The Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, has condemned Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell’s Christmas sermon as ’empty words.’ This criticism comes after a tumultuous year for the Church of England, culminating in the resignation of Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby over allegations of mishandling sexual abuse cases. Hartley has called for Cottrell’s resignation and expressed skepticism about the church’s commitment to justice and action. Cottrell’s sermon emphasized the importance of living out faith in practice during the Christmas season.