Dear Mr Taylor, I write in response to the extract from your sermon preached at St Helen’s Bishopsgate on 10 September 2026, subsequently published under the title “Responding to false teachers in the Church of England”. I do so from several connected positions. I am the City of London Corporation’s appointed representative in relation to… Continue reading If the bishops are false teachers, why does St Helen’s Bishopsgate remain in the Church of England? – an open letter to William Taylor
Category: Church
Dolly Parton: Faith, Freedom and a Life of Generosity
I was deeply saddened yesterday to hear of the death of Dolly Parton at the age of 80. Seeing her film 9 to 5 as a child in the 80s was probably the first time I encountered the singer/songwriter and it was also an early influence on my being a feminist and having a distaste… Continue reading Dolly Parton: Faith, Freedom and a Life of Generosity
Jesus, Justice and the radical politics of Love
Having spent much time recently thinking and writing about my politics and also about my faith, I have been considering how the two intersect and how they inform each other. This is especially so as I find that my Christian faith has influenced my move to the left politically, which contrasts sharply with those on… Continue reading Jesus, Justice and the radical politics of Love
A Church living without love: the CofE’s failure to include LGBTQ+ Christians
Yesterday I sat in the public gallery at Church House and watched the Church of England step back from the modest, careful and prayerful work of Living in Love and Faith, which was meant to move towards providing a loving Christian welcome for LGBTQ+ people in England’s established Anglican faith. I left feeling numb. Not… Continue reading A Church living without love: the CofE’s failure to include LGBTQ+ Christians
A Church still afraid to Love
The House of Bishops has issued yet another statement on Living in Love and Faith (LLF), the Church of England’s years-long programme of exploration to be more inclusive of LGBTQ+ people. The statement, in essence an admission of the abject failure of LLF, is long, careful, heavily footnoted, and saturated in the language of process,… Continue reading A Church still afraid to Love
Women’s rights and Trans dignity are not opposed: a Christian rebuttal to a false choice
A persistent claim in contemporary debate is that the inclusion of trans people, particularly trans women, comes at the expense of women’s rights. This claim has gained renewed prominence in church and media commentary, often presented as a sober and commonsense position. It is neither. It rests on theological misunderstanding, scientific overreach, and a deeply… Continue reading Women’s rights and Trans dignity are not opposed: a Christian rebuttal to a false choice
After Bondi: grief, fear, and the hard work of refusing hatred
The attack on Australia’s Jewish community on Bondi Beach in recent days has left me shaken and heartsick. It joins a grim list of assaults on Jewish life across the world, including the attack on the Heaton Park synagogue in Manchester on Yom Kippur earlier this year. These are not isolated acts. They sit within… Continue reading After Bondi: grief, fear, and the hard work of refusing hatred
Doctrine or Discrimination? Why the Church of England’s Advice misses the heart of the Gospel
In the last week the Church of England has published four substantial papers intended to provide theological, legal, and doctrinal clarity on matters arising from the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process. They cover everything from the nature of doctrine itself (GS Misc 1429), to the doctrine of marriage and the Prayers of Love… Continue reading Doctrine or Discrimination? Why the Church of England’s Advice misses the heart of the Gospel
A Church that still cannot love freely
Church of England: Reflection on the House of Bishops’ failure of leadership The Church of England’s latest decision on same-sex blessings and clergy relationships has left me questioning whether I can continue in the discernment process for ordained ministry—or even remain an active member. Once again, the Church has given in to the forces of… Continue reading A Church that still cannot love freely
In the Image of God: a queer Christian response to the UK Supreme Court ruling on Sex and Gender Identity
This post was written for OneBodyOneFaith and was published on the charity’s website on Monday 26 May 2025 For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Psalm 139.13-14 On April 16, 2025, the UK Supreme Court delivered a… Continue reading In the Image of God: a queer Christian response to the UK Supreme Court ruling on Sex and Gender Identity
C. E. Lord OBE 