Some of you may not have seen the recent poster commissioned by the Church of England for advertising Christmas. Who ever designed it should, with those who authorised its publication, have their heads examined and told their services are not longer required. It is ridiculous, offensive vulgar and an insult to Christians,

Headed the God baby, it shows a plastic type doll with the words, ‘he cries, he wees, he saves the world’. At the bottom of the picture it states cannot be bought in stores.

What is more worrying is that it is stated that the Bishop of Bradford, who is a candidate for the vacant Archbishopric, is enthusiastic about the poster. I say in the most reverential terms should that Bishop be elected, God help us. I cannot imagine any Christian with respect for the Lord being other than disgusted by the way the festival is trivialised. People not associated with the Church will understandably think we are both mad and stupid.

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I read that the Council sitting to select the next Archbishop of Canterbury cannot agree on a nomination. The natural successor one might think would be the Archbishop of York John Sentamu, who is greatly admired by the general public for his natural human nature. Whilst he acts rather wildly at times in gimmicks, he is at least someone who believes in the authority of Scripture, not always a fact in Church leaders’ lives.

However, if you look at the composition of the Council, he didn’t stand much of a chance. The people chosen are very much on the liberal side and the man representing the Worldwide Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Wales Barry Morgan, could not be more diametrically the opposite of John Sentamu. Certainly, liberals are not likely to have much time for Sentamu. Now more than ever as he opposes same sex marriage.

Incidentally how world wide is Wales? Why in fact are only English men considered, even if we were adventurous Scottish or Welsh? There are real evangelical Archbishops and Bishops around the world who actually believe in the Bible and are truly committed to preaching the gospel and growing the Church. If we are world wide Church why not be like the Roman Church and consider far and wide. There was in fact talk of making the Archbishop of Canterbury’s post detached from the Diocese of Canterbury.

The way the Council has been composed is, as the blog of Cranmer states, rather like asking a Labour man to be Chairman in picking the next Conservative leader.