Our Platinum Queen — the happiness of the United Kingdom
When we think or speak of the Elizabethan era, our minds turn naturally to the 16th century; to the golden age of peace and prosperity, of art and culture, of…
Thomas Cranmer
Rustat 1 – 0 Welby | Jesus College Cambridge must retain its memorial to Tobias Rustat
"Why is it so much agony to remove a memorial to slavery?" pleaded the Archbishop of Canterbury to Synod in February, as he bemoaned the fact that the Master of Jesus College Cambridge, Sonita Alleyne, a black woman, has to…
Matthew Parris just wants to be loved, accepted, and buried in the CofE
Matthew Parris has written a strange a piece in the Times about the Church of England: 'Anglicanism was never really about God', he decrees, with a kind of semi-detached secular-papal…
General Synod elections: the ‘liberal drift’ is not a foregone conclusion
The Rev'd Peter Ould has been psephological over at Psephizo, and his analysis of the recent Synod elections merits some consideration in respect of the 'liberal drift' of the Church…
If Martyn Percy kills himself, the Church of England will have blood on its hands
465 years ago today, Archbishop Thomas Cranmer was burned at the stake for 'heresy'. 15 years ago today, on the 450th anniversary of that fateful day, the Archbishop Cranmer blog…
Pope Francis proclaims Thomas Cranmer ‘Doctor of the Church’
Pope Francis has proclaimed Archbishop Thomas Cranmer a Doctor of the Universal Church in recognition of his bold witness of faith and his contribution to divine worship and liturgy. Last…
Catholic Herald stokes sectarianism with ‘Heretic of the Week’
The Catholic Herald runs a column called 'Heretic of the Week'. It hasn't been running for many weeks, which is probably why it isn't that widely known, but a recent…
Lambeth Awards: why is the CofE patting itself on the back over Safeguarding?
The Lambeth Awards were bestowed last week at Lambeth Palace. The Anglican Oscars non-academic honours for exemplary service and inspirational ministry were instituted in 2016 as part of Justin Welby's…
Reformation 500: we are all Protestants now
‘Reformation’ is an awkward word; so, of course, is ‘Protestant’. Both terms convey a sense of theological unity or ecclesial uniformity wrapped in a righteous evangelical zeal, when, in fact,…
Justin Welby is not a heretic, he’s a very faithful Anglican
In the Roman Catholic Cathedral of Westminster there is a list of Archbishops of Canterbury which chronicles the centuries of communion between the popes of Rome and the chief pastors…
Sex and the Church: how does a “radical new Christian inclusion” differ from the world’s?
You know that church that's seemingly in crisis and turmoil? Well, today it'll carry on praying, worshipping, visiting the ill and bereaved, loving one another... (and re-stocking food-banks). And it'll…
Archbishops call on Queen to repent of being Supreme Governor of the Church of England
In this 500th anniversary year of an obscure monk called Martin Luther banging his 95 Theses onto the door of Castle Church in Wittenburg, the event which history marks as…
Archbishop Cranmer – 10 years of religio-political edification and enlightenment
Ten years ago today, on 21st March 2006, the Archbishop Cranmer blog burst into the Blogosphere. Well, perhaps the irruption wasn't so much a burst as a seep, for…
Pope's preacher lauds the "great theological and spiritual enrichment" of the Reformation
When Fr Raniero Cantalamessa, Preacher to the Papal Household, was invited to speak in Westminster Abbey at the inauguration of the 10th General Synod of the Church of England,…
Welby: "Christians are not saints"; Cranmer: "O yes we are"
"Christians are not saints," tweeted Lambeth Palace, apparently quoting from a sermon by the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby. "They are sinners calling other sinners to know and love…
On this day, 459 years ago, a man was burned at the stake for 'heresy'
On this day, 459 years ago, a man was burned at the stake for 'heresy' – essentially for holding conflicting personal, political and theological loyalties. He bequeathed to us…
The martyrdom of Thomas Becket
On this day in 1170 Thomas Becket, Archbishop of Canterbury, was murdered by the knights of King Henry II in Canterbury Cathedral. It was muddled politics and religion -…
Ian Paisley – the Last Great Protestant – is dead
The Rt Hon the Rev'd Dr Ian Paisley, the Lord Bannside, has died and passed into Glory. Whatever you may have thought about him - however he may have inspired…