Tory leadership contest: how ‘Christian’ are the candidates?
We have arrived at the final two candidates in the Tory leadership contest: either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Hunt will be the next Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and…
Integrity
Jonathan Fletcher presents the Church of England with a crisis of integrity
On Boxing Day the nation was entertained on a bi-partisan basis by the tragi-comic story of Jolyon Maugham QC and his vulpine intruder. It will take some of us a few more Christmas drinks to erase completely the image of…
Iwerne: what did David Conner (now Dean of Windsor) and others know about John Smyth’s regime of abuse?
Many years ago, I worked as a duty solicitor, undertaking day and night visits to the local police stations. There were not many on the rota and it was a…
Gerald Coates says Justin Welby denied saying that the EU was “the greatest dream realised for human beings since the fall of the Western Roman Empire”
Gerald Coates attended a Lambeth Palace garden party, and has published an account on his Facebook page: Now this is curious, not to say confusing. Gerald Coates is one of…
Why is the General Synod of the Church of England so poor at holding Bishops to account?
Travel is said to broaden the mind, but occasionally it reminds us to pay more attention to what is closer to home, right under our noses. Many years ago, on…
‘Sorry’ seems to be the hardest word: apologetics and apologies in the Bishop Bell case
This is a guest post by the Very Rev'd Professor Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford. _________ An apology is a written or spoken expression of regret and remorse;…
Justin Welby has staked his reputation and legacy on the maintenance of a profound injustice to Bishop George Bell
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…
Welby: “I really, genuinely do not understand” Christian support for Trump
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was interviewed by Robert Peston on Sunday. He spoke about the British economic model, economic justice, investment, skills, apprenticeships, automation, robotics, AI, equality for…
Bishop of Sheffield: Martyn Percy asked for bread; Sentamu and Welby give a stone
No doubt there has been a lot of frantic to-ing and fro-ing between the palaces of Bishopthorpe and Lambeth since Philip North felt unable to take up the nomination as…
Church in Wales being hounded to appoint Jeffrey John the next Bishop of Llandaff
The Church in Wales is the Anglican Church in Wales, and it is disestablished. It's appointments procedure is therefore an entirely internal matter, at some arms' length from the kingdom…
Those who attacked +Philip North have made same-sex blessing compromise impossible
Remember that "radical new Christian inclusion" Justin Welby spoke of in the wake of Synod's decision not to 'take note' of the Bishops' report on marriage and same-sex relations? Well,…
If Philip North can’t be Bishop of Sheffield, the Church of England ceases to be catholic
The Dean of Christ Church, Professor Martyn Percy, has issued an ultimatum circumspectly entitled 'Questions of Ambiguity and Integrity'. It's quite long, but essentially it boils down to a choice:…
Mrs Proudie: Thomas Becket’s grim fate offers a cautionary tale
Goodness! The bones of Thomas Becket returning to England! Being of an evangelical frame of mind, one has little time for papist superstition, but even I have to admit…
Faiths Forum for London conspires for EU Remain vote
Faiths Forum for London "empowers religious communities to work together for a better London". At least that's what their website says. And they seem to do an awful lot…
Ukip MEP bashes Archbishop for offering sanctuary to refugees
What do you think? There was an archbishop who loved to read The Guardian and watch the BBC. He saw that thousands upon thousands of Christians were suffering throughout…
Lower than ermine? Why is Ann Widdecombe not in the House of Lords?
One of these is in the House of Lords and oughtn't to be; and one isn't but really, really ought to be. One wonders why. Michelle Mone OBE (left)…
Is Jeremy Corbyn an anti-Semitic Israel hater?
Jeremy Corbyn has a few questions to answer. They have been posed by The Jewish Chronicle, iterated by the Daily Mail, reiterated by the Guardian and re-reiterated by the…
Welby tells politicians: "seek to do right" (no coded political message)
The Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby preached earlier this week at St Margaret's Church, Westminster, at a service to pray God's blessing upon the new Parliament. It was attended…
Tim Farron 'clarifies' his Christian convictions in pursuit of LibDem leadership
There is no doubt that Christian representation in Parliament came out well in this General Election. A handful of prominent Christians including Simon Hughes, Douglas Alexander and Jim Murphy…
Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive the politicians who trespass against us
Trust – or more precisely the lack of it – has arguably been the defining theme of this General Election. This was plainly demonstrated during last week’s BBC Question…