During the General Synod of the Church of England (CofE) on 7 July, the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, argued that the Lord's Prayer opening with the words "Our Father" was "problematic" (that far-left code word du jour). The alleged "problem" was that this hitherto innocuous phrase may cause upset "for those whose experience of earthly fathers has been destructive and abusive." Furthermore, the word "Father" could also be considered offensive "for all of us who have labored rather too much from an oppressively patriarchal grip on life."

For in-house feminist campaigner Rev. Christina Rees, Cottrell had "put his finger on a really live issue," at least to the likes of her. For Rees, there were "multiple layers" why the term "Our Father" was problematic, including that many Christians had been "abused by their fathers in God, the local priest." Demonstrating her vast command of Scripture, Rees added that "[Just] because Jesus called God 'daddy,' we think we have to call God 'daddy' [too]."

Wiser Anglicans, like Canon Dr. Chris Sugden, have disagreed, recalling how Jesus specifically told us to pray to "Our Father," and to suggest otherwise was to suggest you know better than Christ Himself. But then, what did Mr. Sugden know? Unlike the blessed Ms. Rees, he was only a man.