At daily news conferences mild-mannered archbishops have encountered hostility from correspondents irritated at being banned even from the early morning service of Holy Communion. They have scarcely been mollified by the explanation that the exclusion is for “security reasons”.
However, the media have been welcomed to the blue, twin-peaked, big top – visible on the hilltop University of Kent campus from miles around – for a number of evening seminars.
Perhaps, given the lack of access to debates about evangelism and “Anglican identity” taking place in the groups of 40 to which discussions are limited, it’s not surprising that the most recent seminar was carefully scrutinised for all-too-elusive signs of “news”.