Archdruid Eileen blogs about The Only Good Pharisee…..?
Matthew Bell has interviewed John Bickersteth for The Spectator: Guns, gays and the Queen – a former bishop reminisces.
Andrew Goddard writes for Fulcrum about Same-sex marriage, clergy and the canons.
Molly Lynch writes for The Yorkshire Post about Fears for Yorkshire’s oldest churches.
The Huffington Post has photos of The Most Stunning Stained Glass Windows In The World.
13 CommentsCole Moreton has interviewed Rowan Williams for The Telegraph I didn’t really want to be Archbishop.
David Meldrum is blogging a series of Lessons On The Way. The latest is 6: Nothing’s that important.
Stanley Hauerwas writes for Together for the Common Good about How to Remember the Poor.
Gareth Hughes offers a spotter’s guide to Anglican dress-up.
3 CommentsBen Myers is compiling a Church attendance manual. Here is part 1: arriving late.
Allison Pearson writes in The Telegraph that Wishy-washy Anglicans like me should speak up for the Church.
Jonathan Clatworthy writes for Modern Church that Hard work is not a virtue.
Paul Vallely writes for the Church Times about What really makes a nation Christian.
Simon Barrow writes for Ekklesia about Easter: actually it’s 50 days, and nothing to do with ‘Christian country’ ideology.
Barney White-Spunner writes for The Telegraph that Village churches need their own resurrection.
Diarmaid MacCulloch has given the fourth annual Princeton in Europe Lecture: What if Arianism had won? [63 minute video]
4 CommentsAndrew Brown profiles Justin Welby: the hard-nosed realist holding together the Church of England for The Guardian.
Giles Fraser writes for the Mail Online: Bless you, Dave, for ‘doing God’. But there’s more to faith than your do-gooding religion-lite: A combative Easter message from the former Canon Chancellor of St Paul’s.
Tim Stanley responds in The Telegraph with Sorry, Rev, but Christianity isn’t just about being nice to people.
David Cameron writes for the Church Times about My faith in the Church of England.
Some Easter Messages:
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori
Dean Jeffrey John
Archbishop of Wales
Archbishop of Dublin
Archbishop of Sydney
Archbishop of Melbourne
GAFCON
N T Wright writes for ABC Religion and Ethics: Only Love Believes: The Resurrection of Jesus and the Constraints of History.
Jonathan Clatworthy blogs for Modern Church about Resurrection and kingdom.
Holly Baxter writes for The Guardian about The importance of Easter to this atheist.
Also in The Guardian Giles Fraser writes about The one day when Christians and atheists sing from the same hymn sheet.
A N Wilson writes for The Telegraph about Good Friday: the day we forget to remember.
John Dickson has Top 10 tips for atheists this Easter.
23 CommentsThis week’s Church Times carries a special report compiled by Tim Wyatt on sexual violence in Africa: First the rape. Then the stigma. Now the healing?
DARFUR.
“One of the Janjaweed pushed me to the ground. He forced my clothes off, and they raped me, one by one. I did not have any energy or force against them.
“They used me. I started bleeding. It was so painful. I could not stand up… I was sick for seven days.”
This is the harrowing testimony of a 13-year-old girl from western Sudan. It is not an isolated incident. Starting in 2003, the government-backed Janjaweed militia terrorised locals across the region in what appeared to be a campaign of ethnic cleansing against the non-Arab population.
From the beginning, rape was used alongside guns and machetes as a weapon of war…
The main report is available to all, but subscribers can also read the Revd Dr Nyambura Njoroge writing on the gender debate in Africa Teaching men all about women and this leader comment Sexual violence.
The report mentions the efforts of several organisations working with the victims of rape, and who are attempting to change the culture and circumstances that contribute to sexual violence. Here are some relevant websites.
6 CommentsRestored – Ending Violence Against Women
We Will Speak Out
Christian Aid
Mothers of Congo
Global Summit to End Sexual Violence in Conflict
Silent No More – Tearfund report
Created in God’s Image – World Council of Churches and World Communion of Reformed Churches report
N T Wright writes for ABC Religion and Ethics On Palm Sunday, Jesus Rides into the Perfect Storm.
Archdruid Eileen of the Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley writes about the Church of England: Dying on Its Feet.
Alan Jacobs is interviewed by Christianity Today: The Book of Common Prayer Is Still a Big Deal.
Andrew Brown at The Guardian asks Is the internet really killing religion in the US?
Geoff Thompson writes for ABC Religion and Ethics Not Nearly Radical Enough: The Irony of John Robinson’s ‘Honest to God’.
Jonathan Clatworthy writes for Modern Church: Hell: the worst theory ever.
Kathleen Ward blogs on The problem with church growth.
Giles Fraser writes for The Guardian that Forgiveness is not something you feel – it is something that you do.
The Guardian has a regular column What I’m really thinking and today it’s the vicar’s wife.
It has prompted this response from Archdruid Eileen of the Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley: A Vicar’s Wife’s Life.
Archdruid Eileen offers us Do not Feed the Organist and other useful signs.
Gillan Scott of God & Politics in the UK asks Where will we be in 2024? – Setting out a vision for the future of the Church.
Ben Martin blogs about Experiencing a Bishops Advisory Panel Rejection.
Tony Morgan blogs Stop Doing that Event!: 10 Signs that It’s Time to Eliminate an All-Church Event.
Christopher Howse writes in his Sacred Mysteries column in The Telegraph: Bach and the icon of Jesus’s face.
3 CommentsCatherine Fox writes about Power and Passion.
Miranda Threlfall-Holmes concludes her series in The Guardian on George Herbert with We don’t read the Bible to learn more, but to be fed.
Karen Swallow Prior writes for Christianity Today about Hannah More: The Most Influential Reformer You’ve Never Heard of.
David Keen blogs about Latest Church of England Attendance Stats: Making mud seem clear.
[I covered the release of these statistics here.]
Rachel Held Evans blogs on Patriarchy and Abusive Churches.
Peter Stanford in The Independent offers Ten more commandments: How to save the Anglican church.
Malcolm French blogs that The Anglican Communion Hasn’t Failed.
Tom Brazier blogs that There are no rules.
Christopher Whitmey writes about Managing Diocesan Finances.
4 CommentsGeorge Day writes for and about Fulcrum: Where are we and where are we going?
Anglicans Online has published these two essays.
Steve Caruso Lost in Translation — Aramaic in the Context of Christ Looking at Gallilean Aramaic, the language Jesus actually spoke. It is almost extinct.
Pierre Whalon Surviving Death? Thinking about what it means to die.
Andrew Brown writes for The Guardian that Showing that a story isn’t factually accurate doesn’t diminish its truth.
Tony Benn died yesterday. Some reactions:
Benny Hazlehurst Tony Benn – RIP
David Robertson Christian Today Tony Benn – Lessons for Christians, Politicians and Secular Humanists
Giles Fraser The Guardian RIP Tony Benn: he encouraged us
Christopher Howse has been to Cork for The Telegraph: The ugly duck’s loveliest creation.
19 CommentsDavid Emmott starts his new blog Campaign for Fair Rants with Becoming human.
David Walker writes for The Guardian The church has no choice but to act when faced with the reality of poverty.
Graham Kings writes for Fulcrum Life, Justice and Peace through Mission and Dialogue.
Ted Olsen writes for Christianity Today The Bible in the Original Geek: Inside the world of the new Bible coders—and how they will change the way you think about Scripture.
Richard Fidler of ABC has been in conversion with Diarmaid MacCulloch.
Jody Stowell asks Why are we so afraid of women bishops?
If God is love, then can God also be love, heat and passion? – Part 3 of the George Herbert series by Miranda Threlfall-Holmes in The Guardian.
Giles Fraser writes in The Guardian Secular Lent is a pale imitation of the real thing. I’ll have nothing to do with it.
5 CommentsLinda Woodhead The crisis of religious authority
Ian Paul State of the Church: sociology or theology?
George Athas ABC Religion & Ethics Did the camel break the Bible’s back? Nice try, but no
Frank Cranmer Law & Religion UK George Herbert on clergy and the law
In part 2 of her series in The Guardian on George Herbert, Miranda Threlfall-Holmes asks How can we measure the immeasurable?
The final part of the Church Times Church Health Check looks to the future. Three of the articles are available to non-subscribers.
Linda Woodhead A remedy for an ailing Church
David Goodhew and Bob Jackson Can we grow? Yes we can
Martyn Percy It’s not just about the numbers
Rachel Mann Church Times Distracted by instant messages
Giles Fraser The Guardian If religion exists to make raids into what is unsayable, musicians penetrate further than most
1 CommentKevin Hart at ABC Religion & Ethics asks Who, then, shall be saved? The Lord’s Prayer and religious pluralism.
Maggi Dawn blogs 40 ways: keeping a joyful, thankful, holy Lent and Church and Theological Jargon
Miranda Threlfall-Holmes The Guardian George Herbert: the man who converted me from atheism
Sally Newall The Independent A new generation of vicars: More and more young people are choosing a life of wing tips and clerical collars
[Wing tips appear to be a type of brogue.]
Richard Beck at his Experimental Theology blog Search Term Friday: Jesus Crucified Over Adam’s Grave
Steve Cornforth blogs So am I a Christian or not?
Giles Fraser The Guardian Yes, the church is bloody angry about these attacks on the poor, and rightly so
Vicky Beeching Church Times Christian feminism is not an oxymoron
0 CommentsIan Paul Vicars are a bunch of self-interested, southern softies
Joanna Moorhead The Guardian Vicars needed: the Church of England’s fight to fill its vacancies in the north
George Arnett The Guardian How much of the Church of England clergy is female?
Kate Cooper The Guardian Female bishops: be wary of crude interpretations of biblical Christianity
Peter Stanford of The Telegraph has been talking to the Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin: Will Rose Hudson-Wilkin be the first woman bishop?
Jemima Thackray The Telegraph We Christians must face it: the Bible is hugely misogynistic
Rachel Held Evans If men got the Titus 2 Treatment…
David Simmons Preaching from the Rood Screen – Or How I Learned To Stop Snarking and Love the Screen
Part three of the Church Times series on the health of the Church of England includes these three articles available to non-subscribers:
Linda Woodhead Measuring the Church’s social footprint
Dennis Richards A golden age for church schools?
Malcolm Brown Living in an old country
Norman Ivison guest blogs at God and Politics UK about Building churches fit for the future – 7 lessons that need to be learnt.
Jayne Dawson of the Yorkshire Evening Post has been talking to Nick Baines: New Bishop of Leeds is the spy who loved God.
Michael Northcott writes in the Church Times about The argument against fossil fuels.
Part two of the Church Times series on the health of the Church of England includes these two articles available to non-subscribers:
Linda Woodhead Not enough boots on the ground
Abby Day Generation A — the dwindling force
Christopher Howse writes in his Sacred mysteries column in The Telegraph about The mermaid on the church roof.
Malcolm Clemens Young writes for the Huffington Post about Our Common Identity.
15 CommentsJames Langstaff, the Bishop of Rochester, has been interviewed by Marijke Cox of Kent News: Bishop of Rochester opens up about women bishops, his new prison role and dinner with The Queen.
Simon Jenkins (the one who edits Ship of Fools) writes for Reform Magazine about Between hairiness and holiness.
John Packer, who retires as Bishop of Ripon and Leeds next week, reflects on his seven years in the House of Lords.
David Runcorn, writing for Fulcrum, asks And how do I know when I am wrong? Evangelical faith and the Bible.
Andrew Brown explains on his blog Why I am not a Christian. The Church Times has published this under the title Help thou mine unbelief.
The Church Times starts a major series on the health of the Church of England this week. Much is only available to subscribers, but these three are free to all.
Leader comment Near-decimation
Linda Woodhead Time to get serious
Vicky Beeching What gets me out of bed on Sunday
Miranda Threlfall-Holmes has been Rethinking Advent to Candlemas.
Thom Shultz writes about The Church’s Frightful Kodak Moment.
The Diocese of Bath and Wells has issued a set of Social media guidelines. Scott Gunn suggests some additions:
New commandments: Thou shalt Tweet…
Vicky Beeching writes in the Church Times that Children must learn to live in the online world.
Malcolm Round writes Love Your Church Minister.
Gillan Scott of the God & Politics in the UK blog writes that The Church of England still needs to wake up and smell the coffee over church growth.
7 CommentsThe Quotidian Cleric publishes The Perfect Job Advert.
Jonathan Clatworthy writes for Modern Church about Two directions for liberal theology.
Oliver Burkeman writes in The Guardian about The one theology book all atheists really should read.
Phil Groves writes for the Anglican Communion News Service: What should we do when Christians disagree?
Jonathan Clatworthy of Modern Church writes Why Christians shouldn’t believe in the devil.
[This refers to an article by Gavin Ashenden in the Church Times which subscribers can read here.]
Bishop David Thomson preached this sermon at a memorial service for the Revd John Graham. If you don’t know who John Graham was, you can read his obituary here.
Shane Blackshear describes 5 Ways To Be Unsatisfied With Your Church.
Andrew Brown writes in The Guardian that The Church of England isn’t abandoning sin – nor should it.
Fr Andrew Stephen Damick writes on Coffeedoxy and Heterodoxy.
Dale M Coulter writes about A Charismatic Invasion of Anglicanism?
We reported on the draft alternative baptism texts and early reactions to them here.
Since then Ian Paul blogs about Experimental Baptism and Madeleine Davies reports in the Church Times: Draft ‘baptism lite’ criticised.
Andrew Brown writes in The Guardian that The Church of England isn’t abandoning sin – nor should it.
Adrian Newman writes in the Church Times Good vicar = growing church? and the paper has this leader: Good vicars.
On the same topic Kevin Lewis blogs about a collateral benefit to existing.
Giles Fraser asks in The Guardian Given Uganda’s homophobia, why does it lead the way in Googling gay porn?
14 CommentsArchdruid Eileen of the Beaker Folk of Husborne Crawley writes about the Holy Innocents, and the Dangerous Herod Boys.
Bosco Peters writes Collaring clergy.
Editorial in The Guardian: Religion: the God squad
The Archbishop of Canterbury was interviewed on BBC Radio 4 on New Year’s Eve; listen to him here.
Madeleine Davies reports in the Church Times on what he said: Welby: Good vicars mean growth.
His comment that “The reality is that where you have a good vicar, you will find growing churches” has prompted a number of responses, including:
Kelvin Holdsworth Good Vicar, Bad Vicar
Kathryn Rose Reality Check
Anna Norman-Walker Festival Churches – a step towards sustainable rural church ministry into the future
Scott Gunn has some suggestions for A General Ordination Exam for the modern church.
Tom Ferguson, the Crusty Old Dean, is also blogging about the GOE (in his case entirely seriously). He did this last year (starting here), and here is his first offering this year: Blogging the GOEs, Part III: Question 1: Cuz the Bible Tells Me So.