‘Did the Church of England's divisions over homosexuality contribute to child sex abuse cover-up?’ proclaimed the headline to one of its purported news reports last week.
If the editor of Christian Today thought that putting a question mark at the end of the headline would mask the story’s revisionist bias, then, with respect to Mark Woods, he would be mistaken.

This report contained no comment from an orthodox Anglican making the point that if the received biblical teaching of the Church of England had not been flagrantly disobeyed by some clergy, then the appalling sexual abuse described during the inquiry would never have occurred.

As for The Church of England Newspaper, its highly personable editor is a campaigner for the blessing of sexual relationships that historic Anglican teaching holds to be sinful and Christ-dishonouring. Colin Blakely is a trustee of the Ozanne Foundation, whose director Jayne Ozanne describes herself as 'a well-known gay evangelical who works to ensure full inclusion of all LGBTI Christians at every level of the Church'.

The three Davids and Lee must think that they are exercising influence for biblical orthodoxy by continuing to write for these publications. But it needs respectfully to be put to them that they may be being used as bait to lure conservative readers into the 'good disagreement' (which is really bad befuddlement) and the 'walking together' (more accurately termed 'squawking together') agendas.

The journalistic reality is that the voices of these fine Christian ministers and writers are being drowned out by the roar of revisionism that is the real heart-felt spiritual cause for the leaders of these publications.

It is now time for a new newspaper for the British Church, employing professional journalists whose news coverage will investigate the truth without fear or favour, preventing the new publication from being a mere echo-chamber. Its comment columns should be robustly and persuasively orthodox, putting the revisionist agenda under rigorous intellectual scrutiny.

As orthodox evangelical organisations within the Church of England, Church Society and Reform, which are about to merge, should do their best to support the new publication if, the Lord willing, some British evangelicals are enterprising enough to set one up.

In terms of news coverage, The Church Times is by far and away the best in the UK Church press, but its editorial stance is liberal and has been for many years. Arguably, it is becoming ex-evangelical that has been the ruination of Christian Today and The Church of England Newspaper.

Be that as it may, it is now becoming clear that the proclamation and defence of the true biblical gospel in Britain would be better served by a distinctively orthodox Church newspaper. But has the constituency got the get-up-and-go to sacrifice its platforms and take on the present media establishment?

Julian Mann is vicar of the Parish Church of the Ascension, Oughtibridge, South Yorkshire, UK -- www.oughtibridgechurch.org.uk