Speeches
15 May 2023
The Justice Select Committee takes evidence from the bishop about the Government's proposal to establish an Independent Public Advocate to support the bereaved and the survivors of a public tragedy.
04 May 2023
The bishop reflects on the Coronation of King Charles III and show how the Service is the written constitution of the United Kingdom.
08 October 2022
The bishop shows how the principles of justice and mercy flow from the Coronation Service which is in effect our written Constitution.
25 September 2022
The bishop reflects on the death of the Queen and the accession of the King and shows how the News was for once dominated by ordinary people.
11 September 2022
In the light of the Queen's death the bishop reflects on the faith of the late Queen and of the new King.
21 August 2022
The bishop offers a reflection on the Oil and Energy crisis in the context of the campaign for the leadership of the Conservative Party.
05 June 2022
The bishop reflects on the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and suggests that the Coronation Service is the basis of the British Constitution.
31 May 2022
The bishop has been asked by the Commission and by the Government to give support to the Commission. He gave this meditation at the end of his first meeting with the Commission at their request on 1st June 2022. He gives permission to any within the Memorial community to use this meditation in any format that they chose to remember the 72.
26 April 2022
The bishop chaired the Independent Panel on Forestry. 2022 marks the 10th Anniversary of the publication of its Report. The bishop is an honorary member of the Institute of Chartered Foresters.
24 April 2022
The bishop reflects on the outcome of the French Presidential Election.
17 April 2022
the bishop explores the idea of the 'opposite of the nature of God' following the controversial sermon by the Archbishop of Canterbury.
01 February 2022
At the launch of the Report 'Towards Justice' by Cumberland Lodge Bishop James said that the findings of the Report corresponded closely with his Report on learning from the experiences of the Hillsborough Families and Survivors 'The Patronising Disposition of Unaccountable Power'. He concluded his speech by calling for a Royal Commission on policing..
16 January 2022
In an open letter to Baroness Finlay and to Baroness Grey-Thomson to share with the House of Lords the Bishop draws on his experience of chairing two Independent Panels to advise against providing 'medical assistance' for patients 'to end their own lives'.
17 October 2021
In the darkness of the murder of Sir David Amess the bishop reflects on the merciless mood of public debate.
04 April 2021
The bishop reflects on the human spirit's capacity to forget as part of our hope for the future.
04 April 2021
James Jones looks forward to COP 26 in Glasgow and offers a reflection on hope based on the City's Motto and its Patron Saint Mungo.
11 November 2020
The bishop reflects on the the history of the Tomb of the Unknown Warrior and the Cenotaph and Captain Noel Chavasse, the only soldier to be awarded the Victoria Cross with Bar in the great War. He concludes by asking what the call of duty means today.
22 October 2020
Together with Jonathon Porritt the bishop gives the opening address at the Green Christian Online Festival. He urges us to work for the earthing of heaven and to steer ourselves away from the earthing of hell.
17 August 2020
The bishop reflects on the threat to our existence by both the Covid Virus and Climate Change.
02 August 2020
The bishop reflects on how both faith and nature speak about what happens us to us when we die.
26 July 2020
The bishop reflects on the anniversary of the racist murder of Anthony Walker.
09 May 2020
The bishop finds a connection between the two anniversaries and sees trees as a sign of salvation in this life and the next.
13 April 2020
The bishop explores the moral and spiritual imperatives that motivated the life of Jesus.
09 April 2020
Daniel Radcliffe on Desert Island Discs chose Nick Cave's song 'Into my arms, Oh lord'. The bishop reflects on the opening line 'I don't believe in an interventionist God' for Good Friday.
11 March 2020
The bishop gave the opening address at the annual AGBIS Conference for Independent Schools.
18 December 2019
After the General Election and the renewed focus on the North of England the bishop reflects on fairness.
07 October 2019
At the annual conference of the Association of Anglican Secondary School Headteachers the bishop reflects on the adolescence of Jesus to establish a theological foundation of treating young people with dignity.
29 September 2019
In the autumn 2019 Lecture Series on 'The Quality of Mercy' at St Martin in the Fields in London the bishop draws on his experiences in Hull and Liverpool to reflect on the relationship between justice and mercy.
22 June 2019
On the retirement of the Master Mark Damazer the bishop reflects on the qualities of leadership.
21 April 2019
The bishop reflects on the Sri Lankan Massacre that took place on Easter Sunday.
14 April 2019
the bishop reflects on the 30th Anniversary of the Hillsborough disaster and on the impossibility of closure to the love you have for someone you love and have lost.
07 April 2019
The bishop reflects on Bismarck's aphorism that Politics is the Art of the Possible.
17 March 2019
At a special service in St Laurence Church Ludlow to give thanks for Mortimer Forest the bishop who chaired the Independent Panel on Forestry preached about the Trinity of Trees.
04 March 2019
The bishop reflects on the displacement activity surrounding Brexit.
22 December 2018
With the Guest Editor of the Today programme being David Dimbleby the bishop reflects on the human right to question authority.
10 December 2018
The bishop reflects on the struggles beneath the surface of Brexit and on the principles that should guide MPs as they vote.
11 November 2018
The bishop reflects on the Military Covenant.
04 November 2018
A Constitution of Justice and Mercy.
06 October 2018
The bishop reflects on freedom of expression as both a human and divine right. In a university we learn to outwit rather than outlaw.
06 October 2018
The bishop meditates on four extracts from the York \mystery Plays. The full programme can be heard on BBC iPlayer.
16 September 2018
The bishop reflects on the importance of wealth creation.
09 September 2018
The bishop reflects on the place of honour in the current political dramas and draws on a letter from the father of Henry Kissinger to his sons.
02 September 2018
On the anniversary of his death the bishop reflects on Oliver Cromwell, the Civil Wars and their relevance to Brexit.
15 July 2018
In Celebration of the life of Carol, daughter of Bella, husband to Tom, mother of Lauren at Springwood Crematorium.
29 April 2018
The bishop[ reflects on the upcoming visit of the President of the USA and explores the difference between the role and the person.
26 April 2018
The bishop conducted the Funeral in the Chapel at Castle Howard and gave the Address in memory of Lady Susan Ankaret Howard, the youngest daughter of the 11th Earl of Carlisle and mother to Alexander and Flora. Her body will be laid to rest at Naworth Castle.
22 April 2018
The bishop gives one of the Tributes to Sam Berry in his Thanksgiving Service at St Nicholas' Church Sevenoaks in Kent.
22 April 2018
the bishop contrasts 'the rivers of blood' with the 'river of grace' and offers some thoughts on racism.
20 April 2018
In Liverpool Cathedral the bishop gives one of the tributes at the retirement of the Right Reverend Richard Blackburn, the Bishop of Warrington, whom he nominated.
15 April 2018
The bishop begins with a short story by Winston Churchill and reflects on the role of faith in the decision making process about air strikes in Syria.
25 March 2018
This is the outline of a series of addresses the bishop gave at St Michael and St George in Holy Week using Psalm 22, the Words of Jesus from the Cross and the poems of George Herbert and John Donne. This is not a verbatim script.
25 March 2018
The bishop gives the first in a series of addresses for Holy Week 2018
31 December 2017
In the Chapel at Castle Howard and with the Ebor Singers the bishop reflects on moments of grace from the past and into the future. This is the spoken word script.
27 October 2017
The bishop gives Thought for the Day on the 60th Anniversary of the Today programme and reflects on the connection between news and empathy
07 October 2017
The bishop reflects on humility as the civilising virtue
24 September 2017
The bishop reflects on the election of Angela Merkel and on the leadership of women being one of the great cultural shifts of our time.
17 September 2017
The bishop reflects on the siege of the foster home in Sunbury on Thames
10 September 2017
The bishop reflects on the difference between an imperfect politician and perfect dictator
11 July 2017
The bishop muses on the origin of the phrase 'going pear-shaped' and reflects on the future risks of a complex world.
02 July 2017
The bishop reflects on the enormity and the speed of the change that Tom Stoppard finds 'emasculating'.
01 April 2017
In a Lent Series based on the United Nations World Water Day the bishop reflects on water as the source and symbol of life.
28 March 2017
The bishop reflects on the significance of Jesus being 'consumed with zeal for the House of God' and its relevance to the future of York Minster.
06 March 2017
At St Mary's Parish Church in Dover the bishop reflects on the grief of the families and survivors showing that grieving is a journey without destination through a landscape of memories and thoughts of their loved ones.
19 January 2017
The bishop's acceptance speech when he was made Freeman of the City of Liverpool.
16 January 2017
The bishop reflects on spying and secrecy
09 January 2017
The bishop reflects on the parallels between the Reformation and the present upheaval in Europe.
02 January 2017
The bishop reflects on Hull becoming the UK's City of Culture 2017
30 November 2016
At St Peter's College Oxford the bishop reflects on the life, faith and courage of Captain Noel Chavasse a young officer in the Royal Army Medical Corps who was the only soldier to gain the Victoria Cross and Bar in the 1st World War. He was killed in action in 1917.
23 November 2016
A Journey around Justice. The bishop reflects on the meaning of justice through his ministry in Hull and Liverpool covering urban regeneration, the church's attitude to women and gay relationships, racial justice, disability rights and environmental justice.
11 November 2016
The Sound of Silence
10 November 2016
The bishop examines the Church/State relationship through the role of a bishop as both a civic and religious leader
26 August 2016
The bishop describes his role as Chair of the Hillsborough Independent Panel
31 July 2016
Celebration of Yorkshire Day
24 July 2016
The Beauty of Freedom
06 July 2016
The bishop explores the continuing clash between cruelty and decency
04 July 2016
The bishop explores some of the theological and biblical imperatives of caring for creation at an international symposium of religion and science
04 May 2016
The bishop explores the significance of the Ascension
17 April 2016
A reflection on Pope Francis visit to Lesbos and his 'political' gesture
14 April 2016
Bishop James Jones gives the Address at the final Hillsborough Memorial Service. The bishop chaired the Hillsborough Independent Panel which reported in 2012 when he was Bishop of Liverpool.
10 April 2016
A reflection on Fatherhood
05 January 2016
Endorsement by the Bishop who chaired the Independent Panel on Forestry
04 January 2016
Don't ever be blind to what is happening on the ground
21 December 2015
Freedom of Speech a God-given Right
18 November 2015
A gift unveils the secrets of our heart
09 November 2015
Reflection on November as the season of dying
09 November 2015
The Season of Autumn
17 October 2015
The bishop explores the relationship between Law and Nature
03 October 2015
Animals and humans - our worth through our common creatureliness
01 August 2015
The Imagination and a Compassionate Society
03 July 2015
The bishop reflects on the Conference theme of Water
10 June 2015
Letter between a Christian bishop and a Muslim scholar
30 April 2015
The bishop preached at the funeral of Lady Middleton
25 December 2014
A Sign for the Times
23 November 2014
The Coronation expresses the Values of the Nation
08 September 2014
Call to Churches and all Faiths to care for the Earth