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…
Truth
Archbishops intervene in General Election challenging Labour Antisemitism
The first General Election debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn was a fractious, unedifying and deeply unpleasant affair. It wasn't so much a political debate as a terse slanging match of soundbites and truncated ripostes: arguments weren't allowed to…
Bishop endorses Extinction Rebellion
Extinction Rebellion say billions of people will die in the next decade or so due to climate change, so they are blockading parts of London for a fortnight, preventing people…
Brexit: open letter reveals Bishops split 60:40 on Government’s approach
The open letter on Brexit published yesterday by a group of Diocesan Bishops is interesting on a number of levels, not least of which is the fact that it is…
“Shabby and shambolic” – the CofE still conspires against truth and justice in historic sexual abuse
Anyone wishing the Church of England well might have hoped that the end of the IICSA hearing last month represented the nadir of its unhappy handling of victims complaints. Despite…
Church of England guidance used against Christian in court
There's something ever so slightly disquieting about this, but not for the reasons permeating the websites and chat-threads of Evangelical Christendom. Dr David Mackereth, who said in a Department of…
If a Christian doctor can be forced to deny biology, there is no hope for theology
Piers Morgan has some robust views about religion and sexual-reproductive morality, and if you happen not to agree with his perfectly enlightened worldview, you are a lunatic, a bigot, or…
Imposition or liberation? Abortion and same-sex marriage in Northern Ireland
"If I was a Northern Ireland MLA I’d vote for equal marriage, just as I did in Westminster," tweeted former LibDem leader and committed Christian Tim Farron. "But I support…
When did traditional morality become ‘fundamentalist’?
It was a question posed by Professor John Milbank on Twitter a few days ago. Or, rather, it wasn't posed as a question, such as the 'when' inquiry into conceptual…
CofE Social Media Charter neuters the prophetic and subsumes truth to ‘respect’
"I just signed up to #CofECharter," tweeted the former Times religious affairs correspondent (and quite delightful) Ruth Gledhill, precisely 48 seconds after the Archbishop of Canterbury had announced his initiative…
Before peace, reconciliation and healing, there must come reckoning
Donald Trump is not a modest man. He is not polished, well read, stylish, university educated, 'sophisticated', or a paragon of moral virtue. But he is the duly elected President…
Pope Francis: God willed the Reformation and the Church of England
Pope Francis went to Abu Dhabi this week to meet the Grand Imam of al-Azhar, which is good and pleasant. No doubt the Supreme Pontiff of the Roman Catholic Church…
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…
Bishop denounces Boris Johnson as an “amoral liar”
It was a good lecture by the Bishop of Leeds, if a little long. Delivered to mark the centennial celebrations of Bradford Cathedral, he expounded some of the root causes…
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…
Asia Bibi asylum application was not ‘blocked’ by Theresa May (the Daily Mail made that up)
A few days ago the Daily Mail carried a quite shocking story about the Prime Minister's cold-hearted callousness. The report claimed that Theresa May had personally intervened and 'blocked' an…
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…
Tree of Life Synagogue massacre: Jon Snow stokes division with Channel 4 #FakeNews
President Trump is due to visit Pittsburgh today to honour the 11 Jews of the Tree of Life Synagogue who were gunned down in the deadliest antisemitic attack in US…
Church of England Evangelical Council warns against redefining marriage
The Church of England Evangelical Council describes itself as "a network of networks, bringing evangelicals in the Church of England together for the sake of the gospel". It was created…
Bishop blocked by Twitter – for telling the truth about sex abuse in the Roman Catholic Church
That notorious purveyor of hate and guile, the Rt Rev'd Dr Gavin Ashenden, has been blocked by Twitter. Actually, the tense is wrong: he was blocked by Twitter, but recanted…