After all my reflections on lay presidency, the Holy Father reiterates the Roman perspective that the CofE isn’t a real church in any case, because it doesn’t recognise him as head of the church in the sense that he wants to be recognised. Ah well.

As I think I’ve said before, I serve a community that worships in a place that has seen continuous worship in the name of Jesus for well over a thousand years. I’m enough of a bottom-up congregationalist to think that this is important, and that the corruptions of Popes and Kings don’t overcome that essential fact.

Until we are ALL united, none of us can claim to be THE church. I do see the Pope as the successor of Peter, and I do think that says something significant – I just think that Peter would have less concern for central control and precedent.

“It seems good to the Holy Spirit and to us….”