The next Area Bishop of Stepney, in the diocese of London, is to be the Archdeacon of Llandaff, the Ven. Rod Green, Downing Street announced on Friday.

He succeeds Dr Joanne Grenfell, who was translated to St Edmundsbury & Ipswich last year (News, 4 July 2025).

Archdeacon Green became Associate Rector at St Paul’s, Shadwell, in the Stepney Area of London diocese, in 2011. He was appointed Vicar of St Peter’s, West Harrow, in the Willesden Area, in 2014. He has been Archdeacon of Llandaff since 2021.

Archdeacon Green trained for ministry at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford. He served his title at Christ Church, Spitalfields, in the Stepney Area, and was ordained priest in 2008.

Read it all.

“I have deep biological roots in the area. My dad grew up in Stepney. His first job was at the old post office in Islington. My children were born here. My wife already works in Canary Wharf. I have deep spiritual roots here, too."#BishopofStepneyhttps://t.co/jrKOFxPXhw

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) March 21, 2026

Almighty God, who didst give to thy servant Thomas Ken grace and courage to bear witness to the truth before rulers and kings: Give us also thy strength that, following his example, we may constantly defend what is right, boldly reprove what is evil, and patiently suffer for the truth’s sake, through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Ghost, one God, now and ever.

12 Feb 1689: Having refused to swear allegiance to William III & Mary II, Thomas Ken, Bishop of Bath & Wells leaves the House of Lords – never to return (New College, University of Oxford) pic.twitter.com/do58IRHMIq

— John McCafferty (@jdmccafferty) February 12, 2025

The next Bishop of St Albans is to be Dr Andrew Rumsey, who has been the Area Bishop of Ramsbury, in the diocese of Salisbury, since 2019, Downing Street announced on Thursday.

He succeeds Dr Alan Smith, who retired last May (News, 10 January 2025).

Dr Rumsey was born, baptised, and grew up in the diocese, where his father served as a parish priest. He was educated at Reading University and King’s College, London, where he completed his Doctor of Theology and Ministry (D.Th.Min.) in 2016 with a thesis “What kind of place is the Anglican parish? A theological description”.

He trained for ministry at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, before his ordination as priest in 1998. He served his title at Holy Trinity and St Michael, Harrow, in London diocese, before parish ministry in Southwark diocese. He was Vicar of Christ Church, Gypsy Hill, from 2001 until his appointment as Rector (2011), then Team Rector (2014), of Oxted, where he served until his consecration as a bishop in 2019.

Dr Rumsey also serves as the Church’s lead bishop for church buildings. 

The next Bishop of St Albans is to be Dr Andrew Rumsey, who has been the Area Bishop of Ramsbury, in the diocese of Salisbury, since 2019, Downing Street announced on Thursday#stalbansdiocese #newbishop #bishopsappointments #churchnews #churchtimes https://t.co/Czv7JBKKHT

The question then becomes what status we should give to the acceptance of same-sex sexual relationships by some Anglican churches today.

In the words of C S Lewis, the traditional rule of the Christian Church with regard to sexual ethics has always been ‘either marriage, with complete faithfulness to your partner, or else total abstinence’[9] (marriage here means marriage between a man and a woman). This is the consensual teaching about marriage and sexual ethics that, as Vincent of Lerin puts it, has been held ‘always, everywhere and by everyone’[10] from biblical times onwards, in the same way that belief in the divinity of Christ and his bodily resurrection have been universally taught and accepted.

In the words of Darrin Belousek in his book Marriage, Scripture and the Church:

‘Scripture, consistently, presents a single picture of marriage and approves a single pattern of sexual relations: male- female union. Jesus summarizes this witness: ‘the two’ of ‘male and female’ joined into ‘one flesh.’ The Holy Spirit has woven this pattern of holy union throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, in the form, function, and figure of marriage. Tradition, East and West, also has consistently taught a single standard of sex and marriage: marriage is man-woman monogamy; all sex outside man-woman monogamy is sin. This doctrine has been taught always by the church, beginning with the apostles’ testimony to Jesus teaching; It has been proclaimed throughout the worldwide church, among all people in every place and epoch, as God’s will for sex and marriage; it has been articulated by apologetic writings and theological treatises, transmitted through baptismal catechesis and canonical discipline, celebrated in monastic vows and nuptial rites.’ [11]

Judged against this standard, the acceptance of same-sex sexual relationships (and even same-sex marriages) by some churches in the Anglican Communion has to be viewed as a ‘gross and grievous abomination,’ since it constitutes a departure from a key part of the Catholic and apostolic faith and an endorsement of sin. To put it plainly the churches involved have supported both heresy and immorality.

Furthermore, as the Church of England Evangelical Council report ‘Guarding the Deposit’ notes, the apostolic witness in the New Testament, which has also been accepted ‘everywhere at all times and by all,‘  teaches that:

‘…the Church should make a separation in this world between the people of God and those who practise sexual immorality (1 Cor 5: 1-13).

As Tom Wright notes, Paul teaches that the Church has the ‘God-given right and duty to discriminate between those who are living in the Messiah’s way and those who are not’.

Read it all.

Martin Davie–Assessing two different visions for the future of the Anglican Communion https://t.co/F3so2u4TtA 'The difference between the two views of the future of global Anglicanism put forward by the Nairobi-Cairo Proposals and The Abuja Affirmation is that the former holds… pic.twitter.com/LXTgMmiuOZ

— Kendall Harmon (@KendallHarmon6) March 16, 2026

The next Suffragan Bishop of St Germans, in the diocese of Truro, is to be the Revd James Treasure, Downing Street announced on Monday.

He succeeds the Rt Revd Hugh Nelson, who was translated to Worcester last year (News, 29 July 2025).

Mr Treasure became the Vicar of St Thomas and St Luke (known locally as “Top Church”), Dudley, in 2018, and has been Team Rector since 2023.

He trained at Ripon College, Cuddesdon, and was ordained priest in 2017. He served his title at St John the Baptist and Holy Innocents, Kidderminster, in Worcester diocese. He was previously “a leader in a free church” before his move back to the Church of England, the Truro statement said.

Read it all.

New Bishop of St Germans and Bodmin archdeacon https://t.co/XYWD9xMCO2

— BBC Cornwall (@BBCCornwall) March 10, 2026

The Bishop of Lichfield, Dr Michael Ipgrave, is to retire in September, he announced in Lichfield Cathedral on Monday, during the St Chad’s Day festal evensong. His announcement was exactly ten years since his nomination.

Dr Ipgrave referred to St Chad as a “constant inspiration” during his episcopate in Lichfield. The 99th Bishop of Lichfield, Dr Ipgrave said that he had been “humbled to be amongst one of the successors of St Chad, our first and greatest Bishop”.

He continued: “Chad was the first to bring to Mercia the life-giving, peacemaking, soul-restoring gospel of Jesus Christ. As we face the challenge of re-evangelising our contemporary Mercia, I am convinced that we can only do that by walking in his steps of kindness, friendliness, and humility in the service of others.”

Read it all.

The Bishop of Lichfield, Dr Michael Ipgrave, is to retire in September, he announced in Lichfield Cathedral on Monday, during the St Chad’s Day festal evensong#bishopsretirement #churchnews #churchtimes https://t.co/oP8mOoslXD

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) March 3, 2026

Mr Simpson also addressed the issue of falling church numbers.

He admitted the church had been declining in England and the western world for about a century, but added: “Some people think that means the church is irrelevant, and I disagree completely.

“Wherever churches are running activities that help people with problems in their lives, or in spaces where they feel welcomed and they feel seen and heard, that is a great thing.

“Often churches find it hard to know how to actually represent the Christian message in ways that are accessible to people in a very different world. But wherever they do that well, what I see is that people find faith is deeply relevant to their practical needs.

“But I also think there is an increasing spiritual hunger in people as England and much the western world has left faith behind. There is a gap, and actually, the Christian message speaks to that directly.

Read it all.

It was a pleasure to welcome the Venerable Rick Simpson and pray with and for him for all that lies ahead.

You can read more on yesterday's Choral Evensong here: https://t.co/VbbhEiXjVJ pic.twitter.com/uhOwNvbGGN

— Durham Cathedral (@durhamcathedral) February 20, 2026

The Archbishop of Canterbury has suspended the Bishop of Lincoln, the Rt Revd Stephen Conway, from ministry, while a complaint to the National Safeguarding Team is investigated, it was announced on Friday.

A statement on the diocese of Lincoln’s website said that the complaint had also been referred “to the appropriate statutory authorities”.

Bishop Conway has been Bishop of Lincoln since 2023 (News, 24 May 2023). For more than a year beforehand, he was Acting Bishop of the diocese, in addition to being Bishop of Ely.

His suspension by the Archbishop of Canterbury follows the House of Bishops’ Code of Practice. The Suffragan Bishop of Grantham, in Lincoln diocese, Dr Nicholas Chamberlain, will be performing the function of the diocesan Bishop in Bishop Conway’s absence.

Read it all.

The Bishop of Lincoln has been suspended pending investigation; Dr Nicholas Chamberlain will serve as Acting Bishop. #LincolnDiocese https://t.co/qNlWmLqumE

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) February 20, 2026

There were eight amendments tabled, ensuring that the debate would last the whole five hours. Many of them were predictable—from revisionists wanting to amplify the apology, and delete the idea that LLF is over, and some from orthodox wanting to amend or delete the possibility of continuing discussion.

There were two exceptions to that, though, the first from Christopher Landau simply recognising that the ‘LGBTQI+ people’ were actually a diverse lot with different views. This is, of course, anathema to revisionists, who repeatedly talked as though all such people were a monolith who agreed with them—despite the number of gay women and men in the chamber who were orthodox and gave very clear speeches to that effect (I include several below).

The other was a cross-party proposal from Lis Goddard, agreed with Helen King, aiming to bring the fruitful learning of the ‘Leicester’ discussion groups into the proposed working groups. No sooner had Lis proposed this, than Helen King misused a point of order to deny her support for it! It was a clear sign that even the minimum of collaboration is not politically expedient for revisionists.

But we had been told ahead of time that that House of Bishops, having painfully thrashed this motion out as the only way forward for them, would resist every amendment—and the procedure of calling for a ‘vote by Houses’ meant that they effectively had a veto, and used it fairly consistently. I did wonder whether some of the revisionist bishops would break ranks, and perhaps vote for one of the revisionist amendments, but a maximum of six out of the 38 or so present did so.

It was clear that the revisionists really did not want to vote for the unamended motion, because it said clearly that LLF had ended. But if they voted it down, they would also be voted down clause (d) offering a chink of light of continued discussion, so they held their noses and voted ‘for’. Orthodox felt similarly ambivalent for the opposite reasons, and in the end some voted for (drawing a line under LLF) and others voted against (because we don’t want further damaging discussion).

Read it all.

Campaigners with contrasting views of Living in Love and Faith (#LLF) have responded to the General Synod’s decision on the process after last week’s five-hour debate on a motion from the Archbishop of York.

Read more below 👇 #GeneralSynod #churchnewshttps://t.co/wdaGVd4zjI

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) February 16, 2026

The next Bishop of Durham is to be the Ven. Rick Simpson, currently Archdeacon of Auckland, Downing Street announced on Thursday morning.

He succeeds the Rt Revd Paul Butler, who retired in February 2024 (News, 21 July 2023), and takes the reins from the Acting Bishop, the Rt Revd Sarah Clark, Bishop of Jarrow, who was appointed Bishop of Ely last month (News, 30 January).

The news comes almost exactly a year after the announcement that a previous nominee had withdrawn from the process (News, 17 February 2025).

Archdeacon Simpson was educated at Keble College, Oxford, and trained for ordination at Wycliffe Hall. He served his title at St Gabriel’s, Heaton, in Newcastle upon Tyne, from 1993-97, and was Priest-in-Charge of Holy Trinity, Jesmond, and St Barnabas and St Jude, Newcastle on Tyne, for nine years, until 2006.

Read it all.

He has served in the dioceses of Newcastle and Durham https://t.co/zh6RtGzmjN

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) February 19, 2026

Asked whether enough has been done to build a sense of pride in nation since Brexit, Bishop North said: “No, I think I see almost the same division now.

“I see it lived out and played out in different ways. But I still see many people who feel embarrassed to speak about pride in nationhood, pride in the Royal Family and in the Armed Forces, as if that is somehow a language of the past.”

He added: “So I think we still have a really important national conversation about what it means to be British in such a complex global backdrop.” Bishop North urged leaders in the Church and in Westminster to do their bit to restore national pride as he called for Britons to have the courage to “reclaim” national symbols.

He urged people not to be ashamed of “some of the traditions around Britishness and Englishness, and for that not to be a source of embarrassment anymore.”

Read it all.

📄 Bishop of Blackburn defends Leave votershttps://t.co/KSLLqgMEIE @AJNewbury94 pic.twitter.com/OSbDGXWSMx

— Daily Express (@Daily_Express) February 19, 2026

‘There are three ideas currently supported by those in the Church of England who take a liberal approach to marriage and sexual activity (including members of the House of Bishops) and which are being pushed as part of the Prayers of Love and Faith process that cannot rightly be seen as a development of the Church of England’s doctrine…

The first idea is that it would be right to bless same-sex couples who are in a sexually active relationship either in normal church services or in special ‘standalone’ or ‘bespoke’ services.

The reason that this would not be a development of doctrine is that the doctrine of the Church of England, as we have seen, is that all forms of sexual activity outside heterosexual marriage are forms of the sin of fornication which all Christians are called to avoid committing (and for which those Christians who have committed it are called to repent, confess and receive absolution as they would with all other forms of sin). It is not an explanation of the Church’s doctrine on this matter to say that those who continue to be in a relationship involving the sin of fornication should be able to have this relationship blessed by the Church. Rather, saying this would contradict the Church’s doctrine in one of two ways. It would involve saying either (a) that fornication is not a sin or (b) that sin does not need to be met with a call to repentance, confession, absolution and amendment of life but can instead be the object of prayers of blessing.

The second idea is that those who are in same-sex sexual relationships should be admitted to, or allowed to continue to exercise, ordained ministry.

The reason that this would not be a development of doctrine is that the Church of England’s doctrine, as set out in the 1662 Ordinal is that it is an integral part of the calling of those who are ordained to be: ‘diligent to frame and fashion your own selves, and your families, according to the doctrine of Christ; and to make both yourselves and them, as much as in you lieth, wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Christ.’  It is not an explanation of the Church’s doctrine to say that being in a same-sex sexual relationship is compatible with providing a wholesome example and pattern to the flock of Christ. As in the previous example, it would instead contradict the Church’s doctrine by in this case suggesting either (a) that being in a same-sex sexual relationship is in accordance with ‘the doctrine of Christ’ or (b) that the requirements for ministerial conduct set out in the Ordinal no longer matter.

The third idea is that the Church of England should accept that marriage can rightly be between two people of the same sex as well as two people of the opposite sex. This again would not be an explanation of the Church ‘s doctrine, but rather a contradiction of it. One cannot say both that ‘The Church of England affirms, according to our Lord’s teaching, that marriage is in its nature a union permanent and life-long, for better or worse, till death do them on the part of one man and one woman’ and also say that a relationship between two people of the same-sex is a marriage. The only way one can consistently say that a relationship between two-people of the same-sex is a marriage is if one has a different understanding of the nature of marriage. The idea that a doctrine of marriage that teaches that marriage is between two people of the opposite sex could be ‘spacious’ enough (as the bishops put it) to include same-sex relationships simply does not make sense.

What all this means is that the development of doctrine, rightly understood, rules out rather than permits these innovations which liberals wish to introduce, and which members of the House of Bishops are proposing.

Read it all.

How can we know what God is like and what his will is for our lives? Dr. Martin Davie, author and Anglican theologian, will explain how a careful reading of one of the Thirty-Nine Articles can provide us with answers. Register for this free event at https://t.co/2GO6OL0uPr. pic.twitter.com/Q5GTHbbswA

— Trinity Anglican Seminary (@TASeminary) September 6, 2024

…whilst it seems happy to be contending with issues of process, and to devote endless air-time to questions of same-sex marriage and minor issues from special interest groups – for example, a crusade for sustainable flower arranging – there is hardly any intellectual energy or attention devoted to debating the fundamental questions of why it seems so difficult to engage the nation with the Christian message, and what the Church should do in response.

If the Church were serious about dealing with the decline in numbers, it would be straining every sinew to reacquaint the nation with the fundamentals of the Christian story and scripture. It would be attempting to re-propagate an inherited culture of hymns and music, choirs, liturgy, poetry and literature which brought the faith to life, and into people’s lives. It would be working boldly to call for the Bible and Christian culture to be a more prominent part of school education and public life, and to remind people of the central importance of this culture.

In the absence of this, people will simply not have the knowledge of Christianity that will allow them to come to faith, even if they have the urge to do it. When Christ and the disciples preached in Galilee and Jerusalem, they were preaching to a people who, although poor, knew scripture and the idea that a Messiah had been promised.

As it is, the Church simply isn’t doing enough. It is underpowered in spreading public knowledge of the faith.

Read it all.

Yes — the CofE must pour its main resources into parishes and into theological education at every level. Otherwise the Gen Z revival (which is certainly real, significantly, amongst youth of high ability and likely influence) could readily lapse without support. @SaveTheParish https://t.co/DNRUJZ3CRF

— john milbank (@johnmilbank3) February 16, 2026

“CEEC’s conviction is that this cannot be done without a differentiated arrangement. We hope and pray that the House of Bishops will welcome such a discussion in order that a way can be found to resolve this ongoing and fractious disagreement.”

Read it all.

https://t.co/c13ohQ33Or

— George Conger (@GeorgeConger8) February 13, 2026

Laura Oliver (Blackburn) complained that her perspective, as an LGBTQ person who held onto traditional teaching on marriage and sex, had been too often absent from the LLF process. “My efforts to live a life as a treasured child of God, rejoicing in a life of singleness as modelled by Jesus himself, have been undermined and diminished,” she said.

Dr Ros Clarke (Lichfield) attempted to amend the motion to make the House of Bishops apologise for not heeding legal advice. Until there was some “confession and repentance”, she said, the hierarchy could not lead the Church into “forgiveness and reconciliation”.

Others questioned why the Church was about to embark on another round of divisive discussions on sexuality via the new working groups, when this might produce the “same bitter fruit” as the LLF project.

The Revd Mike Smith (Chester) said that LLF had to be stopped before it was reborn under a new acronym which would resume the “interminable escalator” and further poison relationships within the Church.

But the bishops were mostly united in their determination to both turn the page on LLF, and to continue conversations under new auspices.

Read it all.

‘…I will work with you, Synod, with my fellow bishops, and with our national church bodies, striving to ensure that the Kingdom is being nurtured everywhere – in parishes, chaplaincies, cathedrals and schools, in the smallest and most fragile communities, as well as the larger and more confident expressions of church, wherever disciples seek to be salt and light.  

I have always, in any leadership role, been committed to accountability and transparency. The way we treat one another, lay and ordained, through our various institutional processes, is vital to the health of our life together in Christ. We have too often failed to recognise or take seriously the abuse of power in all its forms. Robust and transparent processes are central to the health of any institution; proper process around appointments; clear guidelines around conduct and good processes for handling concerns, complaints and whistleblowing.  

And nowhere is accountability more imperative than in relation to safeguarding, where in the past we have fallen tragically short. Safeguarding is a fundamental, non-negotiable responsibility, sharpened by our past failings and shaped by the work we still have to do. I am committed to bringing an approach of seriousness and focussed direction to all matters relating to safeguarding in all contexts in the church. This approach must be trauma-informed, put victims and survivors at the heart of all we do and be committed to proper independence.  

I am grateful for the countless parish safeguarding officers, diocesan safeguarding professionals and the National Safeguarding Team and survivors and victims, who have worked and continue to work to make progress. Progress has been made, yet we are anything but complacent.  

We must be wholly committed to listening to victims and survivors, to independent scrutiny of our safeguarding practices, and to delivering timely and robust trauma-informed processes. We must be willing, always, for light to be shone on our actions and our decisions. We can only begin to rebuild trust and confidence through openness and integrity.’

Read it all.

In her first speech as Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Dame Sarah Mullally called for an ‘independent scrutiny of our safeguarding practices’

Reporting on @ArchbishopSarah's 1st Presidential Address #synod @thetimes by @kayaburgess #GeneralSynodhttps://t.co/3Yq9S7FX7S

— Rebecca (Bex) Chapman (@bexchapman3boys) February 10, 2026

The flag of St George is a symbol of “unity” and “inclusion” and “cannot be owned by any one group or cause”, a group of seven bishops has said in a statement to mark Racial Justice Sunday (8 February).

The statement was issued by the Church of England Bishops’ Working Group for Promoting Unity in our Nation, which was set up late last year by the Archbishops of Canterbury and York in response to concerns about the use of Christian symbols by far-Right pressure groups (Features, 6 February). The group is developing resources to help churches to celebrate St George’s Day (23 April).

The group is chaired by the Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Revd Martyn Snow, and its other members are: the Bishop of Kirkstall, the Rt Revd Arun Arora; the Bishop of Barking, the Rt Revd Lynne Cullens; the Bishop of Bradford, Dr Toby Howarth; the Bishop of Croydon, Dr Rosemarie Mallett; the Bishop of Willesden, the Rt Revd Lusa Nsenga-Ngoy; and the Bishop of Birmingham, Dr Michael Volland.

The statement acknowledges that “many in our communities are concerned by both the perceptions and realities of the issues of migration,” and calls for “mature debate on the different impacts of immigration (recognising that we cannot have unregulated borders). Alongside this we believe that our country must remain welcoming to those who are genuinely fleeing war or persecution.”

Read it all.

‘The cross of St George, the flag of England, should be celebrated as a symbol of unity in our nation, rooted in our Christian heritage.’

Read the joint statement from leading Church of England bishops. https://t.co/NDqK9AZFwF

— The Church of England (@churchofengland) February 8, 2026

A “BOLD reshaping of the Church in Plymouth”, intended to help to double church attendance in the city, is among the initiatives to be funded by a new £10-million Strategic Mission and Ministry Investment Board (SMMIB) grant for the diocese of Exeter.

Plymouth, the largest urban centre in Devon, with a population of about 270,000, and higher than average levels of deprivation, had been identified as an “area of concern” by the national Church, the Suffragan Bishop of Plymouth, the Rt Revd James Grier, has said.

There are “whole communities in the city that have never been reached by their parish church”, diocesan recruitment material says. Amid “declining attendance, leadership gaps, and financial pressures”, the clergy vacancy rate (one third, amounting to ten posts) has created “a rare opportunity to shape a new culture: one that’s rooted in mission, built on collaboration, and open to growth”.

Bishop Grier, who was born in Plymouth, said that an audit of the city had been expected to recommend significant pastoral reorganisation, given the ratio of clergy to congregation size. “In practice, what the review said was, ‘There is no excuse for these churches not to be growing.’”

Read it all.

Plymouth, the largest urban centre in Devon, with higher than average levels of deprivation, has been identified as an ‘area of concern’ by the national Church https://t.co/mUglWQBXUK

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) February 6, 2026

A new bishop is set to begin her ministry in Somerset.

Fiona Gibson will become the next Bishop of Taunton, serving in the Diocese of Bath and Wells after her consecration and installation this weekend.

It comes after Reverend Ruth Worsely, after she became the interim Bishop of Liverpool.

Read it all.

New bishop set to begin ministry in Somerset this weekend https://t.co/ZthiJfiHPM

— Somerset County Gazette (@CountyGazette) February 4, 2026

The national director of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), the Revd John Dunnett, has resigned as an honorary canon of Chelmsford Cathedral over the decision to use prayers of blessing for same-sex couples at cathedral services.

Mr Dunnett was one of more than 150 signatories to a letter sent last November, after the cathedral’s decision to use the Prayers of Love and Faith was announced. The decision, they wrote, left them “feeling disenfranchised from the life and worship of the Cathedral”.

The other signatories have not been made public, but Mr Dunnett said that they comprise priests, churchwardens, PCC members, and diocesan-synod members.

The letter called on the Dean, the Very Revd Dr Jessica Martin, and the Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, to reconsider the decision — “and hopefully reverse it”. In a reply sent last month, the Bishop and Dean declined to do so, Mr Dunnett said.

Read it all.

The national director of the #ChurchofEngland Evangelical Council (CEEC), the Revd John Dunnett, has resigned as an honorary canon of #ChelmsfordCathedral over the decision to use prayers of blessing for #samesex couples at #cathedral services#churchnewshttps://t.co/U4zeRkVKn0

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) February 4, 2026

Amidst the vast scene of the world’s problems and tragedies you may feel that your own ministry seems so small, so insignificant, so concerned with the trivial. What a tiny difference it can make to the world that you should run a youth club, or preach to a few people in a church, or visit families with seemingly small result. But consider: the glory of Christianity is its claim that small things really matter and that the small company, the very few, the one man, the one woman, the one child are of infinite worth to God. Consider our Lord himself. Amidst a vast world with its vast empires and vast events and tragedies our Lord devoted himself to individual men and women, often giving hours and time to the very few or to the one man or woman. In a country where there were movements and causes which excited the allegiance of many – the Pharisees, the Zealots, the Essenes, and others – our Lord gives many hours to one woman of Samaria, one Nicodemus, one Martha, one Mary, one Lazarus, one Simon Peter, for the infinite worth of the one is the key to the Christian understanding of the many. 

It is to a ministry like that of our Lord himself that you are called. The gospel you preach affects the salvation of the world, and you may help your people to influence the world‘s problems. But you will never be nearer to Christ then in caring for the one man, the one woman, the one child. His authority will be given to you as you do this, and his joy will be yours as well.

—The Christian Priest Today (London: SPCK, Revised edition, 1985), p. 42

“The glory of Christianity is its ability to be utterly profound and yet utterly simple.”

Archbishop Michael Ramsey believed theology wasn’t about impressing—it was about revealing Christ to the world plainly and truthfully.⚓ pic.twitter.com/r3CaZw4hXe

— ⏳ (@TheJGutierrez_) June 17, 2025

The Most Revd Sarah Elisabeth Mullally became the first woman to take office as Archbishop of Canterbury on Wednesday, at the confirmation in St Paul’s Cathedral of her election.

“This is our habemus mamam moment,” the Bishop of Dover, the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, told the congregation, her declaration a play on the words used to announce that a new pope has been elected, as the congregation began to applaud.

In the charge to the new Primate of All England, the Archbishop of York suggested that “while the world may be very interested in the fact that you are the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, I think God is very interested in the fact that this is the first time Sarah has been the Archbishop of Canterbury.”

Archbishop Cottrell’s advice to her was to be herself: “Continue to be the person who exercises the gifts, wisdom, and experience that your life has given you; and continue to be the one whose life is shaped and nurtured by the gospel of Jesus Christ.”

Read it all.

Election of first female #ArchbishopofCanterbury confirmed at St Paul’s Cathedral

‘Continue to be the person who exercises the gifts, wisdom, and experience that your life has given you,’ Archbishop of York tells the Most Revd Sarah #Mullallyhttps://t.co/Tykp53tKDn

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) January 28, 2026

The next Bishop of Ely is to be the Rt Revd Sarah Clark, Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow since 2019, in Durham diocese, where she is also currently the Acting Bishop, Downing Street announced on Tuesday.

She succeeds the Rt Revd Stephen Conway, who was translated to Lincoln in May 2023 (News, 26 May 2023). Since then, Ely has been served by its Acting Bishop, the Bishop of Huntingdon, Dr Dagmar Winter.

In July 2024, it was announced that the Crown Nominations Commission had not been able reach a consensus over the next Bishop of Ely, and that it was unlikely that the process would begin again before spring 2025 (News, 19 July 2024).

Bishop Clark was educated at Loughborough University before training for ordination at St John’s College, Nottingham. She has an MA from Keele University. She served her title at St James’s, Porchester, in the diocese of Southwell & Nottingham, and remained in parish ministry in the diocese until her present appointment. She was Rector of Carlton-in-Lindrick from 2002 to 2009, before becoming Team Rector of Clifton and Dean of Women’s Ministry. She was appointed Archdeacon of Nottingham in 2014.

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The next #BishopofEly is to be the Rt Revd Sarah Clark, Suffragan Bishop of Jarrow since 2019, in Durham diocese, where she is also currently the Acting Bishop, Downing Street announced on Tuesday#churchofengland #bishopsappointments #durhamdiocese https://t.co/hFnwrUsvb9

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) January 27, 2026

Almighty God,
whose Son revealed in signs and miracles
the wonder of your saving presence:
renew your people with your heavenly grace,
and in all our weakness
sustain us by your mighty power;
through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord,
who is alive and reigns with you,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

We love this wintery view of a very still River Ure in Wensleydale.

📸 Wendy McDonnell | #YorkshireDales #Wensleydale #MondayMotivation pic.twitter.com/80DLgu8k9x

— Yorkshire Dales National Park (@yorkshire_dales) January 26, 2026

Just over two years ago, an Anglican Futures blogger adopted the concept of the ‘Travelator’ as a way of explaining how the process of changing the Church of England’s practice and teaching about sexual relationships works.

The blog explained how David Porter, the then Archbishop of Canterbury’s Strategy Consultant, ensured that the process would itself become the outcome, by legitimising the questions being asked and preventing any ‘end point’, other than the introduction of blessings and/or same-sex marriage, with the expectation that those who disagree are required to ‘walk together’/ ‘agree to disagree’.

Just like a Travelator – once the first step is taken, there is no way off.

Today, however, some are suggesting that the House of Bishops’ latest statement represents a reversal of the Travelator. If this were true it would be a cause for great rejoicing amongst orthodox Anglicans throughout the Anglican Communion.

In contrast, this blog sets out 6 reasons why the most recent missive from the House of Bishops is a very clear indicator that the Travelator is still doing its work, inching forward and carrying all in the Church of England along with it, whether or not they approve of the destination.

Just over two years ago, an Anglican Futures blogger adopted the concept of the ‘Travelator’ as a way of explaining how the process of changing the Church of England’s practice and teaching about sexual relationships works.

The blog explained how David Porter, the then Archbishop of Canterbury’s Strategy Consultant, ensured that the process would itself become the outcome, by legitimising the questions being asked and preventing any ‘end point’, other than the introduction of blessings and/or same-sex marriage, with the expectation that those who disagree are required to ‘walk together’/ ‘agree to disagree’.

Just like a Travelator – once the first step is taken, there is no way off.

Today, however, some are suggesting that the House of Bishops’ latest statement represents a reversal of the Travelator. If this were true it would be a cause for great rejoicing amongst orthodox Anglicans throughout the Anglican Communion.

In contrast, this blog sets out 6 reasons why the most recent missive from the House of Bishops is a very clear indicator that the Travelator is still doing its work, inching forward and carrying all in the Church of England along with it, whether or not they approve of the destination.

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A much needed dose of realism from @AnglicanFutures concerning the PLF process. Some will say the reality on the ground will, in fact, be worse https://t.co/Lezo9qf2HW

— Dan Leafe (@DanLeafe1) January 16, 2026

In a statement issued on Wednesday afternoon, the Bishops acknowledged that their decisions will be “the cause of profound anguish to many LGBTQI+ people and their allies”, and that it “leaves some important questions unresolved”.

The statement confirms decisions taken by the House of Bishops in October, to subject stand-alone services of blessing for same-sex couples and the reconsideration of rules that bar the clergy from entering into same-sex marriage to further synodical processes (News, 17 October).

After heavy criticism (News 24 October and 30 October) and lobbying (News, 12 December and 19/26 December), from both sides of the debate, the Bishops met again in December, when they opted to defer the final decision until their meeting on Wednesday of this week (News, 19/26 December).

A working group will now consider how legislative steps on clergy same-sex marriage and stand-alone services could be taken forward, and consult on what “pastoral episcopal provision” might be appropriate if any further changes are proposed. This new group will, the statement says, report to General Synod by November 2028.

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The Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process will come to an “imperfect” and “untidy” end in February, the House of Bishops has said#samesexblessings #churchofengland #churchnews #churchtimes #Synodhttps://t.co/U994MD89i4

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) January 14, 2026

Gracious God, who hast inspired a rich variety of ministries in thy Church: We offer thanks for Richard Meux Benson and Charles Gore, instruments in the revival of Anglican monasticism. Grant that we, following their example, may call for perennial renewal in thy Church through conscious union with Christ, witnessing to the social justice that is a mark of the reign of our Savior Jesus, who is the light of the world; and who livest and reignest with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

#Birmingham UK, the #statue of Charles Gore, the first bishop of Birmingham, outside the main entrance to the St Philip's Cathedral 😎#BirminghamWeAre #Statues pic.twitter.com/HTcjcAX1Wq

— Daniel Sturley Photography (@Daniel_Sturley) May 11, 2025

Delay to the House of Bishops’ final decision on the next steps in the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process (News, 16 December) has been criticised by campaigners on both sides of the argument.

The national director of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), Canon John Dunnett, said that the statement issued by Church House on Tuesday “reads like an admission of ‘Groundhog Day’.”

LLF was “eroding the collegiality of the House of Bishops and their ability to lead”, he said, and called for the Bishops to “either halt the project” or reconsider proposals for structural changes to the Church of England.

A form of “delegated episcopal ministry” to provide reassurance to opponents of the changes brought by LLF were rejected by the Bishops at their meeting in October (News, 15 October, 17 October).

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The delay to the House of Bishops’ final decision on the next steps in the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process has been criticised by campaigners on both sides of the argument#llf #sexuality #samesexmarriage #churchnews #churchtimes https://t.co/8cQdJOMkVf

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) December 22, 2025

 “Where among our bishops, are those with the courage to act from love?” the Dean of Bristol, the Very Revd Mandy Ford, asked on Sunday, as the House of Bishops prepares to finalise decisions on the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process.

She joined the Dean of St Edmundsbury, the Very Revd Joe Hawes, who — alongside organisations campaigning for greater inclusivity for LGBTQ+ people — last week called on the Bishops to change their minds (News, 11 December).

On Tuesday, the Bishops are due to confirm decisions announced in October, which would effectively forestall the introduction of stand-alone services of blessing for same-sex couples and maintain the current ban on clergy entering same-sex civil marriages (News, 17 October).

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Temperature rises ahead of Bishops’ formal vote to put the brakes on same-sex marriage https://t.co/Wjh3LQN2up

— Simon Sarmiento (@simonsarmiento) December 15, 2025

O Lord Jesus Christ,
who at your first coming sent your messenger
to prepare your way before you:
grant that the ministers and stewards of your mysteries
may likewise so prepare and make ready your way
by turning the hearts of the disobedient to the wisdom of the just,
that at your second coming to judge the world
we may be found an acceptable people in your sight;
for you are alive and reign with the Father
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and for ever.
Amen.

Guten Morgen!
Ich wünsche euch nach einer kalten Nacht einen sonnigen Tag!
Moritzburg, teileise gefroren, das Wassergeflügel kann noch planschen. pic.twitter.com/llQLcIZ3kU

— Bettina (@c17791ef97be4cc) December 15, 2025