Church of England
It’s time for the Church of England to drop the culture wars
Almost three thousand years ago the Prophet Amos asked ‘can two walk together except they be agreed?’ How can the Church of England, pragmatic and volunteer-led but with complex legal… Continue reading
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Move over, Dawkins. The atheist spring of the last decade is wilting.
I couldn’t get Richard Dawkins to reply to Theo Hobson’s excellent article on ‘the new new atheists’. Probably, he didn’t see my message. Or maybe he thought it beneath him. Or maybe like God he… Continue reading
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Can Christians still have Holy Matrimony?
That’s that then. Marriage will change, one way or another. Progress has won. Cue lots of right-on politicians talking about how proud they are to have ushered in such a… Continue reading
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Will the European court force churches to conduct gay weddings?
Would the European Court of Human Rights force churches to conduct same-sex marriages against their will? That’s the professed fear of some opponents of the Same Sex Marriage Bill being… Continue reading
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Church of England 2.0
Welcome Rt Rev Justin Welby, who became the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury this morning at St Pauls. The Church of England’s first tweeting ABC has been a bit quiet online… Continue reading
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Gay bishops and women bishops are not the same issue
This being the Ephiphany, churchgoing Anglicans will be on the receiving end of any variety of sermons on the visit by the three kings to the infant Christ. There won’t,… Continue reading
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Are Christians being persecuted in Britain?
Douglas Murray makes a striking point on his Spectator blog about the violent persecution that many Christians face across the globe, while the Church of England fights over gay marriage… Continue reading
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The man behind the Alpha Course
Christmas is one of the few times of year when those unaccustomed to attending church feel prompted to join their local congregation for a few carols. But what will they… Continue reading
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Justin Welby to face MPs and peers on women bishops row
Justin Welby is certainly a bold chap: I understand the man set to take over from Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Canterbury is due to meet MPs and peers on… Continue reading
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A storm of nonsense: gay marriage opponents lose their wits - Spectator Blogs
My word, the latest kerfuffle over gay marriage runs the gamut from dumb to dumber. Here, for instance, is Cristina Odone: He may get away with bullying a great many –… Continue reading
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In defence of the CofE’s House of Laity
Even friends of an Established church like myself – though I’m a Catholic – should think twice about the wisdom of the idea after the naked political interference in the… Continue reading
40 Comments The Church of England is becoming a church in England
This morning’s newspapers (and indeed the airwaves) are full of apocalyptic predictions about the future of the Church of England. The failure of the General Synod to ordain women bishops has… Continue reading
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The Church of England rejects women bishops
Gulp. The General Synod of the Church of England has, against almost all expectations, rejected the ordination of women bishops. This seems to represent an early defeat for the incoming… Continue reading
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Why Old Etonian Justin Welby is good news for the CofE
So, another Old Etonian at the apex of the British establishment: Justin Welby, the Bishop of Durham, will be the next Archbishop of Canterbury. It’s sweet, in a way. All we need… Continue reading
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Gay marriage, the CofE and the Tories
There was, as Freddy has said, something inevitable about the Church of England’s response to the imminent prospect of gay marriage. A convinced Anglican, who also has intimate knowledge of… Continue reading
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Another reason to part ways with Strasbourg
Even for people on the same side of an argument, opinion is often wildly divided. Among those of us who believe government should support civil marriage equality, this morning’s papers… Continue reading
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On the road to disestablishment
There’s an inevitability about the Times’s big splash (£) this morning: Gay Marriage Plan Could Divorce Church From State. The Church of England’s historic role as ‘religious registrar’ for the… Continue reading
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The decline of the spirit
In celebration of the feast of Easter, we’ve dug out this profound leader from March 1975, which looks at the ever-evolving relationship of church and state. The Church, the State… Continue reading
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From the archives: The C of E’s lack of purpose
As Easter Sunday approaches, we cast back to April 2009 when Rod Liddle presented an Easter question to leaders of the Church — what happened to muscular Christianity? Here is… Continue reading
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From the archives: Rowan Williams on capitalism and idolatry
To mark today’s news that Rowan Williams will be stepping down as Archbishop of Canterbury, here’s a piece he wrote for The Spectator during the financial crash of 2008: Rowan… Continue reading
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