Decision time for Christian leaders

 The Three Old Hacks discuss the challenges facing Christian leadership. As the Papal Conclave works its way through multiple rounds of voting to select a new Pope and the Church of England chooses a new Archbishop of Canterbury, they caution against trying to make a fast buck by betting on either. 

On the papal contest, political analyst Nigel Dudley offers: "It's invariably an outsider." On the Church of England selection, "I think it could be a woman," says David Smith, Economics editor of the Sunday Times, "because, of the figures in the Church of England, the bishops and the Church of England in the UK, I think some of the most impressive figures are women," although he acknowledges this might not go down to well with the Church worldwide. The circle-squaring task of reconciling the values of the Church in England and the wider Church will be the biggest headache for whoever gets the job.

As a historian of the Indian sub-continent, Mihir Bose is particularly concerned with the heightened tensions in Kashmir after the attacks that left 26 civilians dead last week. "India is threatening to cut the water sharing system they have with Pakistan, an agreement that goes back to the 50s, and Pakistan sees it as an act of war," he says, while Nigel suggests: "If Pakistan is finding itself isolated and in a corner, it may be more likely to threaten nuclear war than at any stage in the past."

Turning to less depressing and apocalyptic matters, the Three Old Hacks go on to discuss the Observer newspaper's transition and future prospects and the significance for multicultural Britain of chicken tikka masala being served at the Oval.

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