Brexit backstop and beef: if the EU wasn’t faithful over BSE, how can we trust them with our liberty?
'He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much' (Lk 16:10). If…
Trust
Emotional abuse in the Church: Bishops need psychological help
There is a Jewish proverb that a good name is worth more than precious stones. In this reflective and penitential season of Lent, members of the Church of England House of Bishops probably have the grace to acknowledge that their…
Brexit impasse: democracy can be messy – but the alternative is terrifying
'And the Lord said unto Samuel, Hearken unto the voice of the people in all that they say unto thee' (1Sam 8:7). It might not end well, but never let…
While bishops bicker over Brexit, there is one who shows a better way
Should there be a second referendum (aka a 'People's Vote') on Brexit, the Bishop of Oxford was asked. "My own view is that it would make things worse and it…
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…
‘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;…
Jayne Ozanne was raped by a priest? Which bishop told her not to report the attack?
Jayne Ozanne (who claimed to have reported this blog to the police last year for 'hate') claims to have been raped by a priest in the 1990s. She says she…
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…
This is how the 'Christian vote' now looks
During the run up to May’s General Election, we had a few polls that attempted to gauge what the Christian vote would look like. Carrying out such an exercise…
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…
Giles Fraser: Would Jesus vote? Yes, but absolutely not Conservative
Anyone who thinks that Christianity and politics should never mix must be highly irritated at the moment. A week doesn't seem to go by without some form of conference, event or…
Rev'd Canon Dr (Labour) denounces South Yorkshire police officer (Ukip)
The Rev'd Canon Dr Alan Billings is a retired vicar of some academic standing: not only was he a member of the respected Youth Justice Board, he was director…
It's Tristram Hunt who should be taking an oath, not our teachers
Poor Tristram Hunt. The Shadow Education Secretary's latest revolutionary idea of having teachers swear a public oath in the style of the Hippocratic Oath - committing themselves to the values of their profession…
Brooks Newmark's humiliating failure is not the real scandal
There are some enduring debates that will probably never be resolved. Did Lee Harvey Oswald shoot JFK? Are single-sex schools more effective than mixed ones? Should scones be pronounced sCOnes or scONs?…