MICHAEL HAMPSON Last Rites ****

A very well written and fascinating, if somewhat depressing read about the future (or lack of it) for the Church of England.

Michael Hampson was brought up in the charismatic movement in the 70s, but in coming to terms with his homosexuality found acceptance in the liberal wing of the Church of England and trained for the Anglican ministry at Cuddesdon.

A successful parish priest he was effectively driven out of parish ministry after 15 years or so.

He's very interesting on the traditional evangelical view of what the Bible says about homosexuality, on the increasing polarisation of the C of E and on the parlous state of the church's finances - it only needs a handful of evangelical churches to withold their diocesan quota for the whole system to collapse.