Tags: Church of England
The surprising origin of Collective Worship in schools
Posted: Thu, 10 Mar 2016 by Ed Moore
Collective worship has its history in a murky compromise between politicians and the church dating back to the Second World War – and it is long since time the arcane requirement was removed, writes Ed Moore.
There is a growing consensus among educators,... Read More »
For richer or poorer – where is the Church of England?
Posted: Tue, 23 Feb 2016 by Ed Moore
Is the Church really as poor as it claims? Ed Moore, treasurer of the National Secular Society, considers the extent of the Church of England's considerable wealth.
A recent news item on the BBC web site entitled 'Cash concerns for England's Anglican cathedrals'... Read More »
Welby praises “most orthodox” bishops since WW2 as UK gives up on the church
Posted: Thu, 21 Jan 2016 by National Secular Society
As the UK undergoes a "revolutionary generational change" away from religion the Archbishop of Canterbury has boasted that the Church's Bishops in the House of Lords are the "most orthodox since WW2".
Speaking during the fractious meeting of the Anglican Communion,... Read More »
Bishop Ball case: Questions for Lord Carey
Posted: Mon, 11 Jan 2016 by Richard Scorer
With the release of some of the letters written in support of Bishop Ball during the 1992-1993 police investigation, particularly those written by prominent people, we're starting to see more clearly how Ball was protected, writes legal specialist on child... Read More »
Damning details emerge about establishment cover-up of Anglican sex abuse
Posted: Mon, 04 Jan 2016 by Keith Porteous Wood
New revelations about the extent of the letter-writing campaign to help disgraced bishop Peter Ball escape charges raise urgent questions about the extent of the establishment cover-up, writes Keith Porteous Wood.
Former Bishop of Gloucester Peter Ball was... Read More »
Time for the Church to come clean on the ‘Just Pray’ controversy
Posted: Tue, 01 Dec 2015 by National Secular Society
With a considerable media firestorm the Church launched a crafty piece of marketing for their 'Just Pray' campaign – centred on the accusation that their Lord's Prayer advert had been "banned" because it was "offensive". One week on, new facts raise... Read More »
So called Lord’s Prayer ‘Ban’: It’s Winterval all over again
Posted: Mon, 23 Nov 2015 by Stephen Evans
The controversy over cinemas rejecting religious advertising appears to be another attempt to reignite the Christian victimisation narrative, argues Stephen Evans
Praising the Church of England isn't something I often find myself doing, but you've got to take... Read More »
Bishops show why Church and State should split
Posted: Wed, 28 Oct 2015 by GP Taylor
The Church of England is now widely regarded as irrelevant in the political and secular society that it seeks to minister and its bishops have no right to be part of our legislature, argues best-selling author and former Anglican priest GP Taylor.
I am not... Read More »
Peter Ball sex abuse case: 20 questions that must be answered
Posted: Wed, 07 Oct 2015 by Keith Porteous Wood
Any genuine inquiry into the handling of allegations of child sex abuse by Bishop Peter Ball must answer key questions about alleged cover-ups by the Church, police and CPS, argues Keith Porteous Wood
The National Secular Society has been closely monitoring... Read More »
Should taxpayers be paying for the Church’s leaking roofs?
Posted: Fri, 20 Mar 2015 by Keith Porteous Wood
Keith Porteous Wood argues that with the Church Commissioners sitting on a £4bn surplus, the Church of England should not be receiving additional public funds for fixing church roofs, and it should concede changes to the law on Chancel Repair Liability... Read More »
The dishonesty of religious lobbying shines like a beacon
Posted: Tue, 03 Feb 2015 by Terry Sanderson
NSS President Terry Sanderson argues that the churches have changed their lobbying tactics, and are trying to impose their doctrines through misdirection and 'slippery slope' arguments.
The reaction of the Church of England and the Catholic Church to the debate... Read More »
The dishonesty of religious lobbying shines like a beacon
Posted: Tue, 03 Feb 2015 by Terry Sanderson
NSS President Terry Sanderson argues that the churches have changed their lobbying tactics, and are trying to impose their doctrines through misdirection and 'slippery slope' arguments.
The reaction of the Church of England and the Catholic Church to the debate... Read More »
Rendering unto Caesar
Posted: Mon, 19 Jan 2015 by Alistair McBay
The established Church throws stones from inside its Government-subsidised glass cathedral, argues Alistair McBay.
The Church of England was in the news again last week as it tried to prove its relevance to 21st century Britain.
After the embarrassing PR fiasco... Read More »
Remembrance Sunday should not be dominated by religion
Posted: Thu, 06 Nov 2014 by Dan Snow
Historian, broadcaster and NSS honorary associate Dan Snow on the need for an inclusive and secular remembrance ceremony that better reflects the society it serves.
It is one of the most important events of the year. I remember my dad taking me when I was a... Read More »
It’s not only Islamists who have Trojan Horses
Posted: Fri, 27 Jun 2014 by Terry Sanderson
Those with a vested interest in the continuation of 'faith schools' have started their fight back against the growing number of critics, says Terry Sanderson.
After the furore of the Birmingham Trojan Horse affair, a lot of commentators reached the conclusion... Read More »
School chaplains: the Church of England's latest plan to evangelise in schools
Posted: Tue, 03 Jun 2014 by Stephen Evans
With the majority church schools now employing Christian chaplains, Stephen Evans questions whether public money intended for education should be used to fund the Church of England's missionary work.
A new study on school chaplaincy, published last week by... Read More »
The debate over David Cameron’s call to Christianity has taken a wrong turn
Posted: Tue, 22 Apr 2014 by Terry Sanderson
Terry Sanderson argues that the debate over David Cameron's assertions that the UK is a "Christian Nation" has led away from the important question of whether it should be.
The controversy over David Cameron's Christian chauvinism and the reaction it has prompted... Read More »
Cameron's courting of Christianity: divisive, inappropriate, cynical and shallow
Posted: Sun, 20 Apr 2014 by Elizabeth O'Casey
Following David Cameron's call in recent statements for British Christians to be more evangelical, Elizabeth O'Casey questions the appropriateness of his comments and reiterates the need for a secular state.
Hearing David Cameron's recent collection of 'Easter... Read More »
Church of England is kept alive only by its presence in our schools
Posted: Thu, 13 Feb 2014 by Terry Sanderson
With the Church of England is on its last legs, it's about time its continued involvement in state education was called into question, argues Terry Sanderson.
The Church Times has been carrying a series of supplements over the last few weeks taking a "heath... Read More »
The Church of England’s unrelenting exploitation of the nation’s schools
Posted: Wed, 20 Nov 2013 by Stephen Evans
The Church of England's intention is clear. State funded schools will be regarded as churches – and serve as pulpits for evangelisation, argues Stephen Evans.
Parents and their children may have deserted the pews in droves – but that doesn't really... Read More »
Prayer Spaces in Schools
Posted: Thu, 01 Aug 2013 by Alistair McBay
A worrying development in Britain's schools in the last two years, and not just in its faith schools, is Prayer Spaces in Schools (PSIS).
PSIS is an organisation that says of itself:
"Prayer Spaces in Schools enable children and young people to explore faith... Read More »
The Same-Sex Marriage Bill delivers a blow to the bishops in the House of Lords
Posted: Wed, 05 Jun 2013 by Terry Sanderson
So, the prospect of gay marriage took a mighty leap forward in the House of Lords this week as the intended "wrecking amendment" was itself wrecked by a steamrolling 242 majority against.
During the two-day debate leading up to the vote, their Lordships kept... Read More »
Britain’s feeble religious right learns no lessons from its debacle at the European Court
Posted: Wed, 29 May 2013 by Terry Sanderson
We sincerely hope that the rejection by the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights of the supposed "religious discrimination" cases will finally draw a line under the matter.
Reacting to the decision, Michael Powner, head of employment at Charles... Read More »
Catholic magazine says Same Sex Marriage Bill will disestablish the Church of England
Posted: Wed, 29 May 2013 by Terry Sanderson
The Catholic weekly magazine The Tablet carried an editorial in its 25 May edition predicting that the legalisation of gay marriage will weaken, if not completely end, the establishment of the Church of England.
The paper says that:
"It is as if the nation is... Read More »
Unsatisfactory answers about Establishment
Posted: Fri, 10 May 2013 by Keith Porteous Wood
Keith Porteous Wood reports on Lord MacKay of Clashfern's Richard O'Sullivan Memorial Lecture on the subject "Does Establishment have a Future?" at the Middle Temple this week.
Richard O'Sullivan was a Middle Temple lawyer who took his Catholicism very seriously.... Read More »
