Theo Hobson reports from the Lambeth conference. Do take the time to read Theo’s magazine piece from a few weeks ago, on a Church of England “damaged beyond repair” – Pete Hoskin
The first press conference is taken by the Archbishop of Brisbane, Philip Aspinall. It’s a bit like the press conferences in The West Wing: authority is wearing a friendly, jokey face, but with the expectation of having to fend off awkward questions any minute. Like C.J., Aspinall is conspicuously calm about the negativity-hunger of the hacks. The subtext is something like this: ‘We are completely ready for the cynicism that you the media are bringing – and we forgive you. Watch us overcome it with faith, hope and charity.’
The University of Kent campus must be the world capital of defiant positivity right now. It’s a bit wearying. It’s like the convention of a cult, but all the cult-members are doing flawless impressions of sanity.
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