Liz Truss: “I share the values of the Christian faith”
In a few weeks the United Kingdom will have a new Prime Minister. On current polling, it looks as though Liz Truss will be invited to kiss hands with the…
Politicians
Liz Truss needs to listen to her uncle, the Rev’d Canon Richard Truss
Boris Johnson has gone. His farewell speech on the steps of Downing Street was a classic of the 'boosterism' genre, but quite unmemorable (apart from a reference to his feeling like Cincinnatus leaving to plough his farm [who subsequently returned…
Lucy Allan MP: “Is a Conservative welcome in the Church of England?”
Conservative MP Lucy Allan has challenged the Archbishop of Canterbury directly on his 'robust' intervention in Priti Patel's (presently thwarted) policy to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. "When the Church…
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.…
Bramble Welby introduces her human on a BBC Newscast
Bramble Welby upstaged her human on a BBC Newcast this week. "Lie down. Can you lie down. That's a good girl," said the Archbishop of Canterbury. "Nope," thought Bramble. "Not…
Fr Alan Griffin (RIP): the buck stops with Bishop Sarah Mullally
Upon taking office as 33rd President of the United States, Harry S. Truman famously placed a sign on his desk to remind himself of the awesome responsibility which the Office…
Boris Johnson is not a professing Roman Catholic: he will still advise the Queen on the selection of Bishops
Is Boris Johnson a Roman Catholic? Yes and no. During an ITV interview with Robert Peston, the Prime Minister was asked if he is now "a practising Roman Catholic", following…
Twitter censorship of the Biden scandal merits questions in Parliament
There is something rather sinister going on at Twitter. Readers will recall the daily news being full of serious allegations of Russian collusion with the Trump campaign in order to…
Pope Francis damns Brexit
Pope Francis has written another encyclical, Fratelli Tutti. It isn't a great theological tome; indeed, it could easily be a series of religio-political blogposts on current events. Much of the…
Waiting expectantly for the wrong messiah
We must never again have a general election during Advent: everyone is waiting expectantly for the wrong messiah. By the end of this week either Boris Johnson or Jeremy Corbyn…
Jacob Rees-Mogg does not deserve to be pilloried for his Grenfell fire remarks
I scarcely thought that 50 years after studying the Law of Tort I should be dredging up my recollection of its principles because they would prove relevant during an election…
Don’t judge an archbishop by a newspaper headline
This is a very poor headline from the Sunday Times, purposely written to exasperate Brexiteer Tories and bring comfort and joy to all sorts of Remainery types. But it is…
Brexit Derangement Syndrome: the contagion reaches the Bishops
Every profession seems to have been infected, and within each there is notable carrier who is especially unwell. Brexit Derangement Syndrome is spreading like the Plague of Justinian, and there…
We need to make more space for silence
High School student Jack Higgins has a severe form of autism which makes him hypersensitive to noise. His graduation rite of passage was looking to be an impossible occasion, with…
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,…
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…
Welby to MPs: ‘Respect the vote of the people and unite our country’
By their 'indicative votes' ye shall know them. Last night MPs tried to determine what, if anything, they preferred to Theresa May's 'deal', and they said 'no' to everything. Motion…
Bishop says Brexit is marred by politicians’ personal ambition, and calls for ‘strong, compelling and united vision of the future’
"My Lords, I always rise to speak in this Chamber with some fear and trepidation but never more so than today," confessed the Lord Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev'd…
Defections, divisions, tribalism and schisms
'What causes fights and quarrels among you?' asked James the brother of Jesus, writing to the twelve tribes scattered abroad. And then he proceeds to answer his own question: Don’t…
Parliamentary prayers give strength and instil humility: they impose nothing and exclude no one
"If MPs don’t want to attend prayers, they wait outside for five minutes until they are over", tweeted Nadine Dorries MP, in response to those who are agitating anew for…