Richard Peers revisits Paradise Lost and considers the Assumption ‘The mind is its own place, and in itself Can make a heav’n of hell, a hell of heav’n.’ [Paradise Lost Book I, lines 254–255]   This year, as you will [...]

Arthur Middleton on Bishop Cosin’s Devotions John Cosin was born at Norwich and educated at the Grammar School, and Caius College, Cambridge, where he became a Fellow. He was successively Secretary and Librarian to Overall, Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, [...]

by Alexander Debenham Painting Bishop Geoffrey Rowell was a hugely enjoyable experience, and rarely have I encountered a composition so full of symbolism and meaning. Every portrait requires a great degree of collaboration with the sitter, and on first meeting [...]

by Geoffrey Rowell I had not anticipated how interesting an experience having my portrait painted would be: focusing on a particular spot, with its own dynamic, or listening to Alex Debenham expound his theories of the importance of light in [...]

Colin Podmore introduces Alexander Debenham’s portrait of Bishop Geoffrey Rowell – with contributions by the sitter and the artist In January Geoffrey Rowell agreed to my proposal that he be painted by Alexander Debenham – an idea sparked by Debenham’s [...]

Ann George visits the holiest Christian site very early in the morning Saturday morning was a lovely time to wander in the Old City. It was, of course, still Shabbat, so although observant Jews could be seen striding along Armenian [...]

William Davage travels north Heather land and bent-land, And valleys rich with corn, God bring me to Northumberland, The land where I was born.   Tyneside was my home, Northumberland my back garden. I went to Alnwick for a week [...]

Fergus Butler-Gallie  explains the need for a new glossary for the Book of Common Prayer The secular press has picked up the story of a new glossary for the Book of Common Prayer with such gusto that it seems only [...]

Tom Sutcliffe finds hope as the leaves fall In April 1972 I was in New York, attending the Met Gala celebration of the retirement of Rudolf Bing, which I reviewed for the Guardian a year before landing a job there. [...]

‘Armand’ enjoys the taste of a Black Queen on the tongue Peter Lehmann Black Queen Sparkling Shiraz 2011 Never let it be said that ‘Armand’ is a stuffy old so-and-so, with no sense of adventure. When a friend of mine [...]