12th July 2013
I spent part of this week in London looking at the interaction between diplomacy and faith. In particular, I attended one of the Foreign Office’s flagship series of debates, ‘The Jubilee Dialogues’, which bring together leading thinkers to discuss some of the major drivers behind transformation in societies across the world. The subject of the […]
26th June 2013
The European Union – as an institution, and as individual member states – is often criticised for not doing enough to protect and promote freedom of religion and belief around the world. The Universal Declaration of Human Rights is very clear on the issue, we are often reminded. And yet, the critics say, amongst the […]
Read more on Freedom of religion or belief: a fundamental right | Reply (1)
5th October 2012
Amidst the media frenzy over the trial of the Pope’s butler, and betting shop speculation over the appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury, you could be forgiven for forgetting that the coming week will see a series of significant events and milestones: the Opening of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, the formal declaration […]
5th September 2012
I am often asked why we have an Embassy to the Holy See. Sometimes the question is an expression of curiosity. Occasionally, it is a reflection of hostility to the Catholic church, or religion in general. The subtext is often a sense that religion is somehow irrelevant to modern public life, and that therefore a […]
5th June 2012
This is a week of celebration in the United Kingdom and across the 15 independent realms of which The Queen is Head of State (including Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Jamaica). We are celebrating Her Majesty the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. And in so doing, we are also celebrating the stability and evolution of the British […]
26th April 2012
Birmingham sits at the heart of England. It was the home of Cardinal Newman for many years. And it is also the home of many different faith communities, one of Britain’s most racially and religiously diverse cities. Inter-religious dialogue is therefore a crucial aspect of Birmingham’s civic, social, cultural and political existence. One of the […]
31st January 2012
It is incumbent upon British ambassadors to understand the country that they serve. Which is why I spent much of last week in Northern Ireland, following similar “pastoral” tours in England and Scotland (Wales is still to do). I also took the opportunity to visit Dublin, given the fact that both the Roman Catholic and […]
Read more on A "pastoral" visit to Northern Ireland | Reply (1)
18th January 2012
Understanding religion is fundamental to our comprehension of the world in which we live. It is especially necessary for diplomats as they seek to apply their nation’s foreign policy around the world. Globally – though Western Europe is perhaps an exception – the trend, to put it crudely, is towards “more” religion rather than less. […]
22nd December 2011
2011 has seen a year of activity commemorating the 400th anniversary of the King James Bible. This Bible, possibly the single most influential text in the English language, was a great achievement of its day. But it also had lasting impact. In a speech last weekend to mark the anniversary, Prime Minister David Cameron said […]
13th December 2011
The chatter in Europe over the last few weeks has been dominated by the economic crisis. Can the Euro be saved? Is Britain isolated? Who is to blame? What do the markets think? The Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, Lord Jonathan Sacks, also discussed the European economic crisis during his […]