Across

8 Joke about article from Escoffier — never a pepper (8)

9 Unprincipled men held by revolutionary foreign priest (6)

10 Showy and insubstantial? It could make you beam (10)

11 New part of the bible originally excluded Mark (4)

12 Lady’s with German recluse (6)

14 Birmingham team boss dropping a player, a local resident (8)

15 Break up dilapidated test car (7)

17 Spooner’s able to look after people (7)

20 Something required for performance to go with alb I spoiled (8)

22 Stop working: heads of the institute blocking faith studies, note (6)

24 Kind person’s expression of surprise (4)

25 Evil man, forcible, overlooking ego (10)

27 Priest, tubby, in attendance? Not quite (6)

28 Place to buy beer, surrounded by rolling uplands (8)

Down

1 Have no success with edges of loose silk (6)

2 Reportedly considers passages (4)

3 Give new habits to clergy in Greece periodically (8)

4 Overlook organisation hacking into TV channel (7)

5 Allow group of drivers to turn up in alliance (6)

6 Low on business, offering cheap goods and services (10)

7 Criticise article about temple (8)

13 Racist harm dissipated by female leaders (10)

16 Historic message about rector’s service that’s suspended (5,3)

18 Heard a competitor’s in the airport area (8)

19 Like a dessert? That’s emulating half the bridesmaids! (7)

21 A Mass held in terrible regard (6)

23 Irregular African money order (6)

26 Behold way to see God (4)

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