the human condition.…

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Church of England deducts 30p from child abuse survivor’s counselling expenses – because a dayrider ticket would have been cheaper than two single fares

February 23, 2018
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Chris Hernandez is a child abuse survivor in the Church of England. He has been quoted in a previous post, in which he decried the continuing deficiencies in the way…

Church of England bullies George Bell’s elderly niece by denying her choice of lawyer

February 12, 2018
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Just as the General Synod of the Church of England was sotto voce congratulating itself on finally looking at its multiple failures towards its victims, a decision was being made…

Justin Welby has staked his reputation and legacy on the maintenance of a profound injustice to Bishop George Bell

January 23, 2018
145 Comments

There are times when you really, really don't want to write any kind of response to a contentious issue, no matter how burning it may be, not least because by…

Carlile Report: Bishop George Bell has been traduced, and the blame lies squarely with Church House and Lambeth Palace

December 17, 2017
170 Comments

“The George Bell case represents the perfect storm from which injustice emerges. We had a church fearful and sensitive to allegations that it might be covering up abuse, a plausible…

Welby is right: the UK economy is “broken”, but England’s church is limping

September 6, 2017
142 Comments

It was an unfortunate coincidence that on the day the British Social Attitudes survey was released which announced that more than half (53%) of the British public now describe themselves…

Peace on earth and good will to all men – except the sacked bell-ringers of York Minster

December 18, 2016
330 Comments

"The bells! The bells!" cried Quasimodo, the hunchbacked bell-ringer of Notre-Dame de Paris in Victor Hugo's quasi-fictional novel. He might have been sounding a prophetic child-safeguarding warning to the Church…

Church of England welcomes Chancellor’s Autumn Statement – just don’t mention the national debt

November 24, 2016
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The Bishop of Birmingham, the Rt Rev'd David Urquhart, has issued a response to the Chancellor's Autumn Statement on behalf of the Church of England. It is notable for: I…

Remembrance Day: there’s a long, long trail a-winding..

November 13, 2016
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A long trail of prophets and dark prophecies precedes the apocalypse. When you're dead, you don't care. When you're partly living with no eyes, one leg and half a mind,…

Welby ponders the problem of suffering: “I’m not a good enough theologian”

October 19, 2016
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"How can there be a God when there is so much suffering in the world?" probed broadcaster and journalist Jeremy Vine in discussion with Justin Welby in the Diocese of…