Someone didn’t do his homework .

It's not the first time that Archbishop Welby has made just a tiny bit of an idiot of himself!! Remember Wonga?!!
To give the Archbishop the benefit of the doubt, perhaps he was unaware of these investments, but now he clearly is, it's hard to understand why the church would hold onto these shares in companies they quite rightly deeply disapprove of?! Perhaps some enlightenment will be forthcoming at some stage?!!

He probably was unaware that the C of E invest heavily in the very companies he condemns niggly .

He really should have been briefed about the "questionable investments" made by his employers before he made that speech !

Totally agree with you Gollybob. Any body who wants to tell others what they should be doing should check they have all the facts.

Ignorance is no defence under the law.
I normally have a lot of time for Justin Welby and had always assumed his financial/ City background meant he knew how many beans make five.
But in this instance if he “wasn’t aware” he jolly well should have been.

He has been asked about the church's investments in Amazon previously and his answer then was that as shareholders the church could better apply pressure for change in the company from within. As for zero hours contracts, each church/cathedral is autonomous in its hiring policy, but I do think that this should be addressed by the Archbishop.

Pressure for change?! Forgive my cynicism but that sounds like the best of both worlds!!! A good investment while putting yourself on the moral high ground!! I don't actually think that sort of pressure would have any effect whatsoever, a bit like the UK in the EU parliament!!!

gilly Perhaps as the Church of England shareholder he was doing the right thing to draw attention to tax evasion by Google and Amazon.
How would you have felt if he had said nothing?
Does his position as Archbishop of Canterbury involve management of the Church’s finances?

Sorry posted too soon. I meant ‘as the C of E is a shareholder’

As for zero hours contracts, each church/cathedral is autonomous in its hiring policy, but I do think that this should be addressed by the Archbishop

Another example of the sheer hypocrisy of Mr Welby and the C of E. GrannyA Condemning zero hour contracts as "the reincarnation of an ancient evil" when in reality they are doing exactly that. Allegedly there are at least two Church of England cathedrals who are advertising for staff on zero-hours contracts. Gloucester Cathedral’s advertisement, for a porter earning (a massive) £8.75 an hour, notes that the role will ‘mostly be evenings and weekends’ and ‘working on a flexible basis’.

Norwich’s advertisement for a ‘Refectory Assistant’ says: ‘This is a casual zero-hours post.’

Come on now Mr Welby.... you really need to clean up your own back yard before condemning anyone elses.

I would hope now that all of this has once again come to light then the C of E will rid themselves of the those multi million £ investments in companies with questionable morals and start practising what they preach !

On the issue of zero hours contracts the C of E apparently has this response:

The Church of England said advice to its parishes on zero-hours contracts was issued in 2013, and “does not reflect the current thinking” of the Church, adding: “As a responsible employer, the Church of England is now reviewing its working practices.”

www.bridportnews.co.uk/news/16860193.justin-welby-under-fire-as-church-of-england-zero-hour-contracts-revealed/

If each institution is autonomous, as granny activist claims, then they are not bound to take the 'advice'. i agree that they should look hard at their practice but as they struggle for cash I understand why zero hours might be an attractive proposition for individual C of E institutions.

According to the Church Comissioners:

In 2017 we gave £226.2m to the Church of England – this was around 15% of the Church’s overall income,

www.churchofengland.org/about/leadership-and-governance/church-commissioners

15% is not a huge contribution. It leaves churches to find 85% of their funding from other sources.

the C of E has form in this area, frequently having huge sums in questionable investments, then a senior cleric with a political axe to grind, sounding off in public.
However, a newspaper article would have done to promote his views not attending a Labour gig.
From time to time Bishops and Archbishops have rather courted the limelight.

It's the 'labour gig' that rankles, isn't it lemon?

I assume you're not a church goer...

wrong on both counts maizie as usual.

I worked in our Cathedral, I understand why zero contracts are at times necessary.

Oh dear, lemon. How dare a christian say anything political...

So, the Archbishop of Canterbury has offended the political right oh dear.

Whether what the Archbishop says is right or wrong is not really the issue and a subject for fuller debate. What is the issue imo is that the Archbishop clearly disapproves vehemently of the gig economy which is something the Church practices?! Also Amazon, through which, along with everything else his book being offered for sale!! Both obvious contradictions to his beliefs! Eeeek!!

As I said the political right or should it be righteous?

Deflect, deflect, deflect.

It's not a matter of an Archbishop not saying 'anything political' but of attaching himself to a political party [Any political party] in order to publicise his own thoughts.
Clerics [especially senior ones] don't know as much about the world as they would like to think.This one certainly doesn't know where the Church's own investments and money lie.
Exactly, niggly….eeek indeed.

definitely not righteous OldMog…. the far left have the moral high ground totally sewn up on GN.

Well that wouldn’t be hard would it? Lemongrive

Eh?...…. Ah I see, I had mis spelled your name, sorry about that, but no need to be childish about it.

Lemon I am glad you recognise it! Though I always thought it was said that the C of E was the Tory party at prayer!

Like most political and religious organisations there will be a broad range of views within the Cof E... look at the issue of women bishops/ LGBT etc.

I do agree that if the leader of any organisation makes a statement, based on that organisations fundamental values, they should be sure the organisation is squeaky clean in that aspect of its practice! However there are always mavericks/ loose cannons in any group... as well as the institutional mindset of not reviewing things critically and openly and sticking with what they always do unquestioningly.

What I can't understand is the the Church as over £20 BILLION invested and yet there are people living on streets in this country. Surely this goes against the basic Christianity?