In his presidential address to the General Synod, the Church of England's law-making body, earlier this month, he suggested that the use of the term was "problematic" for people who have suffered under abusive fathers and those who have been abused by clergy, known as their fathers in God.

Now, the Bishop of Newcastle, the Rt Rev Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, has banned Lord Sentamu from ministry following a meeting with her in which he refused to apologise for his comments. He has been stripped of his Permission to Officiate (PTO), meaning that he cannot preach, celebrate communion or confirm, and cannot exercise any ministry duties. However, this only applies to the Diocese of Newcastle, where Lord Sentamu now lives after retiring to Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Of course, none of this could have been achieved without your sustained and painstaking efforts in the appointment of bishops. You have excelled in replacing formidable foes with biddable sympathisers - especially the second careerists and those lacking theological education. The former enthusiastically replace the Enemy's thoughts with ours; the latter blithely implement our initiatives, earnestly believing they come from above.

At best their motives appear naïve, at worse reckless and malicious. The CofE intervention was at pains to emphasise that it was "strictly neutral" between the parties. How can this be? Does the CofE not have a view on the merits of sex education and the outrageous sexualisation of children that is going on? Is the CofE really 'strictly neutral' on whether a Christian teacher can be sacked for manifesting her Christian beliefs?