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…
Subsidiarity
Does it matter if Church of England parishes wither on the vine?
At the inaugural meeting of 'Save the Parish' this week at Great St Bartholomew's in Smithfield, London, the Rev'd Marcus Walker was animated and agitated. Time is short, he told us. The ancient parishes of the Church of England are…
Covid-centralising Archbishop excoriates Government – for Covid centralising
The Archbishop of Canterbury has excoriated the Government's 'Rule of Six', the latest anti-Covid-19 policy which restricts almost the whole of society to gatherings of no more than six. Writing…
Brexit Day – at last, a wide and liberal global future
When the majority of UK voters determined to leave the European Union on 23rd June 2016, it was met with much relief and rejoicing by many millions of people: The…
A Christian case for Brexit
If one anti-Brexit argument persists within the clergy hierarchy of the Church of England, it is that the UK's departure from the European Union is a fundamentally 'un-Christian' pursuit. The…
Sovereignty: why is it good for Kashmir and Hong Kong, but bad for the UK?
News from Hong Kong and Kashmir has continued to dominate the news, and then the Labour Shadow Chancellor and Deputy Leader John McDonnell sowed a degree of discontent in the…
Lambeth Palace convenes Brexit colloquium – and crams it with Remainers (including one MP..)
This Friday there is to be a colloquium at Lambeth Palace entitled: 'After Brexit: European Unity and the Unity of the European Churches'. In the current political morass of 'Hard'…
Welby: Brexit offers ‘a wide and liberal future’; Remainers are ‘depressed’ and ‘paranoid’
When it transpired that the reason Chris Heaton-Harris MP had written to all university vice-chancellors asking for the names of academics lecturing on Brexit was simply because he was writing…
COMECE: Roman Catholics should support EU integration
COMECE is the Roman Catholic Church in the European Union (the Commission of the Bishops' Conferences of the European Community). Its mission is to explore strange new worlds, to seek…
Michael Gove doesn't want to be PM: he wants meritocracy and freedom
"Michael Gove won't admit it, but tonight's EU debate is his first audition for the Tory leadership," wrote Asa Bennett in the Telegraph. Except he didn't because it wasn't.…
Giles Fraser backs Brexit – and the liberal elite sneer at him for it
The Rev'd Dr Giles Fraser is one of the very few Church of England clergy who has publicly declared that he wants the UK to leave the EU. It…
Catholic bishops: picking their principles of social teaching
This is a guest post by Peter Smith: a Roman Catholic barrister practising in London. ______________________ Thus, the Catholic bishops in England and Wales have spoken. The EU Referendum, they…
Cameron's EU deal: we were lied to in 1975; we won't be deceived again
David Cameron's EU deal is no deal at all. It amounts to minor tinkering, presentational puff, and achieves little in terms of the subsidiarity-sovereignty objectives which the Conservative Party…
Vatican says UK is "better in than out" of the EU
"The Vatican wants Britain to stay in the European Union, the Pope's foreign secretary has declared." So writes the Telegraph, noting that Archbishop Paul Gallagher, Secretary for Relations with…
Fr Raniero Cantalamessa – Preacher to the Papal Household – to speak at Synod Eucharist
As the Queen and Supreme Governor of the Church of England inaugurates the tenth General Synod on 24th November, it has been announced that the ceremony will be preceded…
Corbyn's moral mission for a kinder, more inclusive politics
A bit doddery and oafish, Jeremy Corbyn stumbled and stammered through his first Conference speech like a 1950s grey-bearded puritan. He was robed in a bright red tie, though…
Welby breathes new life into the crumbling Anglican Communion
Anglicanism: the final frontier. These are the prophetic voyages of Justin Welby. His continuing mission: to explore strange new reconciliations; to seek out new wine and new creations; to…
Votewise 2015: a biblical case for localism, subsidiarity and restored national sovereignty
Over the last couple of months this site has covered some of the most prominent publications that have sought to define an appropriate form of Christian engagement with political…