St Cynllo, Llanbister, Powys At first sight, the fortress-like Llanbister church seemed to have been wedged into the hillside. There’s been a church here since early mediaeval times; it was once a mother church for North Radnorshire. Most of what [...]
Christopher Smith ponders the sacralisation of cricket, and the secularisation of Christmas. I’m not a great telly addict, but I do pay a bit extra to get the cricket coverage. Indeed, by the time New Directions lands on your doormat, [...]
A question of decency Tom Sutcliffe on the moral treatment of rape in Britten’s opera Bernard Rose, organist and Informator Choristarum at Magdalen, Oxford, once when I was a choral scholar memorably described The Rape of Lucretia as "Britten’s only [...]
Arthur Middleton on Anglican Devotion The pattern of Anglican devotion grows out of liturgical prayer, out of the sacraments rooted in the earth. Anglican piety emerges from a life steeped in the church’s common prayer. It reflects a sense of [...]
Repentance Andy Hawes is Warden of Edenham Regional Retreat House Repent for the kingdom of heaven is lose at hand!’ This is the ‘thrilling voice’ that heralds Advent. I regret to say that I hear little evidence of true penitence [...]
Robert Ladds considers the life and example of St Luke You could say that S Luke was a ‘man of many parts’. The Head Relic of this Holy Patron can today be Venerated in S Vitus Cathedral in Prague. The [...]
FACING THE MODERN: THE PORTRAIT IN VIENNA 1900 National Gallery until January 12th, 2014 (concessions) ST THOMAS Aquinas would have approached this show through the via negativa, the way of negation, it’s a lot easier to say what this exhibition [...]
Richard Mantle argues the Church of England must evidence its commitment to rebuild trust over women bishops . . . and now History makes us naturally cautious, perhaps even cynical, about optimists who wave documents that purport to offer ‘peace [...]
This is the night month of wilderness voices And exotic creatures: The lion and the adder, the asp and the cockatrice, The wolf, the calf, And a little child to lead them. The darkness is fretted With the sound of [...]
Some regions of France are especially rich in Romanesque architecture, and the Saintogne is one of the best. As you move out from Saintes in almost any direction, you are faced with an embarras de richesses. Corme Royale (1) has [...]