Church of England

Martyn Percy’s non-sense poetry on sexuality

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In anticipation of the Primate’s meeting in January, Martyn Percy, previously Principal of Ripon College, Cuddesdon, now Dean of Christchurch, Oxford, and Vice President of Modern Church, has set out his proposals for what should be discussed and agreed. He sums up his approach as a plea for a poetic resolution, something that transcends the … Continue Reading

Should we preach at Christmas services?

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David Walker, Bishop of Manchester, has done some research on the distinctive needs of occasional attenders who might come to Christmas services, but don’t attend the rest of the year. This appears to be an important group; I have noticed this year how many people are reporting increased attendances at carol services, and we saw … Continue Reading

A vision for ministry and training

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Dr Jon Coutts is a Canadian who recently joined the faculty at Trinity College, Bristol; he blogs at http://thissideofsunday.blogspot.ca. I conducted a virtual interview with him exploring issues around ministry and ministry training, and I think his answers are truly fascinating. We have things to offer other contexts—but we also have important things to learn … Continue Reading

Same-sex marriage and the second Jeremy

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As most of the nationals reported (in fairly short articles), a second clergyman has had permission to officiate refused by the Bishop of Winchester, Tim Dakin, because he has entered a same-sex marriage. As with the previous case, this also involves a Jeremy. (What is it with Jeremys? Is there some nominative determinism at work?!) Jeremy Davies was … Continue Reading

Is the Lord’s Prayer offensive?

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While I have been in the States for the weekend, I gather that back in the UK you’ve been experiencing a little local difficulty in relation to prayer, free speech, and the cinema. Digital Cinema Media (DCM), owned by Cineworld and Odeon and controlling about 80% of cinema advertising, decided not to screen a 60-second … Continue Reading

Debating the Pemberton Tribunal

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At the end of last week I cancelled my planned writing schedule in order to enter what felt like a parallel universe as I was invited to debate with Jeremy Pemberton on BBC 2’s Victoria Derbyshire programme regarding the tribunal ruling that Jeremy had not been discriminated against by the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham. … Continue Reading

Pemberton v Inwood: judgement day

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Peter Ould comments: The Employment Tribunal hearing the case of Jeremy Pemberton against Bishop Richard Inwood has delivered its verdict, dismissing all the claims made. The case revolved around the refusal of a licence to Jeremy Pemberton for a new hospital chaplaincy job on the grounds that he had entered a same-sex marriage. Pemberton claimed … Continue Reading

Are we being honest about ordination training?

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There are some compelling arguments for the (relatively new) pattern of ‘contextual training’ for ordination. Steven Sherman, in his snappily titled Revitalizing theological epistemology (2008), argues that the historic separation of the seminary from the local church has created major problems for our whole concept of how we grow in the knowledge of God. His primary target … Continue Reading

Does the C of E ordain ‘priests’?

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Over the summer I enjoyed reading Graham Tomlin’s recent book The Widening Circle: priesthood as God’s way of blessing the world. Graham has just moved from being Principal of St Mellitus College in London, which has been seen as the pioneer of the new pattern of ‘contextual’ ordination training, to become Bishop of Kensington. I had … Continue Reading

Are food and sex ‘things indifferent’?

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Last month I was involved in a debate with Loveday Alexander, former Professor at Sheffield University, on what the biblical texts might say to the current debate about same-sex marriage. Loveday and I both contributed chapters to the resource book produced to support the Shared Conversations across the Church of England which are coming to … Continue Reading