In Yes Minister, when Jim Hacker finds out that Italian terrorists have access to British-made weapons, Sir Humphrey Appleby tries to mollify him by pointing out it’s not their department’s problem. British weapons in the hands of foreign terrorists were outside the Ministry of Administrative Affairs’ jurisdiction. Probably a Defence Ministry problem, or a Foreign Office problem, the unflappable bureaucrat points out, before a beleaguered Hacker hits back: “I am talking about good and evil.” This leads Sir Humphrey to point out that made it a “Church of England” problem.
That quip, while hilarious, stands the test of time, because knowing the difference between good and evil is a heavy cross to bear for an institution created by a megalomaniac king who wanted a divorce.
