Cranmer: Behold, a virgin shall conceive

Friday, December 23, 2011

Behold, a virgin shall conceive

8 Comments:

non mouse said...: Thank you- Your Grace.
A blessing for all: Real music and our incomparable context for wonderful articulation and voices.

May a nativity of joy shine for you, and among your
Communicants, this Christmas.
_________________

And we have 9 Lessons and Carols to come--
[I pray it's no more europeanised, though, for so it seemed last year].; 23 December 2011 20:16
Larks Tongues in Aspic said...: Not where I come from they don't.; 23 December 2011 20:59
Albert said...: A very merry and blessed Christmas to all. And thanks to Dr Cranmer for hosting and indeed inspiring some excellent and enjoyable discussions over the last year.; 23 December 2011 22:05
len said...: For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.

(Isaiah 9:6); 23 December 2011 23:58
Dodo the Katholikos Dude said...: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call his name EMMANUEL, God with us."; 24 December 2011 00:07
Mr Integrity said...: Your Grace,
A nice video of classical Christmas music. However I have to say I much preferred the 'Carol of the Bells' which came up afterwards. Much more life and in the spirit of a joyous Christmas.
God Bless.; 24 December 2011 01:13
Manfarang said...: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

Luke 2:14
King James Version (KJV); 24 December 2011 03:18
non mouse said...: Methought alpha and omega, as Kings' Carols achieved some of its old grandeur today. "Once in Royal David's City" as always..; then, the Provost's reading and most of "Hark the Herald Angels..."; 24 December 2011 17:43

Archbishop Cranmer takes as his inspiration the words of Sir Humphrey Appleby: ‘It’s interesting,’ he observes, ‘that nowadays politicians want to talk about moral issues, and bishops want to talk politics.’ It is the fusion of the two in public life, and the necessity for a wider understanding of their complex symbiosis, which leads His Grace to write on these very sensitive issues.

He deeply appreciates all gifts and donations; indeed, without them, his light would dim, his steeple would fall to ruin, and his pulpit succumb to the worm that dieth not. If you have anything religio-political of interest, please email His Grace and he will consider your contribution. "It hath been found by experience that no matter how decent, intelligent or thoughtful the reasoning of a conservative may be, as an argument with a liberal is advanced, the probability of being accused of ‘bigotry’, ‘hatred’ or ‘intolerance’ approaches 1 (100%).” Follow His Grace on

Religious faith will be of the same significance to the 21st century as political ideology was to the 20th century. In an era of globalisation, there is nothing more important than getting people of different faiths and cultures to understand each other better and live in peace and mutual respect, and to give faith itself its proper place in the future.
The Rt. Hon. Tony Blair, Prime Minister 1997-2007;
Middle East Peace Envoy 2007-Date

"Of course, in my day local Conservative Associations were autonomous bodies over which I did not have control, whereas today they are more like branches of the central Party, a point well made by Cranmer." Lord Tebbit (2011)

"Mouse loves Archbishop Cranmer... As usual, His Grace doesn’t appear (on the Wikio Religion & Belief blog rankings)... but his meteoric rise up the Political rankings (up to 11th this month) means he would surely claim top spot if he did." The Church Mouse (2011)

"Archbishop Cranmer contribute(s) to maintaining a culture in the Church of England which is deeply compromised and allows dishonesty and abuse to infect the life of the Church… The problem lies with people like (him) and groups like Anglican Mainstream whose campaign...poisons the culture of our Church."
Rev'd Colin Coward, Changing Attitude (2011)

"As so often where such matters are concerned, the worthy Archbishop sounds the drum for High Church Tories."
David Blackburn Spectator Coffee House (2011)

"If you have never heard of Archbishop Thomas Cranmer, I'll forgive you, as His Grace has been dead for close to 500 years. But the fellow who writes a blog using the latter's name as a pseudonym is very much alive. And I would wager he is one of the wittiest conservative thinkers out there, whether in the UK or the USA."
Rabbi Yehuda Hausman, The Musings of Rabbi Hausman (2011)

"...the Archbishop Cranmer blog, a leading Church website."
Jonathan Wynne-Jones Religious Affairs Correspondent, Sunday Telegraph (2011)

"It would not be unexpected for blogger supreme Cranmer to begin a post with reference to the King James` Bible..."
The Justice of the Peace Magistrate’s Blog (2011)

"Cranmer never fails to provide stimulating analysis and a model of how to write with style."
Rev Martin Downes, Against Heresies (2011)

"Archbishop Cranmer surpassed himself today with a gracious and thoughtful piece about the Royal Wedding, to the point of being quoted on Sky TV."
Charles Crawford Former British Ambassador to Poland (2011)

"And conservative Anglican blogger 'Archbishop Cranmer' revs himself up to threat level barking Tolkien-esque nutsoid over the royal wedding, as he slathers over the coverage, types up his notes, and generally has an ecstatic, pant-wetting, metaphysical breakdown about Royalty and 'the inner being of the Church of England'."
Humanist Life (2011)

Cision, a global media intelligence provider, have ranked Cranmer No6 in the Top 10 UK Political Blogs. (2011)

"Everything from opera to dubstep, from Shakespeare to science-fiction, has a place on (Night and Day's) pages. The weekly Spotify Sunday posts are, to my eyes and ears, a particular highlight – attracting contributors such as...blogosphere favourite Archbishop Cranmer."
Peter Hoskin Spectator Coffee House (2011)

"Cranmer is too much spot on in this whole argument. I think this is being ghost written by Burke."
Dr Lee Rotherham Author and political adviser (2011)

"...which the oddball right-wing blogger Archbishop Cranmer seems to have seized upon in his rambling blog post this morning... I find his inability to understand simple English astonishing..."; (and via Twitter): "You're really not very bright, are you?... You wouldn’t know what ‘substance' was if it hit you in the middle of your imaginary beard... Your arguments are remarkably fact-free... pathetic...idiotic..."
Mehdi Hasan New Statesman (2011)

"As Archbishop Cranmer defends the Church of England against its critics, (it raises) the question of why it needs a long dead prelate to defend it and why the existing ones aren't more 'out there' fighting the good fight in the battlefield of the blogosphere…"
Ruth Gledhill The Times(£) (2011)

"For the uninitiated, Archbishop Cranmer has been resurrected as a Conservative-leaning Blogger of some fame. I by no means agree with all this New Cranmer says... but he is right to challenge (the) allegation in the “Telegraph”: the C of E must be one of the least mean-spirited expressions of faith the world has seen. Orthodox Generosity is where we need to be."
The Rt Rev David Thomson Bishop of Huntingdon, (2011)

His Grace is deeply honoured to have been selected on ConservativeHome by Paul Goodman as his 'Blogger of 2010': "Writing well, thinking originally and breaking stories are essential to a widely-read blog. Cranmer... observes the world as sharply and as ever, getting first to the news of Katharine Birbalsingh's sacking, and digging out some gems from Hansard. ”
Paul Goodman ConservativeHome (2011)

Platform 10 is a blog of 'Modern liberal Conservatives - changing the way politics works in the UK'. They have named His Grace among the 'Blogosphere’s Best Thinking'
Platform 10 (2010)

“Doubtless David Cameron will soon speak up to condemn this farce, but until he does there’s always Cranmer.”
National Review Online (2010)

“His Grace is of course unlike any other and had he been alive today, the situation would have been very different.”
Nadine Dorries MP (2010)

"I have reflected...You were right, and I was wrong. So now I shall be silent, unless and until I have something of real value to say."
Melanchthon ConservativeHome (2010)

"Add the more restrained and mellifluous voices such as Cranmer and we have a considerable reach, all the more influential because...we actually know what we're talking about. At times of deep depression, which is increasingly common, we need to remind ourselves that we are having an impact. The moronic tendency is not having it all its own way. As long as there are Cranmers in this world...then things aren't all bad. We still have to suffer the fools, but we no longer have to suffer them in silence."
Dr Richard North EU Referendum (2010)

Cranmer is delighted and honoured to have been voted in at #11 in the Total Politics 'Top 20 Conservative Blogs', not least because he has been somewhat trappist for a quarter of the year, for which he apologises profusely.

"What is your reading material of choice? Non-fiction books. FT, Telegraph, Times, Economist, Spectator, MoneyWeek, Private Eye, ConHome, Cranmer (when he is up and about), Douglas Carswell, mises.org and, of course, the Bucks Free Press."
Steve Baker MP (2010)

"Cranmer...is very nasty indeed."
Dr Richard Dawkins, Emeritus Fellow of New College, Oxford, Clear-Thinking Oasis (2010)

Cision Global Media Intelligence have ranked Cranmer No17 in the Top 50 UK blogs ‘of online influence’. (2010)

Cranmer is honoured to have been voted #12 in the UK's 'Top 300 Political Blogs'.

“Archbishop Cranmer is a blog I’ve been reading more and more recently. His Grace is not only a very good writer but more importantly, he does what good bloggers should do: he challenges his readers. There aren’t too many political bloggers out there who adopt an overtly Christian perspective, and His Grace does it with style and conviction. He’s often wrong, of course, but that doesn’t disqualify him from the honoured position he’s just attained on this site. In fact what made my mind up to include him was his brilliant post on Baby P. Whenever I’ve written about the subject I’ve allowed my emotions to get the better of me (not always a bad thing, incidentally). But THIS by Cranmer wins my vote for the best blogpost written by anyone since the awful saga began.”
Tom Harris MP, (2009)

"I am writing to you because you should know that you have had quite an influence on my thinking. You have made me appreciate Conservative thinking. I had always believed right-wingers to be evil, selfish, and mean individuals. You, however, are Conservative and delightful. I will indeed be voting Conservative in the next election – your influence in particular has led me down the path of taking an interest in what the Right has to say."
Miss Snuffy To Miss With Love, (2009)

Cranmer is more humbled and further honoured to have been voted in once again at #6 in the Total Politics 'Top 100 Conservative Blogs' and

in at #9 (up three places) in the 'Top 100 Right of Centre Blogs' as voted for by 1,500 discerning blog readers. He thanks his readers and erudite communicants for their continuing loyal support. (2009)

“There’s nothing wrong in promoting your own party to those of your own faith… Cranmer’s argument, naturally, is slightly more sophisticated.”
Tom Harris MP, (2009)

"I turned not to the Telegraph but to Cranmer for a genuinely perceptive, intelligent Conservative take."
The Rt Revd Dr Alan Wilson,
Bishop of Buckingham, (2009)

"Archbishop Cranmer is one of the best blogs around for discussion of religion and politics... It's on the conservative end of things, but I'll forgive him that. Always a good read."
The Rev'd Dr Maggi Dawn Chaplain and Fellow, Robinson College, Cambridge University, and Online, (2009)

"And His Grace, with his customary acuity, gets to the heart of a political conceit." (2009)

"...one of my favourite blogs... His Grace provides an original and amusing take on the topics of the day. If you've not read him yourself, I recommend him."
Douglas Carswell MP, (2009)

As a Muslim is appointed as the BBC’s Head of Religion, "Archbishop Cranmer has it about right."
Ruth Gledhill The Times, (2009)

"...if you want to see why, despite everything I have written, I have a very soft spot for the C of E, it is because of men like Cranmer (...he of the blog). Read what he writes. You will not find a more balanced, sensitive, and open Christian view of the world than his. And when the Talmud talks about the Pious of the Nations having a place in the World to Come, I reckon he'll be right up there with the other least expected candidates for our version of sainthood."
Rabbi Jeremy Rosen Jeremy Rosen's Blog and Online, (2009)

"Surely anyone fair-minded will agree with Archbishop Cranmer, who usually pitches around the phlegmatic end of the Conservative blogosphere."
The Bishop of Buckingham
Bishop Alan's Blog, (2009)

"I've just read what must be the creepiest blog post of the year. It comes from ‘Cranmer’... not for the first time, I find myself asking: what is wrong with this man?... Incredibly, some conservative Catholics actually suck up to him, out of fogeyish solidarity."
Damian Thompson, Holy Smoke, (2009)

The White House under President Obama has placed Cranmer on its media Mailing List. While this may be a dubious honour, it is more than President Bush ever did. (2009)

"His Grace is fluent and erudite and always entertaining whether or not you agree with some of his more dogmatic meanderings. There's no doubt he deserves a column on the Catholic Herald!"
Iain Dale, on rating Cranmer one of the 'Ten Best Written Political Blogs' (2009)

"Cranmer was one of the first big Tory bloggers out of the blocks with the story…"
Mick Fealty, Slugger O'Toole, (2008)

Cranmer is humbled and honoured to have been voted in at #6 in the Total Politics 'Top 100 Conservative Blogs'.

He is also pleased to have been voted #14 in the 'Top 100 UK Political Blogs',

and #12 in the 'Top 100 Right of Centre Blogs' as voted for by 1,140 blog readers. He thanks his readers and communicants for their loyal support. (2008)

"L’excellent blogueur sur la religion Cranmer..."
Mali Ilse Paquin, Cyberpresse, Montréal, (2008)

Cranmer has once again won the Witanagemot award for ‘Best Blog dealing with Religious Matters’. (2008)

"Perhaps I might even, in due course, seek absolution from the shade of Archbishop Cranmer, to whose erudite blog I turn every morning with a sense of pleasant anticipation... undoubtedly (one of) the two best God-bothering blogs in Britain: always original, acerbic and entertaining."
Daniel Hannan MEP The Telegraph, (2008)

"I looked around the Internet for a few luxurious minutes and vastly enjoyed Cranmer’s Blog…which I intend to read more regularly in future."
Joanna Bogle, Catholic journalist and author, (2008)

Cranmer is humbled and honoured to have been ranked #1 in the 'Top 10 Religious Blogs' in the UK, and even moreso to be placed at #6 in the UK's 'Top 100 Right of Centre Blogs', and #13 in the 'Top 500 Political Blogs' in Iain Dale's Guide to Political Blogging in the UK. (2007)

"Splendidly splenetic." Libby Purves, The Times (2007)

Cranmer has won the Witanagemot award for ‘Best Blog dealing with Religious Matters’. (2007)

has named Cranmer among the UK's 'Top 30 Most Influential Religion Blogs'. (2007)

"His Grace investigates...with moral seriousness and intellectual rigour, bringing some refreshing common sense to some of the touchiest subjects in British politics." ConservativeHome (2007)

"For sheer intelligence, erudition and fun, Iain Dale's Diary, Cranmer and Devil's Kitchen are so far ahead of the rest I don't see how they can figure in a top ten. They are the Beatles, Stones and Who of the blog world; the Astair, Bogart and Marlon Brando of the blog world; the Gerswin, Porter and Novello of the blog world; the Dot Cotton, Pat Butcher, Bette Lynch of the blog world..." Wrinkled Weasel (2007)

"I take advice in matters spiritual and religious from the ghost of Archbishop Cranmer... His blog is a role model for niche blogs of all descriptions. Thoughtful, erudite and provocative."
Iain Dale, on ranking Cranmer #8 in the Top 100 Conservative blogs (2006)

"Boring and bigoted." Guido Fawkes (2006)

Freedom of speech must be tolerated, and everyone living in the United Kingdom must accept that they may be insulted about their own beliefs, or indeed be offended, and that is something which they must simply endure, not least because some suffer fates far worse. Comments on articles are therefore unmoderated, but do not necessarily reflect the views of Cranmer. Comments that are off-topic, gratuitously offensive, libelous, or otherwise irritating, may be summarily deleted. However, the fact that particular comments remain on any thread does not constitute their endorsement by Cranmer; it may simply be that he considers them to be intelligent and erudite contributions to religio-political discourse...or not.

I believe in one Party,
Preserver of all that is good in our Constitution,
And of Individual Freedom, Limited Government, National Defence and the Rule of Law:
And in one Party Leader, the only-begotten of the entire Membership,
Chosen democratically by the whole Party,
Centre-Forward, Darling of Conference,
Pre-eminent Parliamentarian of Parliament,
Elected, not appointed,
Being of one philosophy with the Party,
By whom Conservatism is articulated and maintained;
Who for us Members, and for our earthly salvation came down from CCHQ,
And was invited by Her Majesty to form a Government,
And was made Prime Minister,
And was vilified also for us under the BBC.
He was airbrushed and scorned,
And day after day he shrugs it off because that’s his job,
And steps up to the Dispatch Box,
And sitteth on the right hand of the Speaker.
And he shall come again with a larger majority to annihilate the Socialists and the Liberals:
And his Government shall have no end.
And I believe in the Voluntary Party,
The giver of life to the Parliamentary Party,
Which precedeth the Party and the Leader,
Which with the Party and the Leader together should be acknowledged and appreciated,
Because they do all the donkey work.
And I believe in one Conservatism, though it be severally termed 'One-Nation', 'Compassionate' and 'Progressive'.
I acknowledge one Membership for the right to select candidates.
And I look for victory at the General Election,
And for the realisation of the policies to come.
Amen.

The Anglican Communion has no peculiar thought, practice, creed or confession of its own. It has only the Catholic Faith of the ancient Catholic Church, as preserved in the Catholic Creeds and maintained in the Catholic and Apostolic constitution of Christ's Church from the beginning.
Dr Geoffrey Fisher, Archbishop of Canterbury, 1945-1961

The epithet of 'great' can be applied only to those who were defining leaders who successfully articulated and embodied the Conservatism of their age. They combined in their personal styles, priorities and policies, as Edmund Burke would say, 'a disposition to preserve' with an 'ability to improve'.

I am in politics because of the conflict between good and evil, and I believe that in the end good will triumph.
Margaret Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher LG, OM, PC, FRS.
(Prime Minister 1979-1990)

We have not overthrown the divine right of kings to fall down for the divine right of experts.
Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton, OM, PC.
(Prime Minister 1957-1963)

Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy, its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.
Sir Winston Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC (Can).
(Prime Minister 1940-1945, 1951-1955)

I am not struck so much by the diversity of testimony as by the many-sidedness of truth.
Stanley Baldwin, 1st Earl Baldwin of Bewdley, KG, PC.
(Prime Minister 1923-1924, 1924-1929, 1935-1937)

If you believe the doctors, nothing is wholesome; if you believe the theologians, nothing is innocent; if you believe the military, nothing is safe.
Robert Cecil, 3rd Marquess of Salisbury, KG, GCVO, PC.
(Prime Minister 1885-1886, 1886-1892, 1895-1902)

I am a Conservative to preserve all that is good in our constitution, a Radical to remove all that is bad. I seek to preserve property and to respect order, and I equally decry the appeal to the passions of the many or the prejudices of the few.
Benjamin Disraeli KG, PC, FRS, Earl of Beaconsfield.
(Prime Minister 1868, 1874-1880)

Public opinion is a compound of folly, weakness, prejudice, wrong feeling, right feeling, obstinacy, and newspaper paragraphs.
Sir Robert Peel, Bt.
(Prime Minister 1834-1835, 1841-1846)

I consider the right of election as a public trust, granted not for the benefit of the individual, but for the public good.
Robert Jenkinson, 2nd Earl of Liverpool.
(Prime Minister 1812-1827)

Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves.
The Rt Hon. William Pitt, the Younger.
(Prime Minister 1783-1801, 1804-1806)

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