Bishop Steven announces his retirement

The Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Revd Dr Steven Croft, has announced he will retire next July. After 10 years as diocesan bishop for the Diocese of Oxford, Bishop Steven will lay down his crozier at a service at Christ Church Cathedral on 31 May. Bishop Steven’s retirement means he will also step down from […]

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On Fragmentation

A Presidential Address to the Diocesan Synod “They have treated the wound of my people carelessly” says the prophet Jeremiah of the leaders of his day. “They have treated the wound of my people carelessly, saying “Peace, peace”…

A week in the House of Lords

In case anyone might be wondering what bishops do in the House of Lords, here’s a summary of my week. I was then "duty bishop" from 5-10 March 2017. We each do a couple of weeks of duty a year and then serve as we can in various ways. Our…

Supermarket Flowers

Ed Sheeran released his third album, Divide, a few weeks ago. It went straight to Number 1 and 2 in the download album chart (there’s a deluxe version which costs a bit more). Just about every song was in the top fifty singles the following…

Mercy and Judgement

A reflection for Ash Wednesday “Blessed are the merciful”, says Jesus, “for they shall receive mercy” (Matthew 5.7). “Mercy is the very foundation of the church’s life” writes Pope Francis (Amoris Laetitia, 310) I want to…

General Synod and ways forward

  Dear Friends and Colleagues Thanks for your prayers for the General Synod as we met this week. It was a good meeting, in the end, with a good but difficult debate on human sexuality at its heart. Emotions were understandably…

A prayer for the General Synod

Dear Friends and Colleagues As you will know the General Synod meets this week.  On Wednesday the Synod will reflect in small groups on GS 2055 on Marriage and Same Sex relationships after the Shared Conversations and hold a take note debate…

How to be angry

My subject this evening is anger and “How to be angry”.  It’s not a theme we address very often.  What part does anger play in our lives and in our world?  If we could measure it, it seems to me the sum total of anger in the world would…

Come and See!

This is one of the times of the year when the Church needs to make “Come and see” our song.

Seeking the truth in a post truth world

Long ago a prophet looked at the world with honest eyes.  He saw nations in turmoil, an economy in crisis, the clash of empires.  He saw corruption in politics and religion and media and law.  Truth was eroded. The foundations were crumbling. …