A Church at War: Anglicans and Homosexuality - Hardcover

"...a compelling guide to the politics, feuds and embedded hatreds that now characterise our national church... tells this hilarious and depressing story with asperity and wit... relishes the plot and tells it with the immediacy of good journalism." -David Self, Times Educational Supplement (Book of the Week) "The book will raise new questions over the archbishop's role in one of the most divisive episodes in recent Church of England history... The book discloses the level of animosity shown towards homosexuals by religious opponents." Jonathan Petre - Daily Telegraph "...the ordination of gay clergy is still very much the hottest topic in the Anglican Communion...Bates' book puts the record straight." -Publishing News "The book throws new light on the appointments process itself..." The Door

The Anglican Communion is in turmoil. One of the great historic pillars of Christianity, embraced by 70 million people in 164 countries, faces the real and immediate possibility of dismberment, as the spectre of schism looms ever closer. Yet why is gay sexuality the tinderbox that could rip the Anglican Communion apart, and put an end to a century-old and hugely-prized international unity, when such contentious issues as the ordination of women, or unity discussions with other churches, failed to cause a split? In answering this question, Stephen Bates will show that unity has been coveted by some above integrity, and has been the cause of vicious infighting and internal politics. In the run-up to publication of A Church At War the author will be in the front line, as he files regular reports on the twists and turns of battle. His eagerly awaited book will be the only one to assess the current state and historical context of the row, the strengths and weaknesses of the protagonists' positions, and the tactics that they are employing to win the day. A Church At War promises compelling insights into a power struggle between factions seemingly united only by their mutual antipathy, and conducted, paradoxically, in the name of true communion.'