Church of England
Who’d be a bishop today?
In his recent interview with our American edition, The Spectator World, Donald Trump is reported to be faced by a…
My manifesto for the next Archbishop of Canterbury
When I told a Westminster political editor that my novel NUNC! was about the prophet Simeon and the Nunc Dimittis,…
The C of E’s tragic misuse of its sacred spaces
I am a priest in the high church tradition of the Church of England. The technical term is Anglo-Catholicism, but…
Justin Welby has cemented his reputation – for having a tin ear
This is an excerpt from the latest episode of the Holy Smoke podcast with Damian Thompson, which you can find…
Channel 4 shouldn’t get to decide the next Archbishop
Obviously, it is difficult to defend the leadership of the Church of England, and I am inexperienced in that art;…
In defence of faith
For what should we give thanks this Christmas? The faith that sustains millions through life’s challenges and inspires countless acts…
Letters: Labour’s attack on farmers
Losing the plot Sir: Your leading article ‘Blight on the land’ (23 November) is right to call out the hypocrisy…
Justin Welby shouldn’t have resigned
There is no proper reason for the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby. No iniquity was proved against…
After Welby: what’s next for the Church of England?
It’s taken him more than a decade, but Justin Welby has finally united the Church of England. The petition calling…
Resignations alone won’t fix the Church of England
Will there be more resignations following the departure of Justin Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury? The Church is, as on…
Letters: the problem with emojis
Industrial waste Sir: I endorse your concerns about the closure of Grangemouth and Port Talbot and the statement that ‘if…
Why C of E bishops are so bland
Nolo episcopari. These were the words a person was expected to say on being offered an episcopal see. It basically…
The C of E’s raving madness
In February there was a commotion at Canterbury Cathedral. Or, to be more precise, there was a silent commotion. The…
The C of E needs to talk about sex
My friend Andy is getting married. It’s about time – he and his girlfriend have a one-year-old daughter. He wants…
The problem with flexible working
Lots and lots and lots of fuss about betting on the general election. Less attention is paid to the biggest…
The Church of England’s volunteering crisis
John Betjeman knew that a church cannot run on prayers alone. ‘Let’s praise the man who goes to light the…
Has the C of E got its reparations bill all wrong?
Reparations have a troubled history, and rightly. The word itself, in its familiar sense, seems to have been a euphemism…
Is the C of E about to say sorry for Christianity?
Is the Church of England going to apologise for Christianity? A report by something called the Oversight Group has declared…
Is the Church of England giving up on Sunday worship?
Is the Church of England giving up on Sunday worship?
God the ‘Father’ isn’t sexist
Calling God ‘Father’ may be ‘problematic’, pronounced the Archbishop of York at Friday’s formal opening of the General Synod. Watching…
The Queen’s life was anchored by Christianity
The Queen’s life was anchored by Christianity
‘Jerusalem’ is a rousing anthem – but who knows what the words mean?
‘Jerusalem’ may be our unofficial national anthem, but don’t ask anyone who sings it to tell you what it means, says Philip Hensher
In defence of meddlesome priests
The British constitution is best understood as a dinner party. Imagine the key institutions of national life personified and sat…
The art of changing your mind
Some years ago there was a study at Harvard that tried to find out what people did when they held…
How do we celebrate Easter in the shadow of war?
This week has been Passiontide, which means lots of wonderful plainsong in the choir of Canterbury Cathedral as my predecessors…
