Not a lot of news this week as the church universal prepares for Christmas
From the UK
The name of the next Archbishop of York has been announced
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-50821282
And there’s been some reaction
https://christiantoday.com/article/stephen-cottrells-appointment-as-archbishop-of-york-exposes-divisions-in-the-church-of-england/133849.htm
and
https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2019/20-december/news/uk/greater-diversity-in-leadership-and-the-beauty-of-holiness-bishop-cottrell-sets-out-his-hopes-as-archbishop-of-york
Gavin Ashenden, the outspoken former royal chaplain who left the CoE to be some kind of “Anglican” missionary bishop to the UK is now leaving them to become a Roman Catholic
https://catholicherald.co.uk/news/2019/12/17/former-queens-chaplain-to-become-catholic/
From the US
A really interesting take on the “War on Christmas” trope that reverses the tables
https://religiondispatches.org/yes-virginia-there-is-a-war-on-christmas-its-revolutionary-meaning-is-inverted-in-the-winner-take-all-era/
The Evangelical magazine, Christianity Today, founded by Billy Graham published an editorial on the impeachment that blew up the internet
https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2019/december-web-only/trump-should-be-removed-from-office.html
The Washington Post did a story based on a Pew Research study of preaching that featured the PB
https://www.washingtonpost.com/religion/2019/12/17/does-your-pastor-preach-too-long-new-survey-shows-dramatic-differences-sermons/
image: Bishop Stephen Cottrell, named to be the next Archbishop of York with Queen Elizabeth II