The marriage of church and state has lasted five centuries, but is it now time for a divorce? Do Anglican bishops sitting in the House of Lords retain any political relevance in our national life? Might a split be better for both?
YES I never imagined I’d find myself arguing for the Church of England to be disestablished. I’m a committed member of the C of E and a champion of state churches. But I am also a realist: disestablishment has been happening for decades. It’s a process and in all essential respects the Church has already been disestablished. It’s time we woke up to the fact.