Thinking Anglicans

opinion columns in mid-July

Catherine Pepinster writes in The Times about how Social justice and the spiritual walk hand in hand.

Simon Rocker writes in the Guardian that Anti-discrimination law can be a double-edged sword for religious minorities.

At the Church Times David Edwards asks Does the C of E really value the Bible?

Last week, Colin Craston wrote that Communion doesn’t mean agreeing.

And Rebecca Paveley talked to Stephen Green about The credit side of banking.

At Ekklesia Symon Hill writes about Penitent homophobes.

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religious opinions

Jane Shaw writes in the Guardian about feeding in church.

Roderick Strange writes in The Times about the virgin birth.

Giles Fraser asks in the Church Times Is secular France so fragile?

Over at Cif belief, Giles answers the question Is religion the opium of the people? in a column titled Radical faith.

Civitas published a report on sharia law. You can find the report itself as a PDF file, here. By far the most interesting column published in consequence of this report is Sharia law and me at Cif belief.

Madeleine Bunting reported on a seminar at Lambeth Palace, see Science, religion and our shared future.

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opinions rounded up

Jonathan Sacks writes in The Times that Without a shared moral code there can be no freedom in our society.

Robin Gill wrote in last week’s Church Times about Synthetics — the new moral playing-field.

This week, Giles Fraser writes about a white-water ride of old atheism.

Over at the Guardian Christine Allen writes about the Catholic Church and social justice.

At Cif belief Afua Hirsch wrote about The boundaries between race and faith. For the background, see this news report.

And Antony Lerman asks What can religion offer politics?

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opinions at Albantide

George Pitcher wrote in the Telegraph that A good claret, Bishop, is a menace to no one.

Last week, in the Church Times Colin Buchanan wrote that The time is up for first past the post.

Paul Vallely also wrote about the recent election, see Not thugs so much as alienated.

This week, Giles Fraser writes that Art should point further than cash.

Theo Hobson at Cif belief wrote that We must separate church and state.

In answer to the question Can religion save the world? Parna Taylor writes that Religious literacy matters.

Nick Jowett writes in The Times that Great music can unite the sacred and the secular.

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opinions in the middle of June

Geoffrey Rowell writes in The Times Our longing for truth is implicitly a search for God.

Alan Wilson wrote, in answer to the question Do we expect too much of our leaders? on Comment is free, an article titled Leadership in the age of the quick fix.

Mark Vernon wrote about God, Dawkins and tragic humanism.

Nick Spencer wrote about Measuring British religion.

David Haslam wrote in today’s Guardian about the anti-racism work of the World Council of Churches.

Giles Fraser wrote in the Church Times about Taking my questions seriously.

Last week, Jonathan Bartley wrote Now is the time for all good men . . .

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opinions at Trinity

Gary Wilton wrote about the European Parliamentary elections in last week’s Church Times. See Don’t let the chance of big decisions pass by.

Grace Davie wrote at Cif belief in answer to the question Is Europe’s future Christian? Her answer was: Christian, but not as we know it.

Alister McGrath writes in The Times that A system of belief should not involve point scoring.

Sunny Hundal writes in the Guardian about interfaith dialogues.

Giles Fraser writes in the Church Times that People need something irrational.

Earlier in the week, he wrote at Cif belief about Why I still have faith in politicians.

Andrew Brown wrote there also, about David Hume’s comment policy.

Justin Lewis-Anthony wrote about Why George Herbert must die.

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opinions before Whitsun

Giles Fraser writes in the Church Times that MPs did not drop from the sky.

Last week, Paul Vallely wrote about The lost art of the expenses claim.

Terry Waite wrote earlier this week in The Times that We independents could bring on reform.

Jonathan Sacks writes today in The Times about How Jacob conquered the defining crisis of his life.

Jonathan Romain writes in the Guardian that Faith communities could improve places of worship by learning from football fans.

Andrew Brown wrote at Cif belief about the trip From Avignon to Geneva.

Mark Vernon reported from the Hay Festival on Rowan, Dostoevsky and a world without God.

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bank holiday weekend opinions

Nitin Mehta writes about Indian religions in the Guardian.

Also Stephen Bates reviews Rupert Shortt’s biography of Rowan Williams, see God’s squad.

In The Times Roderick Strange writes about Bede. See More than a brief flight through warmth and light.

At the Church Times Giles Fraser reflects on his job change in Seeking the reality of solid joys.

A week ago, Paul Vallely wrote Get some perspective on MPs’ cash.

And Adrian Thatcher wrote The Word was made of flesh and blood, not ink.

Over at Cif belief Ben White wrote Palestinian rights deserve Anglican action.

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more weekend opinions

Marilyn McCord Adams writes in the Guardian about “The ‘size gap’ between God and man”. See Face to Faith.

Giles Fraser writes in the Church Times about faith schools, see How schools ought to discriminate. So, last year, did Paul Vallely, see Beware the erosion of faith schools.

Simon Barrow and Jonathan Bartley respond to all this at Ekklesia in On not being idiotic about church schools.

Over at Cif belief Andrew Brown has written twice about the Californian teacher who described creationism as “superstitious nonsense”. See Enemies of creationism may be hindering science teachers and then Creationism judgement followup. (Original news story by Riazat Butt is here.)

Mary Boys writes in The Times that Christians should respect God’s covenant with Jews.

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Christians to be persecuted?

The Church of England Newspaper published an editorial last week which suggested the Equality Bill, which was published last month and had its second reading on Monday, was all part of an anti-Christian plot. The full text of this editorial is reproduced below the fold.

I will be reporting here on the progress of the Equality Bill through Parliament, with emphasis on those aspects which are of particular interest from a Church of England viewpoint, as I have reported on many previous items of anti-discrimination legislation.

Those who are looking for more material along the lines of this CEN editorial will find it at such places as the website of the Christian Institute and at the website of Christian Concern for our Nation.

(more…)

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opinions in mid-May

Both The Times and the Guardian have Quaker columnists this morning.

B.P. Dandelion writes about how Uncertainty speaks volumes in the sound of silence.

Kathryn Lum writes about the Indian caste system in Face to Faith.

Giles Fraser warned in the Church Times Beware the dark side of liberalism.

Libby Purves was interviewed in the Church Times last week by Terence Handley MacMath.

Alan Wilson wrote about Social Media, Church and Bishopping.

Oliver O’Donovan wrote in the Church Times last week, How can people obey the scriptures?

(Full text of this lecture is at Fulcrum, and a critique of it by Adrian Worsfold is titled Postmodern Authoritarianism.)

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opinion for the May Day weekend

Giles Fraser Church Times Why blogs can be bad for the soul

Theo Hobson Guardian: Comment is free Face to faith: Christians disillusioned with the churches should articulate an alternative

B P Dandelion Times Credo: Uncertainty speaks volumes in the sound of silence

Christopher Howse Telegraph Green men cut in church stonework

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opinion for St Mark

Giles Fraser Church Times No tasks left for the risen Jesus

Christopher Howse Telegraph The earth and the Son of Man

Several items from the Guardian’s Comment is free section.
David Bryant Guardian: Comment is free Face to Faith Tolerance of other faiths is not enough – we must strive for true acceptance
Chris Liley Guardian: Comment is free Why I chased the BNP from my cathedral
Giles Fraser St George the immigrant

Jonathan Sacks Times Credo: Sunday shopping has not made us better or happier

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Low Sunday Opinions

Giles Fraser Church Times Liberation at the heart of Easter

Christopher Howse Telegraph A Christian world under Islam’s rule

Paul Handley Comment is free Belief The Anglican schism widens quietly

Roderick Strange Times Credo: When doubt is not an enemy but an ally of faith

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Easter opinions

Lucy Winkett Telegraph As the bad news gets worse, the Good News keeps getting better

Rowan Williams Mail on Sunday Archbishop on Easter – Article for the Mail on Sunday.

Rowan Williams Lambeth Palace The Archbishop’s Easter Sermon

John Sentamu Sunday Times New life, new spirit

Giles Fraser Guardian The merciful crucifixion

Jane Williams Cif Belief God’s life is inexhaustible

Jonathan Bartley CifBelief Easter and anarchy

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opinions on Easter Eve

John Polkinghorne writes in The Times about Motivated belief and the stringent search for truth.

And Tom Wright writes there also, see The Church must stop trivialising Easter.

Nick Jowett writes in the Guardian about the tradition of laughter at Easter.

Alan Wilson wrote on Comment is free: Belief about hearing the Easter story as if for the first time. Read Just tell Olive to get stuffed.

Jonathan Bartley wrote in last week’s Church Times about how the Church is in danger of undermining its own message. Read Actions speak louder than words.

Yesterday’s leading article in The Times is related to the preceding item, see The spiritual challenge.

Giles Fraser wrote in the Church Times about The real vampirism in society today and last week’s column was The ultimate rebrand of the cross.

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opinions before Palm Sunday

Geoffrey Rowell writes in The Times about The ride to salvation in lowly pomp on a donkey.

David Monkton writes in the Guardian that The events of Palm Sunday remind us that spin is no modern invention.

Savi Hensman writes at Ekklesia about Resisting the urge to scapegoat.

Paul Vallely writes in the Church Times that The light of spring symbolises hope.

The Church Times leader is about changing the Act of Settlement and the Royal Marriages Act: The insults of the past.

Earlier in the week, before the announcement of the appointment of Vincent Nichols to be Archbishop of Westminster, Andrew Brown wrote Can we build a society without myths? in response to Britain has sold its soul to pursuit of ‘reason’ over religion, Catholic Archbishop warns in the Telegraph.

In connection with that appointment, Andrew Brown wrote A new combative style in the Catholic church. (See also here, and here.)

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opinions as the clocks spring forward

Jonathan Sacks writes in The Times that Darwin pointed the way to an unselfish evolution.

Oliver Rafferty writes in the Guardian that: The ideas that led to George Tyrrell’s excommunication still confront Christianity.

For extra measure, Catherine Robinson writes in the same paper that Tim Berners-Lee’s invention symbolises Unitarian desire to foster communication.

In the Church Times John Packer argues in The West needs to understand faith that there is a dangerous ignorance of religion in the West’s foreign policy.

Giles Fraser writes there about Philip Blond, in Behind the allure of the Red Tory.

The best comment I saw about the parliamentary debate yesterday on the Royal Marriages and Succession to the Crown (Prevention of Discrimination) Bill 2008-09 was the Channel 4 News interview with David Starkey. There is a link to the video clip from this page. (For the best background briefing paper see this – H/T Ruth Gledhill.)

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opinions during Lent

Christian peacemakers must play a major role in healing Northern Ireland’s pain, says Roy Searle in the Guardian’s Face to Faith column.

Morals: the one thing markets don’t make said Jonathan Sacks yesterday in The Times.

Roderick Strange writes in The Times today about Embracing the precious gifts of our Lenten practice.

At Total Politics Andrew Hawkins reports on a survey to answer the question, Is the Church of England still the Tory Party at prayer?

Tony Blair wrote an article for the New Statesman on Why we must all do God, and Andrew Brown wrote a critique of this at Comment is free titled Doing God – the vague way.

Giles Fraser wrote in the Church Times that Humankind needs limits for reality.

The Church Times has a leader headed God as father and mother.

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opinions to consider

Terry Philpot wrote for the Guardian about the RC adoption societies, see Face to Faith.

Sara Maitland wrote in The Times about Why the Via Dolorosa can be a powerful experience.

Giles Fraser wrote in the Church Times about Grounding ideology in people. See New England – Kirsty MacColl at the Church Times blog for background material.

Alexandru Popescu wrote at Comment is free about An iconic power.

James W. Jones wrote in the Church Times last week about Churches talking past each other. Many in the C of E misunderstand the Episcopal Church in the US, he says.

Robert Pigott at the BBC has written another Faith Diary.

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