Cain and Able?

When Labour whipped its MPs to save the Lords Spiritual, then I knew that the Government planned a more active role in the filling of those 26 seats in Parliament, three of which carried automatic seats on the Privy Council. Jolly good. There is far too little direct exercise of the Royal Prerogative by Ministers accountable to the House of Commons.

The Government is pretending to hold a public consultation as to who should be the next Archbishop of Canterbury. Of course the decision has already been made, but I am no party pooper, so I nominate Paula White. It is historically anomalous that seven of the eight in living memory have been Trinitarians, although the other one was an atheist. Not only would Her Grace correct that, but she would bring refreshing connections to the Unification Church, and through that to the Nation of Islam with which it organises mass events; in turn, the Nation of Islam promotes Dianetics, which is the foundation of Scientology.

As for the prosperity gospel, Donald Trump grew up in the Marble Collegiate Church of Norman Vincent Peale, who even took Trump's first wedding there. The Power of Positive Thinking was the old mainline American Protestant tradition reconfigured by the New Thought movement, and prosperity theology is that reconfiguration of Pentecostalism. It was only to be expected that White should head Trump's White House Faith Office. Now to bring her to Canterbury. Complete with her third and current husband, Jonathan Cain. Yes, the one out of Journey. Don't stop believing, hold on to that feeling.