Crown appointment of bishops

The Church Times has handily published some correspondence from 1960 between the PM and his Appointments Secretary, relating to a series of impending episcopal appointments, including Michael Ramsey's move to Canterbury and Coggan's to York.
See David Stephens to Harold Macmillan, 7 September 1960: it may save someone a trip to the National Archives.

Rowan's Rule

I note early review reactions to Rupert Shortt's new biography of Rowan Williams: from Anthony Howard in the Tablet, and A.N. Wilson in the TLS. Both are interesting for their passing reflections on the office of Archbishop.

Leo Abse

I note a number of lengthy obituaries of Leo Abse, campaigner for reform of the moral law, in the Times, Telegraph and the Guardian

The Lady Chatterley trial

Have recently read a splendid article by Mark Roodhouse on the involvement of Anglican radicals in the Chatterley trial of 1960. It explores one of the early episodes in the turn towards liberalisation of the law in the Sixties, and the limits of Anglican acquiescence and/or co-operation with it.

It's in the Journal of Ecclesiastical History, 59; 3 (July 2008), 475-500 (available online, by subscription.).

Inter-faith marriage

A most interesting discussion on Radio 4's Beyond Belief programme on Monday this week. Christian, Jewish and Muslim voices explored the possibilities of inter-faith matches, without wholly avoiding the very real difficulties. It should be available until next Monday on the BBC's iplayer service, with some text information at the Beyond Belief page.

Evangelicals in the Church of England

This blog has noted much about the rise of the evangelicals in the Church of England, and the latest volume of Studies in Church History has several contributions of interest: Alister Chapman on the hopes for and use of the term 'revival' in the 1950s; Andrew Atherstone on the near collapse of Wycliffe Hall in the 1960s, and Mark Smith on the vitality of 1950s parish life.

See earlier post on evangelicals in politics.

Henry Chadwick

I note some recent obituaries of Henry Chadwick, scholar and leading figure in Anglican-Roman Catholic discussion. See Rowan Williams in the Guardian, and another in the Telegraph.