Church
A woke church is doomed to fail
My church attendance leaves something to be desired and I can’t cite Bible verses for every occasion. Yet for as…
What should you charge for a virtual conference?
From time to time, every industry must adapt to some inconvenient technological advance. Suddenly, some part of what you offer…
Will Coronavirus hasten the demise of religion - or herald its revival?
Whenever Christianity seems all but exhausted, it bursts into life once more
Letters: Why coronavirus is so hard to investigate
Corona mysteries Sir: John Lee highlights the issue of dying of seasonal flu vs dying of coronavirus when assessing attributable…
The psychological and economic dangers of enforced idleness
‘Lourdes shrine closes healing pools as precaution against coronavirus,’ says a discouraging headline in the Catholic Herald. Jesus ‘made the…
Dear Mary: How can I foil a notorious place-swapper at my daughter’s wedding?
Q. I am arranging the seating plan for my daughter’s wedding and have a problem with one of her guests…
How I found salvation in a church in Torquay
Last Tuesday a Mistral wind blowing across the Bay of Angels jerked the plane all over the shop as it…
The touching traces of the past in church visitors’ books
I am memorialised twice in my village church. Not in some premature lapidary way, but in the visitors’ book. The…
Our churches aren’t perfect, but if we lose them we will all be worse off
After hearing about the massacre in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday, I went to church, happily sang the word God…
The holy pedigree of cats
It is claimed that the prophet Muhammad loved cats. His favourite was called Muezza and he would do without his…
Despite everything, America is beautiful — especially at West Point
What is left to say after the church shooting in the Home of the Depraved? Those killed in Texas included…
Low life
As is traditional in this village, the Chapel congregation had walked the 100 yards up the hill to unite with…
Why does drama always end up sneering at religion?
Theo Hobson explores the enduring appeal that religion has for dramatists
Why the next Tory leader is likely to be in the ‘Leave’ camp
Here is a thought for all those Tory MPs calculating their personal advantage in the forthcoming EU referendum: unless the…
Charles Moore’s Notes: A meditation on my son’s marriage
Our son, William, celebrated his marriage on Saturday. You would expect me to say that it was wonderful, sunny occasion.…
When the going gets tough there’s nothing like an hour of rollicking hymn singing
On Saturday my boy had a mini-stroke at home, aged only 26. ‘You’ll have to give up smoking and do…
Letters: Booming churches, brilliant Swedes and who gets the VC
Growing congregations Sir: I would like to take issue with Damian Thompson (‘Crisis of faith’, 13 June) and his assertions…
The vicar struck the first blow. And then he told us all a joke
Before delivering his sermon, the vicar said we must offer one another the sign of peace. He struck the first…
Spectator letters: What has happened to the instinctive Tory faith?
An instinctive Tory faith Sir: For once Bruce Anderson does not exaggerate: David Cameron did indeed win golden opinions for…
The mysterious pleasure of Magnus Mills
Since his debut with the Booker-nominated The Restraint of Beasts in 1999, Magnus Mills has delighted and occasionally confounded his…
The church of self-worship: Sunday morning with the atheists
Sunday morning among the atheists
White Dee's diary: From Benefits Street to Downing Street?
There’s no reason why you should have heard of me. No reason why you would have watched a Channel 4…
Forgive me, Father
What Catholics really talk about in the confession box
Portrait of the week
Home Britain’s gross domestic product grew by 1.9 per cent last year, the most since 2007, according to the Office…
Dear Mary: Should I thrust my backside at other people in the theatre?
Q. I am no interior decorator, but we have a couple of rather subtle paint colours in the house that…
