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…
Pastoral care
Justin Welby's "spiritual magpie" plan to save the Church of England (DV)
There’s a fantastic article this weeks' Spectator entitled 'God’s management consultants: the Church of England turns to bankers for salvation'. It’s the sort of piece that is bound to send many clergy and lay members of the Church of…
Church of England mistakes mission for the management of decline
One of the best things Christians are doing all over the country at the moment is organising and hosting General Election hustings for their local communities. Last time round,…
The Church of England exists for all people – not just Christians
According to Bishop Lesslie Newbigin, "there is not and cannot be a gospel which is not culturally embodied". He maintained that the missionary task of the Church is to…
#PastoralLetter (1): The patronising episcopal 'should'
There are only two possible outcomes at the next General Election: either David Cameron will be Prime Minister, or Ed Miliband. Nigel Farage will not be Prime Minister; nor…
The last chance to save our rural churches
There was a popular modern worship song that did the rounds a few years ago entitled 'God of this City'. The chorus went: For greater things have yet to…
Bishop Philip North – catholic continuity and ecclesial unity
On 7th November 2014, it was announced by The Prime Minister's Office, 10 Downing Street: "The Queen has approved the nomination of the Reverend Philip John North to the…
The Times takes another swipe at the Archbishop of Canterbury
Reasoned criticism of the Church of England is always welcome: as a human institution it boasts of no perfection; as a provisional branch of the Catholic Church it makes…
"What ceremony else?" Church of England to reform burial of suicides
"What ceremony else?" cries Laertes in Hamlet, as his dead sister Ophelia is buried to a single tolling bell with a meagre liturgy, as all suspected suicides used to…
Lord Carey is wrong to support state-sanctioned assisted suicide
Apparently the UK is "closer than ever" to introducing legislation which will permit the terminally ill to end their lives at a time and place of their choosing. Lord…
Church of England to spend £2m on "new approach" to leadership
Politicians are out of touch. We know that, because we constantly hear about the 'Westminster bubble' or the 'Westminster Village', and Nadine Dorries once told us that neither David…
Justin wept over Church of England child abuse
The Archbishop of Canterbury gave a speech yesterday to the Parliamentary Press Gallery – a group made up of privileged journalists and reporters who mill around Westminster hour after…