During their conversation in Canterbury Cathedral Frank Skinner told the Archbishop of Canterbury that he wants to feel mystery in the Christian faith and that he believes in ‘all the weird stuff’. In a friendly way he chided the Church of England for being too apologetic about the faith. The Christmas gospel is full of [...]
By James Jones Bishop of Liverpool Outside the Governor’s office in Liverpool prison, encased in glass, is a magnificent old clock dating back to 1854 when the prison was founded. It used to stand in the chapel and I could imagine the men at Sunday service watching it as it ticked away the minutes and [...]
By Nick Dean A movement in the Middle East seeks to bond Christians the world over in the fight for Palestinian recognition and is backed by the YMCA in Bethlehem. One of the YMCA Bethlehem members recently travelled to London for a strategic planning conference with many movement sympathizers. The movement, Kairos Palestine, is based [...]
Three bishops helped inflict a major division on the Government in the House of Lords over the issue of a so-called “bedroom tax”. Under the Government’s proposed welfare reforms people in social housing deemed to have a “spare” bedroom would have their housing benefit docked by 12 per cent and those with two or more [...]
Bishops took opposing sides in the House of Lords over whether to vote down plans to allow civil partnership registrations to take place in churches. A move to block regulations that bring into effect the controversial proposal contained in last year’s Equality Act was ultimately withdrawn following assurances from the Government that no religious premise [...]
By Nick Dean The Archbishop of Canterbury has a message for England: recognize the waywardness of the country’s youth or face fiery, chaotic riots once again. In response to an on-going investigative and data journalism endeavour by The Guardian newspaper, Reading the Riots, Rowan Williams opined that the country’s youth are in a volatile state [...]
By Andrew Goddard Life is always more interesting when things don’t go as planned. That alone should make the Anglican Communion Covenant interesting in 2012. General Synod rarely refers matters to dioceses. When it does, it often seems – as with women bishops – a procedural necessity with a foregone positive conclusion. As 2011 closes, [...]
By Michelle Hall One of the most ancient systems known to man may be making a comeback. According to research recently conducted by The City of London Corporation and the United Kingdom Economic and Social Research Council, the system of bartering could prove a vital lifeline for UK businesses and the economy in times of [...]
After the presents are torn open and the Christmas pudding is devoured, Classic FM is giving families across the UK a chance to gather around the radio for The Christmas Mysteries, a play that combines English classical music and a cast of characters telling the biblical stories in their own ways. The play, to be [...]
CATHOLICS IN DUBLIN face their most challenging years since Catholic Emancipation, 200 years ago, according to the Archbishop of Dublin, the Most Rev Diarmuid Martin. The Archbishop painted a grim picture of declining congregations, a fall in income, and a shortage of priests. He drew attention to a report showing mass attendance in the diocese [...]
Synod says farewell to Bishop
Assisted suicide changes rebuffed
Women bishops move a step closer after debate
Minister gets unusual Valentine’s card
‘Be more confident in faith’
RAF hero priest dies, aged 89
Dialogue urged to prevent discrimination litigation
Missing millions trial underway in S.A.
American church boycott of Starbucks begins
Ulster bishop to lead SAMS-Ireland