Now that Dr. Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury, has announced his impending retirement, there’s been a whole lot of speculation over his successor. But Christians really needn’t worry. Whoever gets the job can’t be nearly as brilliantly bonkers as some of Williams’ predecessors. Take Archbishop George Abbot for example. In 1621 he straight-up killed Continue Reading
The Enlightenment: a very English affair
There has been debate as to why the English are neglected in studies of Enlightenment. Marsak, in his ‘The Enlightenment’ presents no readings from English writers and Erick Cassirer does not help either by omitting such English thinkers as Bentham, Paine and Adam Smith from his ‘The Philosophy of the Enlightenment’. Against this tide stands Continue Reading
Meddlesome priests
The Church of England has had something of a reputation as a reactionary, conservative institution; a pillar of the establishment; a homogeneous, unified, source of unwavering support for the ruling authorities. Not so. The Anglican Church has always been an organisation in which diverse and often radical doctrines have been given a platform. In the Continue Reading