THE Church Times is
celebrating its 150th
anniversary this year, marking the occasion with a special edition
of the paper (out 8 February), a literary festival (in Bloxham, near Banbury, 15-17 February), and
further events and publications later in the year.
The Church Times, the
world's leading Anglican weekly, was first published on 7 February
1863. It fought for the Anglo-Catholic cause in the Church of
England at a time when priests were being harried and imprisoned
over such matters as lighting candles on altars and wearing
vestments, which brought them into conflict with parliamentary
legislation intended to "put down" the Anglo-Catholic movement. The
paper always stood up for the spiritual independence of the Church
of England. Many of the things that the paper championed are now
accepted as mainstream Anglicanism.
The Church Times has
not always been progressive, however. In its early years, although
it favoured church unity in principle, it was often caustic about
other Christian denominations. It argued against women's suffrage
(women priests weren't even on the agenda - and when one was
ordained under crisis conditions in Hong Kong in 1944, the paper
accused her bishop of behaving like a "wild man of the woods"); and
during the First World Ward labelled conscientious objectors
"poltroons".
On the other hand, it has enjoyed a reputation for intelligent
reporting of politics and culture, and its books pages have always
carried authority. Lord Curzon, Foreign Secretary (1919-24),
remarked that the Church Times was probably "read in every
chancellery in Europe". For much of the 20th century, the paper was
left of centre. Nevertheless, Edward Heath, later to be Tory Prime
Minister, was news editor for a short spell.
The paper was founded by George Josiah Palmer, a printer, and
his family presided over the paper for the next three generations,
until 1989. Dr Bernard Palmer, proprietor and editor (1969-89), has
contributed an article for the 150th edition. The paper is now
owned by a charity, Hymns Ancient & Modern. It has always been
independent of the church hierarchy.
STOP PRESS
Next week's Church Times
will include the results of a YouGov poll about how many people
intend to observe Lent (which begins the following Wednesday, 13
February). An embargoed press release will be issued next Thursday,
7 February.
CONTACTS
For comments and interviews: Paul Handley (editor@churchtimes.co.uk,
020 7776 1061, 0771 981 3792). Paul has been editor for the past 18
years, having begun as a reporter under Dr Palmer.
Other enquiries: Justine Burrows (marketing@churchtimes.co.uk,
020 7776 1082, 07587 870168)
Snippets from the paper's
history
On the assassination of Abraham Lincoln:
Are we to understand that it was while in his box at the theatre
on the evening of Good Friday that Mr Lincoln was struck down? We
are afraid that that was the case, and that it was merely a
poignant illustration of the laxity which prevails throughout the
Union.
On the dangers of the Channel Tunnel:
Mr Bright . . . somehow forgot to explain . . . why a population
[i.e. the French] which one or more times in every generation goes
to loggerheads with itself should not occasionally take the fancy
to attack its neighbours.
On preventing smoking:
What is wanted is a simple enactment that youths of immature age
caught smoking in public shall be birched. . . Of course there
would be an outcry in some quarters against this wholesome
discipline, but the general feeling would be in its favour.
On Winston Churchill:
The activities of Colonel Churchill are a grave danger to the
country: it will be a real disaster if he is given opportunities
for continuing a political career in which he has already the worst
of records. Few of our politicians have so much cleverness and so
little wisdom.
A reflection by an exasperated editor:
I comforted myself with the fact that I had a pulpit from which
I could preach social righteousness, but this comfort was mitigated
by the knowledge that at least seventy-five per cent of my readers
were far more interested in the revision of the Prayer Book than in
the destruction of the slums.