Viewing all items in Resource Category: Editorial

The Bishop of Dudley, Graham Usher, has described a risk report, recently published by the World Economic Forum as ‘significant,’ warning that those in the world’s most deprived areas will be affected most severely by Climate Change. Bishop Graham said: “It is significant that the threats posed by climate change have been recognised by the...

Following comments by the Work and Pensions Secretary, Amber Rudd, on changes to Universal Credit, the Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, who speaks for the Church of England on issues relating to children and young people, said: “As a just and compassionate society, we believe that every child is a blessing and deserves to be...

The Church of England is to fund a bold series of projects to spread the Christian faith – from a new congregation in a nightclub area to a weekday church – as part of a £35 million investment in mission. The biggest investment so far by the Church of England’s Renewal and Reform programme is...

The Church of England Pensions Board, Church Commissioners for England, Sweden’s Public Pension Funds Council on Ethics and other groups have recently jointly called for a global independent public classification system that monitors the safety risk of mining company tailings dams. The call follows the failing of the Vale dam in Brumadinho, Brazil and the...

The new Church of England service for transgender people has been criticised by more than 2000 clergy in an open letter. A big concern is the possible effect it could have on children. In all, 2,155 bishops, priests and lay people of the Church signed the letter, which condemns the recent guidance that the C...

Women’s ordination – 25 years on The day that women first became priests in the C of E Jeremy Hunt speaks on behalf of persecuted Christians Who cares for the Vicar?  Signs & Symbols:  the bells, the bells! Concern for the homeless on our streets Violence towards clergy on the rise The next 30 years...

Twenty-five years ago this month, women were ordained as priests in the Church of England.  As the BBC commentator on the first service in Bristol Cathedral I was prepared for disruptions from demonstrators, but it proceeded reverently and without a hitch.  The only protest was outside, where a group of approving Roman Catholic women held...

It was 25 years ago, on 12 March 1994, that the first 32 women priests in the Church of England were ordained. It happened in Bristol Cathedral, and Bishop Barry Rogerson ordained them in alphabetical order; so Angela Berners-Wilson was considered the very first woman to be ordained. The daughter of a priest, she is...

The Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, has been voicing his deep concern for Christians facing persecution worldwide.  He has warned that a “misguided political correctness’ must not inhibit the Government’s response to religious persecution, and that ‘with Christianity on the verge of extinction in its birthplace, it is time for concerted action that begins to turn...

The Church of England is looking into ways of giving more support to vicars. You may wonder why, as it looks a nice life: house provided, regular salary, job security – and only one day’s work a week! But from my own personal experience I can assure you it’s not like that. In my working...

Last month we thought about ‘crossing ourselves’ and in a way I wanted to continue that by asking ‘when would you cross yourself?’ I can recall people doing it almost superstitiously at times of danger, seeing an ambulance rushing on the road or even as a sign of gratitude at good news. Many sign themselves...

The Bishop of Manchester, Dr David Walker, has said that the level of street homelessness in the city is now worse than anything he has seen in his lifetime. The Bishop said that in the past the reasons for people to be homeless seemed to have been relationship breakdown or mental-health issues.  But now the...