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Sunday before last, church felt pointless. I woke up and checked for news from the Synod: first, a motion concerning justice for Palestinians wasn\u2019t even selected for debate.<\/a> Then the General Synod<\/a> voted against redistributing one per cent of the Church Commissioners\u2019 wealth<\/a> to diocesan stipend funds, instead amending the motion to debate funding later (News, 18 July<\/a>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is hard not to see this as the sensible adults, who also happen to control all the money, telling poorer churches to die quietly. Justice delayed is justice denied, and poorer parishes have long worked miracles with just a few loaves and fishes. Yet, denial of justice did seem to be a theme. The Revd Dr Ian Paul, of the Archbishops\u2019 Council, insisted that \u201cfinance reflects spiritual reality\u201d \u2014 a plainly offensive echo of the so-called \u201cindolent poor\u201d. But it was another who really took the biscuit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bishop of Blackburn<\/a>, the Rt Revd Philip North, is known for his resolute defence of the working class (News, 27 February 2024<\/a>). Yet, if he and I ever discussed such matters, we might initially talk at cross-purposes, until realising that we needed to define our terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read it all<\/a>.<\/p> "The disparity between richer and poorer churches is stark," writes Adam Spiershttps:\/\/t.co\/F0xGJam9wp<\/a><\/p>— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) July 25, 2025<\/a><\/blockquote>