The Representative Body (RB) of the Church in Wales has come under fire for the statement that it issued on 1 July in response to the situation at Bangor Cathedral.

Critics suggested that the action had been beyond the RB’s remit, and had given the then Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Bangor, the Rt Revd Andrew John, little option but to retire with immediate effect (News, 28 June).

On 23 June, Archbishop John issued an unqualified apology for his part in the failings at Bangor Cathedral. Two reports commissioned by the Archbishop had recorded concerns about “weak financial controls” and “inappropriate behaviours” (News, 27 June).

The following day, the situation at Bangor was discussed by the RB, and a brief note was issued: “After extensive and detailed discussions, the meeting has been adjourned, and a statement will be issued in due course.”

Archbishop John announced his retirement three days later.

Read it all.

The Representative Body (RB) of the Church in #Wales has come under fire for the statement that it issued on 1 July in response to the situation at #Bangor Cathedralhttps://t.co/ObU1OOrCJx

— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) September 23, 2025

The Crown Nominations Commission needs to put forward a genuinely pro-parish successor to Justin Welby or thousands of churches will be at risk

The Crown Nominations Commission, tasked with choosing the next Archbishop of Canterbury, is expected to make its recommendation this week. For the sake of England’s parish system, let us hope it chooses wisely. The Church of England hierarchy talks a good game on parishes but the evidence shows that, unless there is a significant policy shift, small and rural churches are doomed.

During the General Synod’s July meeting, the Bishops of Hereford and Bath & Wells, supported by Chelmsford and others, mounted a rescue bid. They proposed that 1 per cent of the asset value of the Church Commissioners’ £11.1 billion endowment should be apportioned each year directly to parish ministry.

The commissioners can surely afford £110 million per annum for the endowment’s intended purpose: supporting poorer parishes. Yet the plan was foiled by a wrecking motion and absurdly alarmist speeches from senior Church Commissioners.

Read it all.

Next Archbishop of Canterbury must be pro-parish churches | ✍️ James Burnell-Nugent
https://t.co/NcdkXtTzwg

— The Times and The Sunday Times (@thetimes) September 22, 2025

This summer, the Office of the Archbishop received credible complaints regarding Bishop Derek Jones, alleging abuse of ecclesiastical power. These complaints did not involve physical or sexual misconduct, nor did they involve any doctrinal concerns.  Nevertheless, they were concerning because abuse of ecclesiastical power violates the trust that is essential for effective ministry.

After prayerful discernment, and in accordance with Title IV of our canons, on September 12, Bishop Ray Sutton, Dean of the Province and Presiding Bishop of the REC, and I met with Bishop Jones to issue a Godly Admonition. This directive required Bishop Jones and his subordinates to cooperate with a formal investigation to determine if any of the complaints against him rose to the level of a presentable offense, a step that is in accordance with the standard disciplinary procedures outlined in Title IV of the ACNA Constitution and Canons. Regrettably, Bishop Jones refused to comply with this directive. On September 21, I issued a temporary inhibition to Bishop Jones that restricted him from ministry for sixty days.

The following day, September 22, the Executive Committee of the Jurisdiction of the Armed Forces and Chaplaincy (JFAC)sent a letter to the Archbishop announcing its withdrawal from the Province. While this action is deeply disappointing and particularly unsettling for our chaplains, I want to be clear: the Special Jurisdiction itself remains a canonical ministry of the Anglican Church in North America that was created and is sustained by our canons. The JFAC has purportedly withdrawn from the ACNA under Article II.3 of the Constitution, which pertains to dioceses or groups of dioceses organized into distinct jurisdictions.  However, because the Special Jurisdiction is not a diocese, but a canonical ministry established under Title 1, Canon 11, it does not have canonical authority to withdraw from the Province. The Special Jurisdiction, under which the chaplains serve,  continues to exist within the ACNA regardless of  Bishop Jones’s withdrawal or the withdrawal of any entities under his control.

Read it all.

"The Special Jurisdiction itself remains a canonical ministry of the Anglican Church in North America that was created and is sustained by our canons."
Read Abp Wood's full letter to the Province on the JAFC & Bp Jones's inhibition https://t.co/zI4T8IHvMh

— ACNA (@The_ACNA) September 23, 2025

The research is sprawling and interdisciplinary, but it is beginning to align around a provocative hypothesis: Shifts in everyday exposures may be accelerating biological aging, priming the body for disease earlier than expected.

“We’ve changed what we’re exposed to considerably in the past few decades,” said Patti, a professor of chemistry, genetics and medicine at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis.

The sheer complexity of modern life makes it difficult to pinpoint specific culprits. But advances in rapid, high-volume chemical screening, machine learning, and vast population datasets have made it possible to look with unparalleled depth and detail into the human body and the world around it. These methods test thousands of variables at once, revealing some never-before-seen patterns.

Last year, researchers released findings from a 150,000-person study at the annual American Association for Cancer Research meeting that took the cancer community by surprise. They found that millennials — born between 1981 and 1996 — appear to be aging biologically faster than previous generations, based on biomarkers in blood that indicate the health of various organs. That acceleration was associated with a significantly increased risk — up to 42 percent — for certain cancers, especially those of the lung, gastrointestinal tract and uterus.

Read it all.

NEW: The rates of cancer among millennials are rising, and researchers now think it can't be explained by genetics and lifestyle choices alone. Check out the latest in our young cancer series, by @arianaeunjung @alvarovalino and @dtkeating https://t.co/YUosFbFpgq

— Juliet Eilperin (@eilperin) September 23, 2025

There’s a great deal at stake in the upcoming Czech election — for Russia. So perhaps it’s no wonder that Czechia has been flooded by pro-Russian disinformation of late.

A victory by populist right-winger Andrej Babiš, who is ahead in the polls, would see him join Viktor Orbán and Robert Fico around the EU table. The Hungarian and Slovak leaders are on friendly terms with Russian President Vladimir Putin and have consistently torpedoed EU unity on Ukraine.

Incumbent Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala has framed the Oct. 3-4 vote as no less than a battle over the country’s geopolitical future.

Read it all.

Russia has flooded the Czech election with disinformation as populist right-winger Andrej Babiš leads in the polls. https://t.co/em6KI3M9Mf

— POLITICOEurope (@POLITICOEurope) September 23, 2025

O Our God, we believe in thee, we hope in thee, and we love thee, because thou hast created us, redeemed us, and dost sanctify us. Increase our faith, strengthen our hope, and deepen our love, that giving up ourselves wholly to thy will, we may serve thee faithfully all the rest of our life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

—The Narrow Way, Being a Complete Manual of Devotion with a Guide to Confirmation and Holy Communion (London: J. Whitaker and Sons, 1893)

But when Na′aman had gone from him a short distance, Geha′zi, the servant of Eli′sha the man of God, said, “See, my master has spared this Na′aman the Syrian, in not accepting from his hand what he brought. As the Lord lives, I will run after him, and get something from him.” So Geha′zi followed Na′aman. And when Na′aman saw some one running after him, he alighted from the chariot to meet him, and said, “Is all well?” And he said, “All is well. My master has sent me to say, ‘There have just now come to me from the hill country of E′phraim two young men of the sons of the prophets; pray, give them a talent of silver and two festal garments.’” And Na′aman said, “Be pleased to accept two talents.” And he urged him, and tied up two talents of silver in two bags, with two festal garments, and laid them upon two of his servants; and they carried them before Geha′zi. And when he came to the hill, he took them from their hand, and put them in the house; and he sent the men away, and they departed. He went in, and stood before his master, and Eli′sha said to him, “Where have you been, Geha′zi?” And he said, “Your servant went nowhere.” But he said to him, “Did I not go with you in spirit when the man turned from his chariot to meet you? Was it a time to accept money and garments, olive orchards and vineyards, sheep and oxen, menservants and maidservants? Therefore the leprosy of Na′aman shall cleave to you, and to your descendants for ever.” So he went out from his presence a leper, as white as snow.

–2 Kings 5:19-27