A very political festival indeed

Why do the seasonal messages from all the world’s Christian leaders sound a bit like Guardian editorials? The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke of our duty to the environment – no surprise there from a self-confessed “bearded lefty”. But the Queen...

Hope not despair is our Christmas calling, says archbishop

In spite of its many weals and woes, life has meaning and purpose expressed through our experience of love and creativity. That is the message of Christmas to humanity, Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams says. In his recent Christmas Day sermon, Dr Williams...

The real offensiveness of Christmas

The outside chance of a white one was always a poor bet: the the surest thing about Christmas these days is the December diet of scaremongering fed to us by those who believe that the festival is under attack. This year, it began with the news that a think tank (not...

Cardinal calls for compassion not hostility towards migrants

Cardinal Cormac Murphy-O’Connor, the senior figure in the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, has called for a more welcoming approach to migrants in British national life. During his Midnight Mass homily, delivered and broadcast on Christmas Eve...