The leadership (and I use that word rather loosely in this case) of the Church of England is beyond parody, it is a serious liability.

The Archbishop of Canterbury, in defensive mode, as usual, appears on a video to give his four pathetic reasons why churches should be closed- consisting of empty symbolism and virtue signalising, mainly summed up in the cardinal principle ‘We have to set an example’. (See Anglican Ink 9 April 2020)

Yes, and what an example! Mrs Smith can take her life in her hands to do the essential work of being on the check -out of the local supermarket, and for this we are truly thankful, but a minister cannot enter his Church building either to stream a service or minister to two or three who are gathered at a social distance in Christ’s name. Neither, are they now allowed to be at the bedside of some poor soul who is seriously ill or dying. This is monstrous.

The message being sent is clear- clergy are cowards and the church an irrelevance. What the secularists have been telling us for over a century is now being admitted by the Muppet Show called the House of Bishops: religion is to be privatised and not be allowed anywhere near the public arena. And given that we have two incompetents in Welby and Cottrell, a jolly good things that is too.

The commands these two men have given to their clergy are like that of two generals telling their troops during time of war that they ought to set an example to the civilian population who rightly are in their air raid shelters by joining them. That is not what soldiers do! And neither is it what clergy do. I

It is a matter of historical fact, see Rodney Stark “The Rise of Christianity“, that one of the main reasons Christianity eventually triumphed over the paganism of Rome was that they stayed behind to care for the sick when a city was struck by a plague, while the pagans cleared off. The Church of England leadership are now demanding their clergy act like pagans.

Now is the time to revolt. The Government has said that church building may be used by ministers to stream services if done sensibly. Hospitals are asking for help in caring for the sick spiritually. Out of good conscience over and against the craven fear of the Bishops, clergy are to carry out their duties under God and blow a proverbial raspberry in the direction of Lambeth and Chelmsford.

Welby should resign and Cottrell withdraw from his appointment. The good clergy and lay folk of the C of E deserve better than these.