Dunbars number

A Presidential Address to the Oxford Diocesan Synod on Saturday 14 March by the Rt Revd Colin Fletcher, Acting Bishop of Oxford. One of the great things about being a bishop is that you can re-use material time and again. I don’t…

Stewards of creation

The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Steven Croft, spoke in the House of Lords during today's Lords debate on the technological and lifestyle efforts to address climate change, and to meet the 2050 net-zero carbon emissions target My Lords,…

To feed the hungry

The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Steven Croft, spoke in the House of Lords during today's question for short debate to ask, 'what consideration the government has given to the linkage between our leadership of the COP 26 Conference and the…

Seven fat cows

The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Steven Croft, spoke in today's debate on the Address in the House of Lords. "My Lords, I rise to speak about the climate emergency and declare an interest as a member of the Advisory Board of the Environmental…

A lullaby for the world

“Look a virgin shall conceive and bear and son, and they shall name him Emmanuel” I am struck at the end of this year by how many Christmas carols are lullabies and I have been wondering why. There are plenty of carols which are the…

He must increase, and I must decrease

It’s been a strange Advent season. Our attention has been focussed outwards on the election and the global climate talks. The practical preparations for Christmas Services make their own demands on clergy and congregations. Thank you for all…

The Rt Revd Oswald Swartz

Many listeners will know of Bishop Ossie, the Bishop of Kimberley and Kuruman, our South African link diocese. In the latest edition of My Extraordinary Family, Bishop Steven chats to Bishop Ossie about his vast, rural diocese on the edge of the Kalahari Desert, his forthcoming retirement and what it means for our two dioceses to be in close partnership.

Creator of our common home

The Oxford English Dictionary have declared climate emergency to be the word of the year in 2019. According to the dictionary’s own data, usage of the term soared by over 10,000%. I attempt to write at least one new hymn a year as the verse…

How to Pray for this General Election

A Presidential Address to the Oxford Diocesan Synod on Saturday 16 November. Update: A pastoral letter was sent to the Church of England by the Archbishops on 19 November: "It's time to leave our echo chambers and listen to others." Read the…