He thought there was God in everyone and he thought that we were heroic, faintly comic, and endlessly loveable. . . He could time travel within a single sentence and go from personal to local to global. Being with Ronnie Blythe in one of his books is like being on a magic carpet: the exhilaration of being alive and of nature and the world and what people had done. He was immensely positive and immensely appreciative. Virtually the last words he said were “Thank you”
Ian Collins, biographer of Ronald Blythe, Today, Radio 4, 16 January
This issue has been under discussion within the Church of England for a long time. . . I fear if it is not resolved at next month’s General Synod the matter will continue to fester and detract from the positive contribution the Church of England makes to our society
Penny Mordaunt, MP for Portsmouth North, Lord President of the Council and Leader of the House of Commons, letter to the Bishop of Portsmouth about same-sex marriage in church, 15 January
The experience of praying for bishops to do right by LGBTQ+ people is a bit like putting my dog in the garden to pee: It ought to be easy, but you wouldn’t believe how long it can actually take in real life. Once again, I’m at the back door, in the cold, waiting. Dear Lord
Marcus Green, Chaplain, Worcester College, Oxford, Twitter, 17 January
The decimation of funding for youth work has brought devastation to the lives of countless young people in the UK. The rise of youth crime, depression, self-harm and even suicide are just some of the outcomes of this short-sighted policy. Reversing it will save both lives and money
Steve Chalke, Twitter, 13 January
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