Author: Keith Porteous Wood
Why are safeguarding experts fleeing the Catholic Church?
Experts appointed to tackle abuse in the Catholic Church are quitting their roles. Keith Porteous Wood says this demonstrates... Read More »
Parliament’s rift with the Church shows the need to separate religion and state
MPs dismayed over the Church of England's position on homosexuality are pushing for legislation to permit the Church... Read More »
It’s not just the Census. Everywhere you look, the CofE is withering.
By every measure membership figures for Church of England are in freefall – and the church's increasingly outdated... Read More »
Obituary: Former NSS president Terry Sanderson
An obituary to Terry Sanderson, who died on June 12th 2022, by his civil partner Keith Porteous Wood.
I regret to inform... Read More »
Only secular law can bring justice to victims of mass clerical abuse in France
Keith Porteous Wood says France's deference to the Catholic Church has obstructed justice for hundreds of thousands... Read More »
The C of E has serious questions to answer over the death of a gay priest
A coroner's report has laid bare the Church of England's cruel and scandalous handling of the case of Alan Griffin,... Read More »
The religious threat to global human rights must be taken seriously
UN efforts to challenge violations of human rights should consider both oppressive laws which theocrats uphold in... Read More »
Ireland's mother and baby homes scandal shows the necessity of separating church and state
The misery which women and children faced for decades highlights the damage that can be done when states leave religious... Read More »
Anthony Lester’s legacy for human rights and secularism
Keith Porteous Wood reflects on the achievements of Lord Lester, who died earlier this month, and the enduring relevance... Read More »
Cardinal Pell’s conviction has been overturned – but there are uncomfortable moments to come
Australia's top court has overturned the conviction of the Vatican's former treasurer for sexually assaulting two... Read More »
The Cardinal Barbarin case highlights the need for well-drafted mandatory reporting laws
The conviction of France's most senior Catholic cleric for failing to report child abuse has been overturned. Keith... Read More »
The Church of England’s position on sex is yet another reason for disestablishment
The C of E's position that sex is only for heterosexual married couples is heartless, discriminatory and out of touch... Read More »
Let’s disestablish the church that covered up sexual abuse
Keith Porteous Wood says the shocking failings highlighted by the BBC documentary The Church's Darkest Secret show... Read More »
'By the Grace of God' shows the need to hold the Catholic Church accountable on child abuse
Keith Porteous Wood says a film highlighting the struggle to bring a senior Catholic cardinal to account for covering... Read More »
Pope’s latest PR offering on clerical abuse should fool no one
By only obligating officials in the Roman Catholic Church to report cases of clerical abuse internally, the pope's... Read More »
IICSA's Ealing hearings showed the Catholic Church can't be trusted to police itself
An inquiry has highlighted the Catholic Church's lamentable failings over child abuse at an abbey and school in west... Read More »
21 steps the pope would take if he was committed to tackling child abuse
As the Catholic Church unveils another inadequate plan to tackle child abuse, this open letter from Keith Porteous... Read More »
The pope's empty words and meaningless gestures won't tackle clerical abuse
One of the pope's Christmas messages urged clerical abusers to hand themselves in. Keith Porteous Wood asks how effective... Read More »
The Catholic Church’s record on abuse demands accountability, not more meaningless apologies
As the pope prepares to visit Ireland, NSS president Keith Porteous Wood says the international community must confront... Read More »
Religious power and privilege failed the victims in the Peter Ball affair
In this long read NSS president Keith Porteous Wood explains how all arms of the law co-operated to protect the now... Read More »
Anglicanism's 'purple circle' of bishops cannot be trusted over child abuse
NSS president Keith Porteous Wood reflects on the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse's hearings into the... Read More »
Church dysfunctionality laid bare by child sexual abuse inquiry
As the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse turns its attention to the Church of England, Keith Porteous Wood... Read More »
Cardinal Murphy O'Connor's cover-up of child abusers must be a lesson to the Catholic Church
Cormac Murphy O'Connor, the former Archbishop of Westminster, died on 1 September. NSS executive director Keith Porteous... Read More »
Ireland’s hospitals: some welcome secularisation
NSS executive director Keith Porteous Wood detects a long-overdue and decisive turn towards secularism in publicly... Read More »
The confessional shouldn’t shield child abuse from reporting
The Australian abuse commission is right not to exempt the confessional from reporting obligations, and its rigour... Read More »
