King Charles III, the Coronation Oath, and the Incoherence of Royal Pluralism
There is a certain kind of confusion that presents itself as magnanimity. It speaks warmly of inclusion, of tolerance, of the spiritual richness of diverse traditions — and it does so with complete sincerity. What it does not do, because it cannot, is think the position through to its conclusions. King Charles III is a man of genuine religious curiosity and evident personal piety. He is also, on the specific question of his role as Defender of the Faith, in a position of irresolvable self-contradiction — and the coronation oath he swore before God in Westminster Abbey in May 2023 makes that contradiction a matter of public and solemn record.

Raise your hand if you've ever sat in a pew, a Sunday school class, or a late-night dorm room conversation and thought: "The Holy Trinity? Sure. Absolutely. Three-in-one. Totally got it." — while absolutely not getting it. 😂

Don't worry. You're in excellent company. Theologians have been wrestling with the doctrine of the Trinity since the Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, and the debate has been lively enough to make modern Facebook arguments look like polite tea parties. In fact, one bishop reportedly punched another bishop in the face over it. At a church council. Which, when you think about it, is an extremely committed way to do theology.