28 December 2017: Bishop of Liverpool criticises politics of US Christians
The Guardian reports that Paul Bayes, Bishop of Liverpool, accuses some US religious leaders of 'colluding with a system that marginalises the poor'.

27 December 2017: Westminster Abbey attics yield a treasure trove of stained glass
The triforium of Westminster Abbey was being cleared out to make a museum. Dust and rubbish had accumulated there over 750 years. Warwick Rodwell was the archaeologist in charge, and was excited by what he saw. He ordered everything to be brought down to ground level in buckets, and be hand-sorted by teams of archaeologists. The Guardian reports that 30,000 pieces of glass were recovered, some dating back to the 13th century. The glass was sent to the stained glass studio at Canterbury cathedral, where it is being recycled into new windows for the abbey. 

25 December 2017: Christmas messages from Anglican primates worldwide
The Anglican Communion News Service has collected in one place the Christmas messages from most of the primates of Anglican provinces around the world.

25 December 2017: The interconnected story of Toronto’s stained glass artists
Robert McCausland Limited is the oldest stained glass company in the western hemisphere and the longest, continuously-owned family company in Canada. A feature in the Toronto Star tells how Andrew McCausland, the fifth generation in the trade, was given the job in 1978 of repairing the stained glass of every Anglican church in Jamaica. For fourteen years he flew down to the island, carefully removed windows, and shipped them to his studio in Toronto. Once a six-year-old girl from an orphanage near the church where he was working kept coming to watch - three years later he adopted her. 

23 December 2017: Beetles and bats threaten treasures of medieval parish churches
The Guardian reports on the threats posed to parish antiquities by deathwatch beetles and by bats. East Anglia is extremely rich in late-medieval painted wooden church screens. Examples are found in more than 40% of its medieval churches, putting the lie to the received wisdom that all pre-Reformation art was violently smashed.

22 December 2017: UK church removes pews to host Muslims
The Telegraph reports that a Church of England church has been allowed to remove its pews to better meet the needs of local Muslims.

22 December 2017: Teenagers use Advent pilgrimage to take message of hope across Central America
Fourteen Guatemalan teenagers have traveled throughout the five countries which make up the Anglican Church of Central America with a message of solidarity, according to the Anglican Communion News Service.

22 December 2017: Anglican Church of Kenya to launch Facebook Sunday Service for youths who can’t go to church
Nairobi News reports on a move to social media in hopes of finding youth where they are and looping them back into the church.

21 December 2017: 2018 likely to be another tough year for the archbishop of Canterbury
The Religion News Service provides a rather pessimistic year-in-review and prediction for the near future.

19 December 2017: RIP: Raymond Glover, Hymnal 1982 editor
Musician Raymond Glover died on 15 December in Virginia, USA. An accomplished organist, professor, and priest, Glover helped found the Association of Anglican Musicians and served as its president prior to his appointment to head the creation of the current primary hymnal for the Episcopal Church, USA, according to the Episcopal News Service.

18 December 2017: First female Bishop of London appointed
The appointment of the Rt Revd Sarah Mullally follows the retirement of Dr. Richard Chartres in February, reports the BBC. The first woman to be bishop of the once traditionalist diocese, Mullally will be the ranking female cleric in the Church of England and third most senior position of the Church of England. She presently serves as Bishop of Crediton.

14 December 2017: Church of England to apologise over George Bell abuse allegations
The Guardian (London) reports the Church of England is to apologise for its handling of allegations of sexual abuse against the late George Bell, one of its most revered figures of the 20th century. Here is the official news release about it from the Anglican Communion Office. We like the headline to the New York Times coverage: 'Church of England Unfair to Dead Bishop'.

13 December 2017: Work of Australia’s child abuse royal commission described as 'life-saving'
The Guardian (London) interviewed survivors of childhood abuse in Australia, who described the work and conclusions of the Royal Commission as 'life-saving' for them.

12 December 2017: Christ Church Cathedral restoration bill said to give government too much power
The Press (NZ) reports that legislative submissions in the matter of the Christ Church Cathedral Reinstatement Bill have suggested the Bill gives the national government too much power over the restoration work. An earlier survey showed public opinion was opposed to spending local tax money on that restoration.

12 December 2017: African archbishop insists AMiE is part of Anglican Communion
Not long after the US president declared that Jerusalem is the capital of Israel, Nigeria's Archbishop Okoh has declared that the new breakaway group 'The Anglican Mission in England' is 'fully part of the Anglican Communion'. Christian Today reports.

10 December 2017: Malta Anglicans offer church to neighbouring Carmelites for midnight mass
The Malta Independent reports that the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Valetta is not being used for services, because of work being done there, and the church where they temporarily worship is too small to accomodate the crowd expected for midnight mass on Chrismas eve. The Anglican pro-cathedral of St Paul is across the street from the basilica, and has offered its neighbour the use of the building for its Christmas mass. Wikipedia notes that the pro-cathedral, with its landmark spire, was built in 1839-44 by the Dowager Queen Adelaide, who had gone to Malta for her health after the death of her husband, William IV.

8 December 2017: Splinter group in UK ordains new priests
Christian Today reports on the ordination of nine men by a breakaway faction in the UK. Such breakaway ordinations have become old news in the USA, but are still a novelty in the Church of England. As usual, the dividing issues involve sex and gender.

7 December 2017: Australian Royal Commission releases report critical of Diocese of Newcastle
There are two dioceses of Newcastle in the Anglican Communion. One is in England, one is in Australia. Australia has for some time had a Royal Commission investigating past and present accusations of systematic child abuse there. The commission has been releasing reports incrementally, as they are ready. The Anglican Communion News Service (London) tells us this week the Royal Commission report on Australia's Diocese of Newcastle has been released, and that it is critical of the Diocese and two former bishops.

7 December 2017: Convicted and deposed Anglican bishop to become Roman Catholic
The Catholic Herald reports that an Anglican bishop who was jailed for sexually abusing 18 young men is converting to Roman Catholicism to 'live and worship in anonymity'.

5 December 2017: Dean of St Paul calls for consequences for 'compromised' bishops
Christian Today tells of a report in the Church of England calling for a radical overhaul in how the Church deals with issues of safeguarding. The Dean of London's St Paul made this call in an article in Christian Today and Via Media, following high-profile cases where survivors of abuse revealed their deeply troubling treatment at the hands of Church authorities.

4 December 2017: Letters between abuse victim and Archbishop of Canterbury
Thinking Anglicans reports on an exchange of letters between a victim of sexual abuse and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Church Times also reported on this correspondence.

4 December 2017: New bishop for East Tennessee
The US Episcopal News Service reported on the ordination and consecration of the Rt Revd Brian Lee Cole as fifth Bishop of East Tennessee.

10 December 2017: Malta Anglicans offer church to neighbouring Carmelites for midnight mass
The Malta Independent reports that the Basilica of Our Lady of Mount Carmel in Valetta is not being used for services, because of work being done there, and the church where they temporarily worship is too small to accomodate the crowd expected for midnight mass on Chrismas eve. The Anglican pro-cathedral of St Paul is across the street from the basilica, and has offered its neighbour the use of the building for its Christmas mass. Wikipedia notes that the pro-cathedral, with its landmark spire, was built in 1839-44 by the Dowager Queen Adelaide, who had gone to Malta for her health after the death of her husband, William IV.

8 December 2017: Splinter group in UK ordains new priests
Christian Today reports on the ordination of nine men by a breakaway faction in the UK. Such breakaway ordinations have become old news in the USA, but are still a novelty in the Church of England. As usual, the dividing issues involve sex and gender.

7 December 2017: Australian Royal Commission releases report critical of Diocese of Newcastle
There are two dioceses of Newcastle in the Anglican Communion. One is in England, one is in Australia. Australia has for some time had a Royal Commission investigating past and present accusations of systematic child abuse there. The commission has been releasing reports incrementally, as they are ready. The Anglican Communion News Service (London) tells us this week the Royal Commission report on Australia's Diocese of Newcastle has been released, and that it is critical of the Diocese and two former bishops.

7 December 2017: Convicted and deposed Anglican bishop to become Roman Catholic
The Catholic Herald reports that an Anglican bishop who was jailed for sexually abusing 18 young men is converting to Roman Catholicism to 'live and worship in anonymity'.

5 December 2017: Dean of St Paul calls for consequences for 'compromised' bishops
Christian Today tells of a report in the Church of England calling for a radical overhaul in how the Church deals with issues of safeguarding. The Dean of London's St Paul made this call in an article in Christian Today and Via Media, following high-profile cases where survivors of abuse revealed their deeply troubling treatment at the hands of Church authorities.

4 December 2017: Letters between abuse victim and Archbishop of Canterbury
Thinking Anglicans reports on an exchange of letters between a victim of sexual abuse and the Archbishop of Canterbury. The Church Times also reported on this correspondence.

4 December 2017: New bishop for East Tennessee
The US Episcopal News Service reported on the ordination and consecration of the Rt Revd Brian Lee Cole as fifth Bishop of East Tennessee.

18 November 2017: South Carolina Supreme Court rejects motion by breakaway faction
The state Supreme Court of South Carolina announced that it would not rehear the appeal of a 2015 lower court ruling against the breakaway faction. This contentious situation is unusually complex, and there will continue to be court cases and rulings in this matter for years to come. In particular, there is a case in US Federal Court concerning ownership of the name and seal of the diocese. The Charleston Post and Courier has a good summary article on this recent decision and the long legal process leading up to it. The South Carolina diocese that is part of the US Episcopal Church but which is prevented by South Carolina law from calling itself the Diocese of South Carolina, had this to say.

15 November 2017: Former bishop-elect of Caledonia fired from parish position
Canada's Anglican Journal reports that the Revd Jacob Worley has been terminated without cause as rector of the Bulkley Valley parish in the Diocese of British Columbia. Normally the firing of a rector is not global news, but earlier this year, Mr Worley had been elected bishop of Caledonia; the election was not confirmed by the House of Bishops of the Ecclesiastical Province of British Columbia and Yukon, because of his previous involvement with the Anglican Mission in America. In October the diocese elected as bishop the Revd David Lehman, a priest in the Diocese of the Arctic. The decision to fire Mr Worley was made by the Metropolitan, Archbishop John Privett, who has episcopal authority during the vacancy. Mr Worley is an American citizen, whose work permit to remain in Canada depends on his employment.

15 November 2017: New website for Church of England
Thinking Anglicans reports on the new website launched recently by the Church of England. As with all large-scale revisions of important websites, there have been many optimistic predictions about the positive effects that will derive from the new site. We shall see.

11 November 2017: New bishop for Aberdeen and Orkney
The Church Times (London) reports that the Scottish Episcopal Church has elected Canon Anne Dyer as the new Bishop of Aberdeen & Orkney.

11 November 2017: First report on fate of Canada's Anglican Journal expected in spring
A group looking into whether the Anglican Journal should continue to exist in print form and be free to determine its own content is expected to release its preliminary results next spring. That very Anglican Journal reported that the announcement came at the recent meeting of Canada's Council of General Synod (CoGS).

11 November 2017: Discord over fee discrepancies for boys and girls in C of E choirs
It has been 20 years since the Church of England began ordaining women priests, but a recent report in The Times reveals that in 2017, choirboys are treated better than choirgirls.

9 November 2017: Church of England has released its Cathedral Statistics for 2016
The Church of England has released its annual statistical report on its cathedrals. The report is optimistic about the future of cathedrals in that country's social fabric, but not quite as upbeat about their role as places of worship. It is a fascinating thing to read.

9 November 2017: New area bishop for Ripon, from Waikato
It has been announced that the Rt Revd Helen-Anne Hartley, Bishop of Waikato, has been named area bishop (suffragan) of Ripon. This appears to b e much bigger news in New Zealand than in England. Until the 2014 creation of the Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales (which was quickly renamed the Diocese of Leeds), Ripon was an independent diocese and its bishop was an ordinary.

9 November 2017: Diocese of Los Angeles announces plan to resume use of Newport Beach church
The US Episcopal News Service reports on the announcement by the Diocese of Los Angeles of a plan for future use of a disputed church property in Newport Beach, California, including the eventual resumption of worship services there by the St. James the Great congregation.

4 November 2017: Auckland cathedral completed after 174 years
The Anglican Communion News Service (London) reports the completion of Holy Trinity cathedral in the Diocese of Auckland 174 years after the land for it was purchased. The cathedral’s foundation stone wasn’t laid until 1957 – some 114 after the land was purchased. Work on the cathedral finally came to an end this year, and it was consecrated at the end of October 2017.

4 November 2017: 89 Years Of Anglican Church In Rwanda
Kigali Today reports of the achievements of the church in Rwanda since being founded in Rwanda in the 1930s.

2 November 2017: Historic Anglican – Oriental Orthodox agreement on the Holy Spirit signed in Dublin
The Anglican News Service reports 'theologians from the Anglican Communion and Oriental Orthodox Churches have signed an historic agreement on the Holy Spirit. The Agreed Statement on the Procession and Work of the Holy Spirit was signed on Friday at the end of a week of discussions by the Anglican Oriental-Orthodox International Commission (AOOIC) and concludes two years of work on the subject.'

2 November 2017: New look and domain for the Episcopal News Service
The Episcopal Church (USA) has rebranded its news service. According to the Anglican Communion News Service, the award-winning online news service of the US-based Episcopal Church has relaunched with a new look, structure, facilities and domain, and can be found at episcopalnewsservice.org.

31 October 2017: 'Niqab ban' could put Quebec Muslims at risk, say province's bishops
Anglican and Lutheran bishop's in the Anglican Church of Canada have voiced concern reguarding the region's new ban on the Muslim clothing, according to Anglican Journal.

27 October 2017: Sri Lankan congregation swaps old tea shed for new church
In the nineteenth century, colonial authorities brought Tamil people from South India to work in the tea industry of what was then Ceylon and is now Sri Lanka. Some of their descendants are among the 45 Anglican families in Galloola. The Church Times reports they had worshipped in a Roman Catholic church, and since the end of the 1990s in an abandoned muster shed, where tea leaves had been weighed after picking. The Diocese of Colombo purchased land behind the shed, and the people have built a new church, St John, there. It is served from St Mark, Badulla.

26 October 2017: Rural Church of Ireland building destroyed by vandals
The Irish Times reports on the near-complete destruction by vandals of the interior of a seasonal Church of Ireland building in County Galway.

25 October 2017: Nepal criminalizes Christian conversion
Christianity Today reports that Nepal has enacted a law to curb evangelism by criminalizing religious conversion, joining neighbouring countries like India and Pakistan, where the region’s small-but-growing Christian minority faces government threats to their faith.

25 October 2017: Diocese of Caledonia elects Arctic priest as new bishop
Canada's Anglican Journal reports that the Revd David Lehmann, a regional dean in the diocese of the Arctic, has been elected bishop of the neighbouring diocese of Caledonia.

23 October 2017: One quarter of Church of England congregations have no children
It is said that every church is one generation away from extinction. The BBC has reported that there are no children in the smallest 25% of the Church of England's congregations reported in this year's survey. But the Church says it is now reaching 1.2 million people online every month, which is more than those who make it to the pews.

23 October 2017: Church of England appoints new Director of Communications
You might not care that the C of E has appointed a new Director of Communications. But we do. That is such an important role in the modern church (see, for example, the news item immediately above this one). After reading about Tashi Lassalle, the new appointee, we are hopeful.

20 October 2017: Church of England to debate services for same-sex couples
The Telegraph (London) reports that the Church of England will debate blessings for same-sex couples, after a motion was passed by the Diocese of Hereford (with the support of its bishop) calling for a formal liturgy.

18 October 2017: New primate for Church of North India
The Anglican Communion News Service (London) reports that the Bishop of Jabalpur, Dr Prem Singh, has been elected as the new Moderator of the united Church of North India. As such, he becomes the new primate of the Church’s Anglican province.

18 October 2017: Break-in at Anglican Church of Canada national office
Canada's Anglican Journal reports on the recent break-in to the national office in Toronto of the Anglican Church of Canada. This was not a Nixon/Watergate sort of break-in; the thieves reportedly took money and laptops rather than documents.

17 October 2017: UK school cuts ties with Christian group after parent complaints
The Guardian (London) reports that St John's Church of England primary school in Tunbridge Wells has cuts its ties with Christian group CrossTeach after parents complained of religious extremism and claimed children had been distressed by comments about gay marriage and a 'demonstration of God’s power' in assemblies. The group of parents said in a statement: 'We recognise and respect the school’s Christian values but think there is a brand of Christianity that is abusing that respect.'

15 October 2017: Joint Communiqué from US Episcopal Church and United Methodist church
The Episcopal Church-United Methodist Dialogue met recently in Washington DC and issued a communiqué. Normally we find communiqués so boring we can't stay awake long enough to write sentences about them, but we found this one interesting (and short) enough to report.

14 October 2017: Doubts grow over ABC's account of when he knew of abuse
The Church of England has been embroiled in a scandal involving decades-old abuses that occurred in holiday camps for boys where Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby worked in his 20s. The archbishop has said that he knew nothing of the abuse until 2013. But now the New York Times reports the men who were victims of the abuse as boys are coming forward to challenge the archbishop's version of events, casting doubt on his claims of ignorance.

13 October 2017: Plans forming for 2020 Lambeth Conference
The Anglican Communion News Service reports on the state of planning for a Lambeth Conference in 2020. Several years ago there were widespread rumours that no more Lambeth Conferences would be held. Many newsworthy things happen at these conferences, so we at Anglicans Online look forward to the event even if we aren't sure that it would be worth the considerable expense.

12 October 2017: Retired Bishop of London made a 'life peer'
The Diocese of London has announced the Prime Minister's intention of naming Richard Chartres, retired Bishop of London, a life peer.

11 October 2017: Sydney archbishop defends diocese's $1M political donation
The Australian Broadcasting Corporation reports on the Archbishop of Sydney using the platform of his presidential address at the diocesan synod to justify his decision to donate a million dollars to the 'vote no' campaign in Australia's upcoming national vote on same-sex marriage. Meanwhile, The Guardian (London) reports the Diocese of Perth, on the other side of the country, has offered a 'heartfelt apology' to Australia’s gay and lesbian community, saying the church was 'deeply sorry for any harm we have done'. The Diocese of Sydney has a lot of money, while the Diocese of Perth does not, so we aren't expecting an announcement of Perth's having made a contribution to the 'vote yes' campaign.

11 October 2017: Atheists join the fray over Christchurch's cathedral
Newstalk ZB (New Zealand) reports that country's atheists are objecting to government subsidy of cathedral restoration because 'the church is a very wealthy organization'.

7 October 2017: Santa Claus's tomb may have been uncovered beneath Turkish church
The Guardian carried the fascinating story of the discovery of what might be the remains of Saint Nicholas beneath the church in his hometown of Antalya.

6 October 2017: Primates conclude Canterbury meeting 'renewed in their ministry'
Anglican Journal covers the recent Primates' meeting attended by thirty-three of the thirty-nine of the heads of Anglican provinces worldwide in Canterbury, England.

5 October 2017: Rise in Glory: Bp. Walmsley
The Living Church (USA) writes of the death of the Rt. Revd Arthur E. Walmsley, 12th Bishop of Connecticut.

3 October 2017: Anglicans sanction Scottish Episcopal Church over same-sex marriage
The BBC reports the sanctions include exclusion from ecumenical and leadership roles in the Anglican Communion, similar to those on the US Episcopal Church.

2 October 2017: Coptic Pope opens new Anglican media centre
The Anglicans News Service explains the media centre, which has recording and editing technology, will increase accessibility and community among Anglicans and Coptics.