The Rector’s New Book – Faith in Church Newspapers

Press Release

Faith in Church Newspapers

WIPF & STOCK • Eugene, Oregon 2024

The Revd Dr David Isiorho is about to publish a book on the Religious Press of the Church of England. This book centers on the functioning of news items in the Church Times and Church of England Newspaper. This book is about the Church of England and its establishment status in English society. It is about racism and colonialism within that institution. With current developments in the Church of England including the Archbishop’s resignation over safeguarding failures, the institution has come under global scrutiny.

Acknowledgment

To my beloved wife, Linda, who has encouraged me as an Anglican priest to do what Jesus did—challenge the institution and support the faith of the faithful. Linda shares my politics and theology and understands that Faith in Church Newspapers is just as much about the Church of England as it is the religious press.

Synopsis

This book offers a practical theology that looks at the way people of Global Majority Heritage are portrayed in the Religious press of the Church of England and have been racialized as other than White. The Frame Analysis shows that only a minority of news items in The Church Times and The Church of England Newspaper were concerned with ‘race’ related issues or contained identifiable Black actors. Faith in Church Newspapers looks at how these news items can exclude and marginalize people of Global Majority Heritage by restricting their coverage to specific and limited contexts. This book is concerned both with the findings from the analysis of these papers and with the wider implications for Christian Mission in the Church of England. The case studies are idiographic and qualitative and takes us behind the data of news gathering.

From the Book

Faith in Church Newspapers suggests that our system of senior appointments is corrupt and elitist.

I have seen many of my colleagues get senior jobs in the Church, not because of any obvious ability, but because they know the right people and they have a liking for the power and the prestige that come with those jobs. This is all very well if those leaders used their power and influence for the good of God’s people, but sadly I see a lot of selfish ambition in our church, which does nothing for the common good and the building of God’s kingdom. I really do feel called to say that as a prophetic act of witness and know it won’t be well received in all quarters.

David isiorho

Contextual Theologian and Rector of the Loggerheads Benefice.