Watchhunt?

Riding two horses at the same time is painful, and it doesn't get any less painful for the CofE even though we've been doing it for centuries. 

The last but one version of the splits was the ordination of women: the CofE recognised that there were 'two integrities' - two different ways of understanding scripture and tradition which could both be held within the church. Yes we are in favour of the ordination of women (and having a female ABC is a great moment), but want to create space for those who hold the historic view (affirmed by the CofE until just a few decades ago and still held in the Orthodox and RC church). 

Campaign group WATCH is having none of that, and has called for all bishops to be full supporters of the ordination of women. There are a small handful at present who are not, but this campaign would exclude even them from holding episcopal office. 

In related news, a Libdem candidate has just won a court case against his party, who blocked him from standing as an MP because he was a Christian. 

These are not outliers. Its very apparent that those who call themselves 'progressives' are not liberals - there is no dissent, no variety of opinion, it is our way or the highway. There has been some much-needed pushback against cancel culture, but it hasn't gone away. A generation has now grown up with embedded vocabulary of safe spaces, trigger warnings and the like, to 'protect' it from hearing any point of view it might disagree with. Without a liberalism that has the confidence to debate opposing views, rather than silence and exclude them, we head incrementally towards totalitarianism.