The Archbishop of York’s Christmas speech shows there’s been too much forgiveness in the Church

There’s a delicious scene in the film Doubt involving a priest, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman and suspected of an abusive relationship, who confronts Meryl Streep’s tough old cookie of a nun. I thought of this yesterday after the outcry began over Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell’s Christmas sermon – a message keenly awaited, given that Cottrell is in the frame for failing to act against an abusive priest some years ago. Then there was a welcome, on behalf of Jesus, but being made by Cottrell, representing the Church of England: “Whoever you are, however hard life has become, however difficult it is, however much you feel you may have messed things up, however broken it is, absolutely all are invited.” Hang on, someone might say in response. The equivalent of Meryl Streep in this real-life drama, the avenging angel of the Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, broke off from her own Christmas Day to tweet a review of Cottrell’s sermon: “Empty words”.