Tags: Disestablishment
Church and state should be separate
Ahead of the NSS's 2020 Bradlaugh Lecture on the subject, Stephen Evans says the disestablishment of the Church of... Read More »
The Church of England’s culture of entitlement has to end
The furore over John Sentamu not being handed a life peerage reveals an ugly culture of entitlement that has not served... Read More »
The bishops’ bench is an affront to democracy. Let’s scrap it
A new bill proposes to end Church of England bishops' automatic right to sit in parliament. This religious privilege... Read More »
Our MPs now subscribe to many religious beliefs and none – it’s time to scrap parliamentary prayers
A religiously diverse new intake of MPs should prompt the removal of parliamentary prayers and the Church of England's... 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 »
Election 2019: pledges that should be in the parties’ manifestos
As the UK's political parties consider their manifestos for the upcoming election, NSS chief executive Stephen Evans... Read More »
Time to stop pretending we have a ‘national church’
As affiliation to Anglicanism continues its rapid decline the Church of England's privileges are increasingly unsustainable,... Read More »
Don’t take lessons on democracy from Church of England bishops
The bishop of London has lamented the state of British democracy while delivering a sermon at the annual judges' service.... Read More »
Don't expect the Church of England to unify the country
The archbishop of Canterbury has been asked to help unify the country during Brexit. Chris Sloggett warns left-leaning... Read More »
Equality for LGBT people requires a secular head of state
Prince William's comments on supporting his children if they are gay should be treated with much less significance... Read More »
The C of E can’t be allowed to keep shielding abusers from accountability
A damning report from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has highlighted the need for independent oversight... Read More »
Religion and public benefit – why it’s time to rethink charity law
The NSS's latest report calls for 'the advancement of religion' to be removed as a charitable purpose. Stephen Evans... Read More »
Institutionalised prayer doesn't belong in parliament
As MPs launch a motion against parliamentary prayers, NSS CEO Stephen Evans says ending the anachronistic custom would... 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 »
The Church of England provided the perfect cover for Peter Ball’s offending
Opening statement by lawyer Richard Scorer of Slater and Gordon, also an NSS vice president, at the IICSA inquiry's... Read More »
Church schools are faith schools. Pretending otherwise is dishonest
The Church of England's pretence that 'its' schools aren't faith schools is a dishonest attempt to avoid association... Read More »
Seven secularist steps that would strengthen democracy in the UK
In recognition of National Democracy Week 2018, Megan Manson reflects on what still needs to be changed to make the... Read More »
The seal of the confessional and child abuse: a religious privilege too far
Some clerics want exemptions from reporting requirements on abuse when it's revealed in the confessional. Accommodating... Read More »
The British people deserve better than the fawning over Michael Curry
As a poll shows public ambivalence to a much-hyped sermon at the royal wedding, Chris Sloggett says the fuss around... Read More »
Bishop Rachel’s prejudiced thinking highlights the problem of state-sponsored religion
The bishop of Gloucester is entitled to question whether atheists can truly have deep love or hope, writes Stephen... Read More »
Bishops must be accountable – and not just to themselves
Abridged version of the winding-up speech by lawyer Richard Scorer of Slater and Gordon, also an NSS vice president,... 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 »
The C of E cannot be trusted to deal with safeguarding complaints in house
On the first day of hearings into child sexual abuse in the Church of England, NSS vice-president Richard Scorer told... Read More »
