COLUMNS

9 CATHERINE P E P I NSTER

‘The party that owes its origins to Methodism has a similarly strong link to Massgoing’

1 2 LAURENCE FREEMAN

‘Without notice or consultation it had appeared on public land for private profit’

1 4 NOTEBOOK 1 5 L ETTERS 1 6 THE L I V I NG S P I R I T 1 7 PUZZLES

BOOKS

1 8 BR I AN MORTON

Machiavelli: a life beyond ideology Paul Oppenheimer

J OHN BARNES The Conservatives: a history Robin Harris

CLARISSA BURDEN Touch Alexi Zentner

CONTENTS

7 JANUARY 2 0 1 2

F EATURES

4 Outfoxed by God Sally Read

A passionate lifelong atheist describes her journey, following a springtime epiphany, to the Church

4 The revolving door Christopher Lamb

Women make up the majority in congregations, but they are also the ones who most often leave the Church – and often return

6 Capitol investment Michael Sean Winters

In the big-money world of US political lobbying, American bishops’ advocacy is comparatively frugal, highly targeted and very effective

8 Sanguine in the face of a fraught future Emma Klein

A specialist in Jewish affairs visits the West Bank to find out what life is like for families who have settled in the disputed territory

ARTS

2 2 F EATURE

Rick Jones Choral music festivals

THEATRE Mark Lawson Noises Off

RADIO D.J. Taylor Make Me a National Treasure

C I NEMA Francine Stock The Iron Lady

T E L EV I S I ON John Morrish Public Enemies

1 0 From Communist princess to Catholic penitent

Peter Stanford Newly released letters between Stalin’s daughter Svetlana and a priest reveal how her faith was a constant in her troubled life

1 3 ‘You are loved, Stephen’ Conor Taaffe

A passer-by who was with Stephen Lawrence as he died on the street in Eltham writes about that night and its aftermath

2 5 THE CHURCH I N THE WORLD

Vatican and Lutherans to ‘heal memory of the Reformation’

2 8 L ETTER FROM ROME

2 9 NEWS FROM BRITAIN AND I RELAND

Bishop sparks debate on the future of ‘nominal’ Catholic schools

COVER PHOTO: SHUTTERSTOCK

7 January 2012 | THE TABLET | 3