Category Archives: Church of England

The Prime Minister, The Queen, And Ecclesiastical Appointments

Posted on October 20, 2021 by jasonloch

Earlier this year, there was some debate over whether or not Boris Johnson had run afoul of section 18 of the Roman Catholic Relief Act 1829. There were reports that he’d converted to Roman Catholicism, and Roman Catholics are barred … Continue reading →

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Bishops And Homage

Posted on July 21, 2020 by jasonloch

Today, the new Archbishop of York formally did homage for the temporalities of his new see. Because of the pandemic, the ceremony took place via video link. In normal times, it would involve a small ceremony at Buckingham Palace or … Continue reading →

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The Prime Minister’s Appointments Secretary And Episcopal Appointments

Posted on July 20, 2020 by jasonloch

My recent post on Tony Blair and the Bishopric of Liverpool has highlighted the role of the Prime Minister’s Appointments Secretary in the process of choosing bishops. Blair’s Appointments Secretary, John Holroyd, clearly played an active role in influencing Blair’s … Continue reading →

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Tony Blair And The Bishopric Of Liverpool

Posted on July 16, 2020 by jasonloch

A little more than a month after taking office, Tony Blair precipitated a miniature constitutional crisis when he vetoed the Church of England’s nominee for the Bishopric of Liverpool. The incident has largely faded from the public consciousness, but thanks … Continue reading →

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Why Did The Convocations Lose The Power To Tax?

Posted on May 7, 2020 by jasonloch

In yesterday’s post about the relationship between the Convocations of Canterbury and York and Parliament, I mentioned that, in 1664, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Gilbert Sheldon, entered into a gentlemen’s agreement with the Lord Chancellor, the Earl of Clarendon which … Continue reading →

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The Convocations Of The Clergy And Parliament

Posted on May 6, 2020 by jasonloch

In honor of the fact that my thesis on the Convocation of Canterbury and the Royal Supremacy is now ten years old, I thought I’d do a short post on the relationship between the Convocations and Parliament. Starting in 1226, … Continue reading →

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Archbishops And Politics

Posted on September 23, 2018 by jasonloch

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, caused a kerfuffle recently when he criticized the Government’s flagship welfare reform and described zero-hours contracts ‘a reincarnation of an ancient evil.’ This has not gone down well with certain segments of the Conservative … Continue reading →

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Illegitimacy And Anglican Canon Law

Posted on April 19, 2016 by jasonloch

It’s not every day that Anglican canon law makes the headlines, but the revelation that the Archbishop of Canterbury was the product of his mother’s affair with Sir Winston Churchill’s private secretary has reminded the world that illegitimacy used to be an … Continue reading →

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How Long Will It Take To Appoint The First Woman Bishop?

Posted on November 16, 2014 by jasonloch

Tomorrow, the Church of England’s General Synod will formally ‘make, enact, and promulge’ Amending Canon No. 33, thereby allowing women to enter the episcopate. Naturally, there has been a great deal of speculation as to when the first woman bishop … Continue reading →

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The Curious Case of the Anglican Cardinals

Posted on September 3, 2014 by jasonloch

When most people hear the word ‘cardinal,’ they think of the bird, the baseball team, or the guys with the funky red hats who elect the Pope. But there’s another type of cardinal—Anglican cardinals. So why does the Church of … Continue reading →

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