Anglicanism - that it should have come to this!

"Worshippers at the St Michael and All Angels Church in Uffington, Lincolnshire, wanted their oak altar to double up as

a place to 'serve refreshments' ".  Photo: Alamy

Friendly service with Coffee (see 'Services and Events'here).

Worshippers at St Michael and All Angels Church in Uffington, Lincolnshire, wanted their oak altar to double up as a place to “serve refreshments” but Mark Bishop, chancellor for Lincoln, and a judge of the Church of England's Consistory Court, decided the altar could only be used for worship, not to serve snacks. Read the report here. Putting the request for a faculty in a slightly different but no better light, another accounthere reveals that the application was part of the church’s refurbishment project "which has included a revamp of the Casrewick (sic) Chapel and a new roof".

It beggars belief that for some Anglicans tea and coffee are now on a par with Holy Communion. If anyone doesn't understand why the application had to be rejected they should watch this video:

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Holiness or worldliness?

The Virgin of Vladimir, 17x28.6x1.4cms,

birch wood, walnut stain tinting. 1999

If you prefer holiness to the worldliness of 'non-traditional' forms of 'worship' which now, apparently,include "River Walk; Teddy Bears' Tea Party; Rushbearing Service; Jigsaw Service; Snowdrops Service; Frogs Sole Sisters Tadpoles; Mustard Seeds; Duck Pond Worship; Noah's Ark; Barn Nativity; Pram Services" or, indeed, circle dancing, you are in for a treat.

Take a impian tour here.

My thanks to the Orthodox Arts Journal blog for this. The Carved Icons of Elena and Sergio Nikolenko caught my eye. Their intricatework is stunning but I explored further. Following the links brought more leading me to the virtual tour link above with its beautifully restful background music soothing me as I prepare this entry.

What a treat compared with all the angst of late.

The mystery of faith!

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Barry's sexist agenda.

The Bunch of 'Bishops'

Charged with drawing up the Code of Practice required to accompany the authorising of women bishops in the Church in Wales, the Archbishop and his bench sitters have, true to form, produced something sexist to provide for the type of woman Barry has encouraged and who will feel comfortable with the result despite the implied intention to make provision for Church members who cannot accept the ordination of women on grounds of conscience. On this occasion he has managed to make all his bench sitters culpable.

Appalled by the deviousness of his Presidential Address I shall confine myself, for now anyway, to commenting on some tweeted remarks from Governing Body which I found interesting:

"What will you do during this Governing Body to build up our church in the body of Christ?' asks Sion in his Bible reflection". - Sounds like a good start!

"The Archbishop begins his Presidential Address and says this time it is a joint address from the Bench of Bishops". - Dire warning; all are culpable.

"Christ's was an inclusive, not exclusive ministry, says the Archbishop. But sometimes the Church has been exclusive,causing schisms" - Barry should know better than most!

"Crucial question is how do we respect difference and diversity within the Church, says the Archbishop" - Listen to those for whom the Code of Practice was supposedly intended?

"Bishops undertook an extensive listening process across the Province as they drew up the Code of Practice" - but turned a deaf ear to anything they did not want to hear.

"The Code of Practice for women bishops is for every single member of the church, not for just one group, says the Archbishop" - One tweeter grasped the point that under the inclusive code, a woman must be able to demand a woman bishop. Belief apparently is irrelevant. Only sex matters.

"We, as your bishops, see Christ at work in all our members, married or single, gay or straight, old or young.' - Archbishop" - Always provided that they are an acceptable minority who do not follow the teaching of the Holy Catholic Church.

"We perceive the call of God in women to all orders, and we are respectful of the faith of those who cannot receive such ministry" - You could have fooled me Archbishop.

"In these issues, as in others, we invite the Church to unite in the greater task of proclaiming the Gospel" - But only as Barry sees it.

The BBC report (here) is as sexist as is the Archbishop's approach to the Code. There is nothing to suggest that objections on grounds of conscience are because the bishops' beliefs differ from those held by the Holy Catholic Church of which we claim to belong.

Postscript:

WALES: The Washed Up World of the Anglican Church of Wales

From Virtueonline here

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Church wrecker involved in social injustice

The Archbishop of Wales the Most Rev Dr Barry Morgan. Photo: WalesOnline

"Community leaders invited people to join together for the 'common good'"

- WalesOnline (here).

This initiative is being taken under the umbrella of the Citizens UK organization, "a powerful alliance of local Community Organising groups" with the aim of holding politicians and other decision makers to account [my emphasis - Ed.]. All the more surprising then to see the Archbishop of Wales featured since he is one of the few decision makers not to be held to account in his own organisation despite presiding over a 25% fall in membership under his leadership.

Dr Morgan arrogantly claims: "The Church in Wales has a presence in every community, but we cannot do this on our own. If you are part of civil society - a church, a union, a mosque, a school, a synagogue, a residents’ association, a temple, a student organisation or any other community group, and you want to tackle the social injustices in your community, come and join your local citizens alliance."

Historically the Church has a presence in every community but only around 1% of the population of Wales with 31,048 worshipers now attend church regularly even though over half the population claim to be Christian. By contrast the Muslim community which accounts for 1.5% of the population according to 2011 census figures has 45,950 regular worshippers! Barry's Muslim chum Saleem Kidwai said: "There is more that unites than divides us. Cardiff’s Muslims are committed to working together with others to work out the destiny of our own communities" which doesn't say much for integration. Dr Morgan knows a lot about that.

In the following video the question is asked by one of the Archbishop's clergy, "What is putting pressure on them and their family?" For worshippers marginalised in his own organisation it is Barry's brutal decision to exclude Anglicans who keep the faith. Who will hold him to account for that injustice and for his wrecking of the Church in Wales?

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Church in Wales: The hypocrisy

The Governing Body of the Church in Wales meets again today to discuss matters of importance to their Archbishop who yesterday delivered his self-justifying Presidential Address while managing to implicate the whole Bench by announcing:

"This presidential address is different because it is from all seven bishops – an address that has been agreed by all of us, so that although I am the one giving it, it is given on behalf of us all. If you like, we are all co-presidents on this occasion and the reason for this will become obvious in a moment." If that is true, it is a sorry reflection on their bishops who are charged with promoting unity.

Today two items on the agenda stand out in the sharpest contrast. Items 16, Report from Discussion Groups on Same Sex Relationships, and 17, Bill to Incorporate into the Book of Common Prayer an Alternative

Ordinal.

The first question in 'The Examination' from the The Ordination service: Do you accept the Holy Scriptures as containing all things necessary for salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord? To which the candidate will reply "I dodanquot;.

The bishop will address the congregation:

"People of God, do you believe and trust that they are worthy to be ordained? The "people of Goddanquot; will respond accordingly.

One of the 'Main Points' in the 'Report from Discussion Groups on Same Sex Relationships' under the previous item: We must not rely on the Bible alone when responding to ethical situations, but neither should we rely completely on experience; there is a place for theological reflection that balances scripture, tradition, reason and experience.

It is clear from the Report in which direction the Governing Body is being directed with seventeen pages of justification compared with the carefully chosen remarks to justify the biased decision of the Bench on the Code of Practice but that will not prevent another loud "By the help of God I willdanquot; in response to the question:

"Will you endeavour to promote unity, peace and love among those you serve and to lead by encouragement and example?"

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True to his word: "Over my dead body!"

Archbishop Morgan, now unofficial

supreme governor of the Church in Wales

I keep asking myself the question, is Barry Morgan deluded, a hypocrite or simply a liar? My wife's view is that he is consumed which would explain why secular issues consistently cloud his judgement on religious matters and why he has remained true to his word that there would be alternative Episcopal oversight 'over his dead body'.

Consistency in victory when some dared hope that he would show magnanimity is the saddest commentary on his reign as Archbishop. The long awaited announcement giving details of the Code of Practice creates a smokescreen of generosity but in reality there is to be no alternative to one of the existing bishops, all of whom dissent from the Apostolic tradition of the Holy Catholic Church.

The Presidential Address which the Archbishop read on behalf of the Bench of Bishops must be one of the longest execution notes in history. The heading 'Code for Women Bishops aims to keep all included' defines it. It is a Code of Practice written for women bishops, not for loyal Church members with conscientious doubts about their authenticity.

The disingenuity in the Presidential Address does the Church no credit. Dr Morgan laughingly speaks of compassion. He uses scripture and tradition in the most disingenuous way to suggest that his view can be justified by the Bible and life in the early Church, completely ignoring Christ's example and the more authoritative views of The Church, East and West.

Not surprisingly this is how the Code is represented in the press: "It states that anyone who objects to being ordained by a woman bishop can make a written request for it to be carried out by a man" (here).

Let me make this abundantly clear to the Archbishop and the Bench:

Acceptable provision is NOT about sex, it is about FAITH.

What I found most appalling was the way pieces favourable to the Archbishop's views have been cherry picked, twisting them to his own advantage. For example, the explanatory note starts by mirroring the arrangements adopted in the Church of England but instead of going on to make similar provision for those for whom the Code is intended, Dr Morgan's terms are substituted.

[Provision 3] A diocesan bishop shall make for such members within their dioceses all reasonable provision for appropriate sacramental episcopal ministry on such occasions as necessary upon submission of a request in writing from those individuals supported by their parish priest.

Leaving aside how 'reasonable' may be interpreted, supposing a woman Bishop of St Davids receives a request which one of the two remaining male bishops, in Bangor and St Asaph, would be willing to fulfil. If those bishops were unable or unwilling to travel, presumably the candidate(s) would have to travel to Bangor or St Asaph at his/her/their own expense. But, more importantly, what is the position when all the bishops are women or is it assumed that the Church in Wales will be dead by then based on continuing decline?

Making provision for a woman bishop to request a man to officiate represents NO CHANGE to the position since the first and only Provincial Assistant Bishop, the Rt Rev David Thomas retired. What is needed is a bishop who believes in the same Apostolic tradition. Dr Morgan is correct when he says that the appointment of another Provincial Assistant Bishop is not appropriate, not for the reasons he outlined but because he could not in conscience be an assistant to a bishop whose faith differs from his own.

The remedy is simple. Allow a Society Bishop to cross the Welsh border to provide the sacramental assurance lacking in the Bench's scheme. It didn't bother the bishops when women bishops from the Episcopal Church crossed the border to celebrate un-canonically in Llandaff and St Asaph Cathedrals so what's the dilema?

Compassion is defined in the Oxford dictionary as "Sympathetic pity and concern for the sufferings or misfortunes of others" from Middle English via Old French from ecclesiastical Latin compassio(n-), from compati 'suffer with'.

Dr Morgan said:

The gospels are also full of stories about the compassion of Jesus – for Him, compassion was God’s defining characteristic. To be compassionate means feeling the feelings of someone else at a level below the level of the head. It is entering into somebody else’s pain and being moved to do something about it. Yet, for the chief religious leaders of Jesus’ day, the chief characteristic of God was not compassion but holiness and holiness meant separation from everything that was unclean. Ancient Jewish society was based on a system of purity where everything was classified as either impure or pure, clean or unclean.

He added:

The Code of Practice we have produced has not been produced for the benefit of one side or the other in the debate but for the whole church. That is what you asked us to do. The Bill explicitly says that the Code should be drawn up in such a way that every member of the Church in Wales might feel secure. In other words, this Code is not just for those who in conscience dissent but is a code for every member of the Church in Wales.

It is difficult tosee howthe majority of members of the Church in Wales could feel insecure. They have what they want. What this Code of Practice achieves, by accident or design, is to give the impression that the minority are the new 'unclean' but without the Petrine vision.

That is a disgrace which needs to be rectified. Under the Code "the Bench reserves the right to amend the provisions of this Code as may be necessary". I hope the Bench will, on reflection, have the backbone to do so with or without Dr Morgan's approval. If he believes in the collegiate view, let's hear it or will they all go down in history tarred with the same brush?

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No second term for Jefferts Schori

Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori

George Conger of Anglican Ink has reported (here) that the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States, the Most Rev. Katharine Jefferts Schori, will not stand for re-election as Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. You can read her statement here and watch a video of George discussing the news with Kevin Kallsen on Anglica TV's Anglican Unscripted here.

That this oceanographer has had so much influence across the pond has been a tragedy for Anglicanism in Great Britain, particularly for the Church in Wales where Archbishop Morgan has aped her methods.

Here is a selection of previous entries by way of explanation:

February 8, 2014Honoured and lauded, for what?

January 21, 2014The US Episcopal Church: the feminist effect

October 19, 2013Self-serving Senior Women and the Church

July 12, 2012Why is the Episcopal Church near collapse?

January 6, 2012Archbishop's heretical mentor

December 20, 2011New Anglicanism

October 19, 2011Church in Wales set to abandon the faithful!

July 24, 2010'Great' Minds Think Alike!

I shall be interested to read what Barry has to say in tribute to his heretical mentor.

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Bazzer's dream

From Pink News - where else! Bazzer's view of the future for the Church in Wales, consisting only of clones.

Church in Wales to consider performing same-sex marriages runs the headline followed by: "The Church in Wales has launched a consultation to evaluate whether it should solemnise same-sex marriages. The Archbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan announced the move at a meeting of the church’s Governing Body on Friday. Over 12 months, the Church’s six dioceses will be asked to give their views on three options: allowing same-sex weddings, introducing blessings for gay relationships, or maintaining the status quo. Following the consultation, the Church will produce a paper recommending an approach, which will be sent to the dioceses and the Governing Body for approval."

If that sounds familiar the Church in Wales has been here before. The procedure is reminiscent of the Code of Practice 'consultation' which included written submissions and diocesan consultation meetings. These were consigned to the bin in favour of selected quotes from Governing Body to justify the unilateral action of Barry and the bench sitters to excrete over anyone who does not subscribe to the liberal policies which have split the Anglican Communion. - According to Anglican Ink, Lambeth 2018 has been postponed indefinitely because the Communion is broken (here).

An interview from April 2013 (here) shows how the Archbishop manipulates minds to drive through his liberal agenda. This is how he sowed the seed at Governing Body (full report here):

"Archbishop Barry said that within a

local congregation, homosexual

people often feel uncomfortable and

unwelcome. 'If the moral aim of the

gospel is to encourage love of

neighbour, how can that happen

when people are made to feel

unwanted, unloved, and sinful? How

is the gospel good news for

homosexuals? "

That is absolute rubbish. The gospel has been good news for two thousand years before Bazzer and his chums put their spin on it to reflect current trends in society. The only minority to feel unwanted, unloved and even made to feel sinful in the Church in Wales is the group of loyal Anglicans whose faith remains God centred rather than man centred. Homosexual people have been accepted for years without wanting to be married, a social trend which, like the ordination of women, has split the Church and accelerated decline in attendance.

The irony appears lost on these people that in striving to achieve their secular objectives they are destroying the very institution that they want to use.

I had dared to hope that the Llandaff Diocesan Conference (here) would have been more uplifting with the benefit of hindsight. But no, just something to match the new-found forms of kiddies worship in the Church in Wales. The delegates played snakes and ladders. How to slither to the top no doubt!

Archdeacon Peggy Pilot enjoying a laugh                             Photo: CinW

Postscript

See also Lambeth Conference in jeopardy over homosexuality row here.

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Church in Wales: The Llandaff dimension

Following the shockresignation in May 2013 of Landaff's first female Dean, the Very Rev Janet Henderson, the Bishop of Llandaff, Archbishop Barry Morgan decided to run Llandaff Cathedral as acting Dean in addition to his other duties before turning to the Archdeacon of Llandaff, Peggy 'the pilot' Jackson for help by keeping an eye on things for him. Llandaff Cathedral has been in sad decline ever since leaving the new Dean with a can of worms. With its splendid new ?1.5 million Nicholson organ to accompany a severely depleted Cathedral choir (when there is one), a shrinking congregation who are constantly pressed to give more for less and a take it or leave it attitude to members with conscientious difficulties over women?S ministry (see below) things just go from bad to worse. Janet must breath a huge sigh of relief if she keeps an eye on things from afar.

Jackson plays a key role in aiding the Archbishop's mission to fragment the Church in Wales and rupture it from its historical roots by making it unrecognisable as part of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church other than reciting her creeds. Singing from the same sheet as Dr Morgan, Peggy Jackson's views on introducing women priests and bishops contrary to the teaching of the Apostolic church were well known to him. In a GRAS Newsletter written while still a member of the Church of England the then Canon Jackson set out her vision for her church:

"New individuals with conscientious difficulties over women’s ministry will simply have to make personal decisions and individual choices, to find accommodation as best they can – just as many already have to do over a host of other current issues, some very uncomfortable, where people find themselves representative of a view which is not that sanctioned by the ‘church’ as a whole, and upheld through Synod and Parliament."

Note the distinct lack of Christian charity in that statement. However, the 'church as a whole' Jackson referred to was not the Body of Christ but the tiny minority she represented, not just in the whole of Christendom but in the Anglican Communion itself. No wonder she appealed to Dr Morgan who believes thatChurch doctrine evolves to meet the demands of culture - report here.

Contrast his view with the view of Pope Francis who saidWe cannot use Church doctrine as we please - report here .

AccordingWikipedia, Pope Francis speaks for Catholicism's 1.2 billion members. Theaverage adult attendance in the Church in Wales for whom Dr Morgan claims to speak is just 31,048.

Of Anglicanism's 85 million members the Church of England accounts for just one million regular worshiping members but that did not stop Canon Jackson from ignoring the views of the majority of Anglicans and of the wider Catholic and Orthodox Churches when writing of the views 'sanctioned by the church'. The Church, East and West, has severely criticised errant Anglicans for their unilateral actions but all pleas have been ignored along with Christ's prayer for unity.

The published figures demonstrate that it is utter deception to representindividuals with conscientious difficulties over women’s ministry as the minority. But that deception is a characteristic of the Morgan-Jackson/Wigley partnership as they guide the Church in Wales along their chosen path with no regard for the souls of the faithful. This is what Jackson wrote in 2009 when involved in the ordination of women campaign in the Church of England:

"What, then, should a Code of Practice do, which does follow the mandate of General Synod last July?

It should:-

- honour and reassure loyal Anglicans that they will not be required either to leave, or to act

individually outside the dictates of personal conscience

- offer special and specific care to those people and parishes, around whom the mind of the Church on this issue has changed. The intention of this care is that they would not be lightly brought to a position of feeling that there is no continuing place for them in the Church. It could not, however, be allowed structurally to undermine the very decision itself."

The sting is in the tail.To appear charitable to one's opponentswhile deliberately setting out unacceptable conditions is a clear act of deception in my book. Dr Morgan used the same tactics while suggesting that he had looked at other Provinces for guidance in drawing up a Code of Practice for the Church in Wales. He didn't spend much time looking at the arrangements being made in the Church of England to 'honour and reassure loyal Anglicans'. The Church of England is following an honourable path to reach an acceptable settlement. Not so the Church in Wales where 'winner' takes all in Barry's book.

The other half of the Jackson/Wigley partnership is the Area Dean of Llandaff, Canon Wigley. This introduces the Methodist dimension in Dr Morgan's plan to turn the Church in Wales into a nonconformist organisation while still claiming to belong to the Apostolic Church.

The Archbishop of Wales and Canon Wigley, Peggy Jackson's GB accomplice

Canon Wigley's husband is the Rev Dr Stephen Wigley, Chair of the Wales Synod of the Methodist Church which is involved in theChurch Uniting in Wales (CUW) scheme, a set up which, along with the Church in Wales Review, appears designed to ensure the future of the bishops of the Church in Wales in a new nonconformist  organisation. Dr Wigley is well placed to become the first Methodist 'bishop' of CUW so he could be interchangeable with the CinW diocesan bishops and offered to loyal Anglicanswith conscientious difficulties over women’s ministry! But for now, to the Deanery -

Announcing his former Chaplain's surprise elevation, Dr Morgan said "he has been a great help to me and I know he will bring those gifts of tact, strength and commitment to what will be a demanding new role for him" giving rise to suspicions that the new Dean would not be his own man. Compared with other Deans he was not an obvious candidate but many wished him well for taking on the challenge when others steered well clear of the post after Janet Henderson's resignation two months into the job. Dean Capon has not had an easy time and has come in for some criticism. One commentator on this blog suggested that the Dean reads what is written here and has been upset by some comments. I regret that but people in public life are accountable for their actions because of the effect they have on others. I can assure him that no personal criticism is intended and that only those comments which have a genuine bearing on the topic in hand are published here. I am sorry if some comments appear to be insensitive and would therefore urge commentators to be careful to avoid causing unnecessary offence while making salient points.

That being said, what matters most to the author of this blog is Mother Church and the faith of loyal Anglicans who have been cheated out of their inheritance for a feminist ideology which fought under the banner of equality only to bin it in Wales as soon as Barry and his pitiless bunch achieved their goal. For many Anglicans their faith is all. I have witnessed many sad cases where women have felt ostracized for 'keeping the faith'. To deny them the opportunity to worship as they wish is far crueler than any perceived offence to anyone who would seek to deny them what was promised when the ordination of women became a cause. The source of this distress points to Dr Morgan and his appointees.

Not to be ignored in that regard is Barry's propaganda tool the Ass Bishop of Llandaff who believes that women's ordination is "a much needed countersign to a world where women are brutalised in war zones, where gays fear for their very lives in Uganda. Otherwise a homophobic theology encourages homophobic violence; misogynistic theology encourages misogynistic violence". From what is happening in the world, the reverse could be said to be true.

As Christianity is influenced more and more by secular trends a religious vacuum is being exploited by Islam which according to some estimates will, in a generation, become the dominant religion in what is supposed to be a Christian country. Christian values of fairness, justice and charity are ignored by Church leaders at their peril. The ordination of women has not prevented women from being brutalised in war zones. In fact we now constantly read about women being buried alive or raped and sold into slavery.

Meanwhile the Church in Wales continues on its downward spiral mirroring the fate of the Episcopal Church of the United States which the Archbishop tries to emulate and members of the Llandaff diocesan conference play snakes and ladders. A sad end to true Anglicanism in Wales.

Photo: Church in Wales

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The supreme sacrifice

The 'Blood Swept Lands and Seas of Red' project by artist Paul Cummins

On 11 November, Armistice Day, the last of 888,246 ceramic poppies will be planted, filling the moat of the Tower of London with a sea of blood, each poppy representing the supreme sacrifice of a British or colonial soldier during the WWI conflict which began 100 years ago.

Remember also the living dead. The maimed, battle-scarred, blinded, limbless, shell-shocked survivors. The widows, the fiancees and girl friends who never married after losing the one they loved.

We will remember them!

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Ebola

This video (subtitles) was published on Aug 27, 2014. In June 2014Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) had reported that 'The epidemic is out of control' in West Africa. The world failed to act. MSF will welcome your support.

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Archbishop sets out his stall

With seemingly nothing better to do on a Sunday, the Archbishop of Wales helped to man a stall at a Bridgend weddingfayre yesterday (now in the third year of pulpits being swopped for wedding stands) in his latest bid to drag in anyone to prop up the dwindling numbers attending Church in Wales services under his leadership headship influence.

Defending his absence from the pulpit he said: "These days couples have a huge choice of where and how they can marry. The Church has been in the business of marriage longer than anyone and we want to show couples that a church wedding is particularly special. So we're encouraging them to come and see what we can offer and how we can help them. A wedding fayre is a great place in which to do this and I'm looking forward to meeting people this weekend."

The Reverend Mike Komor of Coity, Nolton and Brackla with Coychurch added: "The idea first came about a few years ago because we had been talking about how many young people seem to be under the misperception that unless they attend a church they can't get married in one. We hit upon the idea of attending a wedding fayre to raise awareness of this issue." - The cost of a church wedding ceremony is ?321, plus ?200 if a Common Licence is needed or an extra fee of around ?250 for a Special Licence.

There is no suggestion that couples have to believe in the Christian faith when touting for business so does that mean that the service will be 'Doctored' for civil use or will the church simply carry on as they have with the ordination/consecration services as if nothing has happened? This is the officialteaching of the Church in Wales:

"The introduction to the Church in Wales Marriage Service describes marriage as a gift from God. The Bible teaches that marriage is a life-long, faithful union between a man and a woman, and compares married love with the love Jesus has for his people – a love expressed in his willing sacrifice of himself on the cross."

"Jesus therefore sets the greatest example of unconditional, self-sacrificial love – a model that husband and wife can seek to follow in the way they love one another, each putting the other’s needs first.  At the heart of the marriage ceremony is the exchange of vows, in which a couple make a public declaration of lifelong commitment to love each other, whatever the future may bring."

"Christians believe that in marriage we find the proper expression of our sexuality, a secure environment for bringing up our children, and an important element of stability for the wider community."

But the Archbishop is not one for keeping to the Christian faith if it suits his secular rencana so competing for business with the 114 wedding venues in Glamorgan must seem perfectly natural.

Happy couples may be assured that the cost of the sacrament of marriage is cheap when compared with other wedding costs. However, couples living in sin in the Parish of Dan yr Epynt in the wilds of Brecknockshire should be advised that they will need to undergo marriage preparation classes. Yet to catch up with the Archbishop's new found enlightenment, that must be anathema to someone who favours marriage between same-sex couples, thereby offering further opportunities for swelling numbers and raking-in even more cash.

On the last point the Archbishop has warned of the dangers of the church being seen as homophobic and, somewhat laughingly for regular worshippers familiar with Dr Morgan's modus operandi, called for discussions to be "charitable"!

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Child of Mine

From WaterAid UK:

Jacinta's family is just one of the thousands affected by the lack of clean, safe water in Mozambique. Full story here.

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When bishops were bishops

Canon Rosie Harper                                                                REUTERS/Yui Mok/POOL

After reading " Bishop 'club culture' will change with the first woman, says senior priest " (here), I was reminded of a dear departed old priest's comment in one of his delightfully erudite and ever witty sermons, "I am old enough to remember the days when bishops really were bishops". His homilies were so well crafted that one couldn't be quite sure whether he was taking a swipe at preferment based on political correctness or whether he was lamenting the passing of towering bishops he remembered with affection and awe.

Calling for the new Bishop of Oxford to be a woman Canon Rosie Harper is reported as saying, "The first woman bishop must find a new way of being a bishop and not merely become a female version. Bishops currently behave like 'little boys lost' who 'posture' that they know what they are doing and find it impossible to escape the gentlemen's club culture until they retiredanquot;, comments no doubt gratefully received by the wimpish bishops who championed her cause rather than that of Apostolic Church to which they pretend allegiance!

The Canon's next shot: "We've got to look to the future... Obviously, you look for the best person for the job but having made the decision to have women bishops, the Church has to enact it not just leave it on the back burner. The face of the Church of England... Is exclusively male and that needs to change very quickly." So having fought against so-called discrimination in the Church - which there wasn't - positive discrimination MUST be used to find the best woman for the job (which sums up the position these days) on the janggal pretext that the face of the Church of England is 'exclusively male'.

'Deeply committed to working for issues of justice and equality within and beyond the church' (self praise here), read also Feminists of Faith for more of Canon Harper's views on men and equality. Also 'OUT 4 Marriage' (here) and a supporter of assisted dying (here), she talks of 'what sort of a God' you believe in and selectively quotes the Bible to justify her views on killing based on suicides recorded in the Old Testament while overlooking the Commandment "Thou shalt not kill"!

The first woman bishop will have to find 'a new way of being a bishop' because a woman bishop contradicts Biblical teaching. But who cares about the Bible, faith and tradition any more - apart from the vast majority of Anglicans around the World!

The women bishops legislation has completed its passage through General Synod and Parliament and has received Royal Assent leaving the way clear for the Archbishop of Canterbury to move at the 17 November Synod that the canon be enacted. The motion will be put before the Synod for a vote with a show of hands but without a debate. And that will be that. The death of the Catholic and reformed Church of England we knew and loved.

Killed by secular debate in Synod and in Parliament by MPs who worry about the West Lothian question while happily nodding through without demure an issue which affects the faith of their constituents whether they have any themselves or understanding of the religious issues involved. Going back to that sermon I began with, yes, I hear you Father!

PART II

In The Oxford Student (here) the campaign to make the Bishopric of Oxford the first in the Church of England to be filled by a woman is hotting up.

"The women?S rep for Pembroke College, Anna Simpson, commented: 'It is fantastic to see this possible change tying in with wider movements in Oxford for gender equality and more generally that institutions are moving forward with the times' ".

There will be a Public Meeting on the 11th November at Christ Church Cathedral at 7:15pm to discuss  the appointment.

Other items offered byThe Oxford Studentfor thought to be interest to readers are :

THIS HOUSE BELIEVES THAT WE ARE ALL FEMINISTS NOW

OUT IN THE COLD: UNION?S ?DEEPLY CONCERNING? GENDER IMBALANCE

“APPALLING” GENDER SPLIT IN POLITICAL SPEAKERS and

THE OXFORD UNION MUST REFLECT AN EQUAL SOCIETY

This should please my sternest critic who wrote earlier: "All male lead instutions (sic) have moved on from this decades ago (police, law, medicine) and now it's time for us to do the same.

Will these people never learn that faith is not about secular institutions and gender politics!

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A Challenge to the Archdeacon of Llandaff

Source: BBC video

Recalling the diocesan meetings, I think it fair to say that members on both sides of the 'traditionalist' divide must have been shocked and saddened by the bishops' response to Credo Cymru's request to look again at the provisions of the Code of Practice (here).

The elements of Episcopal pique and the vindictive tone did not sit well either with the Christian notion of pastoral care or with the explanatory statement by the Archdeacon of Llandaff that the bishops "fulfilled the trust we placed in them to come up with a Code that will make it possible for everyone to be, and to feel that they are wanted and included and valued." ... "Also there was a requirement on her or any other bishop to make provision for those who in conscience can't accept her sacramental ministry".

Watching the BBC interview here it is difficult to reconcile the Ven. Peggy Jackson's expressed desire for unity with the bishop's 'if you don't like it, leave' response. Up until the time when the Code of Practice was released at Governing Body, there had been no suggestion that provision would be provided on terms unacceptable to those for whom it was intended, especially having referred to the example of the Church of England in the explanatory notes to the Archdeacon's amendment.

The only doubts expressed were by sceptics who were concerned about the Archbishop's ability to be magnanimous in victory after he said that it was for the bishops to decide what provision should be made. The stated aim could not have been clearer:Any member of the Church in Wales who does not want to be confirmed or ordained by a female bishop on grounds of conscience can ask for an "alternative provision" to be made. If the grounds of conscience are not satisfied by the alternative provision made, there is no provision!

If there are areas of doubt in the legislative process, recourse is usually made to intentions expressed in debates leading up to the passing of the legislation for clarification. Nothing in the bishops' original motion or in the successful Jackson/Wigley amendment hinted that there would be anything other than provision acceptable to those for whom it was intended in line with the views expressed at the diocesan consultative meetings; quite the contrary.

Accepting that the Archdeacon was genuine in her plea, she, as architect of the new legislation, and her supporters must join with traditionalists to demand that the bishops keep the promise that all members of the Church in Wales are made to feel wanted and included and valued.

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The 'religion of peace' in Nigeria

Fulani herdsmen have massacred thousands of Christians in Nigeria. Source: Christian Today

'These attacks started in 2010, when some Fulani gunman invaded a village in Plateau State and sacked the whole community and killed about 500 people – children, women and men – in one night.

'Usually what they do is come into a commmunity in the night while  people are sleeping. A few of the gunmen go into the centre of the village and begin to shoot sporadically. When people wake up they are rounded up, and people who try and run away are killed because they have gunmen stationed on the outskirts of the village.'

'The persecution has increased. Three years ago the Fulani moved on to the southern part of Kaduna State, a largely Christian area, where they were attacking commmunities on an almost daily basis.

'The only explanation we can give is that it is a kind of ethno-religious cleansing. I am not sure of the total, but in southern Kaduna more than 800 people were killed in 2016 alone. The total number would run to 2,000 or more. The Fulani kill the people, loot their homes then set the whole place ablaze.

'Nmadu, who is also General Secretary of one of northern Nigeria's largest churches, the Evangelical Church Winning All, said: 'We have learned they have some connection with Boko Haram, and there are links between Boko Haram and Islamic State.'

'He urged the church worldwide to pray 'that God will embolden us to face the challenges that we have on a daily basis'."

From "Nigerian Christian leader pleads for help to stop death and destruction by Islamist Fulani militia" in Chrtistian Today. Full article by Ruth Gledhill here .

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From equality to mediocrity

Source: BBC

The end, on a show of hands.

The mighty Church of England reduced to a debating chamber making up their own rules contrary to the faith of the Apostolic Church and ignoring the wiser counsel of the majority of Anglicans, the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.

It is said that our Primus inter pares, the Archbishop of Canterbury, had 'worked hard for it'. He summed up his respect for the Catholic faith with the comment that "we rejoice that we have this opportunity to show a point"! He added that "there are some remarkable women - there are some very wonderful ones". An odd statement if one looks at the historic faith of the Church.

Some 'remarkable women' in the past would have been of the standing of Julian of Norwich. In its new, dumbed-down, secularised faith it is the likes of WATCH lobbyists and their supporters who can't tell the difference between faith and equality, basing their 'theology' on the availability of 'promotion' in their chosen careers who are the new remarkable women: "This is the culmination of many people's lifetime's work and we've got there and it's been hard and its been painful and all we've achieved is equality. We are not looking for superiority for women but we do now have equality". - Hence the coaching lessons for women and enthusiasm to appoint "a woman bishop" regardless of the qualities of male candidates, not to mention Apostolic guidelines!

The pain continues for many of us. I am particularly saddened by the attitude of clergy I have worked with who have compromised their faith for their careers, their attitude to those who have not, and by their lack of concern for the souls of the faithful in their parishes who have been led to believe that the Church today is mainly about coffee, tea and crumpet with a little worship to maintain the glue of togetherness.

While the Archbishop of Canterbury speaks for those with a liberal bent, to give him some credit, he has been true to his promise to ensure all are made to feel welcome despite members of the nasty brigade  who suggested to the vicar in the BBC clip that he should now consider his position - echoes of "there is no place for you in this church" (here). In contrast His utter (dis)Grace the Archbishop of Wales continues his exit policy for anyone who follows Him rather than him.

Isn't it remarkable that after two thousand years of teaching from the Apostles, through the Saints and Doctors of the Church that we had to wait for Christina of WATCH and Barry of Neath to open our eyes to what they would have us believe Christ intended in His plea for unity.

If I may borrow a phrase from a 'remarkable woman' in the economic sphere, Christine Lagarde, "It is time that we reconciled ourselves to a ?New mediocre?.

As ABC News puts it (here), the Church of England ends centuries of tradition. The historic change was reflected in the Church's short message announcing the news on Twitter, which had the hashtags #Historic #Synod and #ItisFinished.

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The new Church Militant

A tweet after the Synod vote to allow women bishops which ended centuries of tradition in the Church of England read,#ItisFinished. - But not quite what it seemed, apparently.

From this morning'sTelegraph - "Women bishops: The hate mail was always from other Christians"! Having achieved their goal without the desired complete wipe-out of traditionalists, the chip remains firmly embedded on the shoulder of one said to have been "in the vanguard of campaigning for equal rights at the altar for 30 years". She complained: "It’s a huge journey that’s still unfolding, and there’s a very long way still to go,” she says of the protracted and bruising war that has raged within Anglicanism for decades. “There is always going to be some resistance, but then there always has been. There’s been resistance to me taking on every role I have ever taken on." Could it be that it is not her sex which is the problem? She is not alone in complaining.

Members of Synod hardly had time to lower their hands last week before a supposed contender for first woman bishop in the CofE, the Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin weighed in with "The truth":  There’s a "palpable feeling of fear about the struggles the first women bishops will face". Asked if, after all these years of bitter battle over the ordination of women, the Church is institutionally sexist she answered frankly."It’s there, you can’t escape it. It’s not something I dwell on. You don’t give oxygen to that sort of behaviour."

Somewhat curiously the Chaplain to the Speaker of the House of Commons added: "But it’s clear that whoever ends up blazing a trail will have a fight on their hands with the forces of conservatism within the Church if not with Anglican churchgoers themselves – three quarters of whom want female bishops. The public and Hudson-Wilkin’s parishioners in Dalston and Haggerston have shared with her a “real sense of joy and excitement” about the new development." [Note: The CofE is a tiny proportion of the Anglican Communion where the overwhelming majority of churchgoers definitely do not want female bishops - Ed.]

So they have the vote, liberals have all the power, 'three quarters of Anglican churchgoers' want female bishops but they still have a fight in their hands! I suspect that the fight she refers to is the fight hinted at by the Rev Canon Dr Alison Joyce in the Telegraph article:

Moreover, the gains that women priests have made, believes this 56-year-old mother of two grown-up daughters, have come with a high price tag – notably the “protections” built into the new legislation for the minority who continue to resist their advance. "What concerns me most is when the Church sets up structures so that people never have to be ‘contaminated’ by any glimpse of women’s ministry at all. I find that deeply disturbing. We have to encounter each other." So were the concessions made to traditionalists a step too far? "It’s tiresome,” she replies, “but one hopes eventually they will learn to grow in love and grace." Love and grace? Perhaps she could lead by example!

Back in the Church in Wales there is no pretence of showing love and grace following the triumph of Bazzer, the arch disciple of the Presiding Bishop of TEC, after succeeding in allowing women bishops with no meaningful concessions to anyone who remains faithful to the Holy Catholic Church. Over the weekend he and his Bench sitters moved on from playing snakes and ladders, joining delegates at a conference in Llandudno to play with cardboard boxes made for the occasion. The organizer, another "in the vanguard of campaigning for equal rights at the altar", spent some time in TEC country where she witnessed a woman bishop celebrating at the altar. That was enough to convinced her of the soundness of feminist theology despite the pleas to TEC by the then Archbishop of Canterbury not to split the Anglican Communion.

With no sign of love and grace from Dr Morgan or from his chief architect the Archdeacon of Llandaff who no longer has to pretend that she desires unity, their militancy has spread back across the border to the Church of England.

The three main sessions at the Llandudno Conference were: "Where are we?",  "Who are we?" and "Why are we?" They have their answer here:

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A sense of proportion

Most of the 32 gay MPs and peers managed to get to the IoS photocall Teri Pengilley/Independent

In February 2016 the Independent published this picture of 28 MPs and peers. It was reported to be the largest number of publicly out parliamentarians photographed together at one time.

On the BBC Breakfast show this morning [advance to 2:13:00] it was reported that there are now 45 LGBT MPs (7%), an increase of 40% since 2015. A record 208 women MPs were elected but they "still make up only 32% of the total number of MPsdanquot;, the implication being that well short of parity, the latest buzz for women clergy, women are under represented

The Office for National Statistics' bulletin: 'Sexual identity, UK: 2015' shows that in 2015, 1.7% of the UK population identified themselves as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) so similarly LGB people are over represented.

The Church of England (CofE) LGBTI networkChanging attitude estimates that about 10% of clergy are LGBT, almost six times the national average, indicating a level of influence which has resulted in the CofEsoftening its stance on LGBT issues.

In 2015 theTelegraph reported that the House of Commons had more gay MPs than any other parliament in the world, up to 32 from 26 in the previous parliament indicating from the latest figure that the trend is upwards. In the CofE there is growing acceptance of same sex marriage with the possibility that the CofE will follow thelead of the Scottish Episcopal Church. In Wales the bench of bishops came out strongly in favour of same sex marriage but were defeated. The two new women bishops are strong LGBT advocates.

As an indication of how little the Bible informs CofE thinking, 'Gay rock star' Vicky Beeching has been given the Thomas Cranmer Award for Worship by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Compare that with the number of former worshippers who have been deprived of the opportunity to worship because their church has left them.

Archbishop Justin Welby has also been 'honoured' in joining Muslims breaking their daily Ramadan fast. No doubt his halal experience will have been convivial. He tweeted: "@JustinWelby at @AlKhoei for a Big Iftar with friends of various faiths. Through hosting an #iftar we find out more we have in common. 10:14 PM - 12 Jun 2017".

There is nothing in common with the orthodox faith of Christians especially in Muslim countries where homosexuals are killed and Christians are slaughtered in countries such asEgypt simply for not being Muslims.

Small wonder that the GAFCON Primates have asked the Anglican Church in North America to take on the task of providing a missionary bishop for Scotland. Long overdue in Wales and now increasingly likely in England on current trends.

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Fasting with friends

Preparing for ordination to the Deaconate by fasting with Muslims         CinW

Tomorrow, Church in Wales ordinand Sara Roberts will spend the day at Bangor Islamic Centre, before joining with the Iftar, the meal which Muslims share to break/end their day time fast during Ramadan, according to a Diocesan press release from Bangor.

If her face looks familiar she previously appeared on this blog as a member of the Diocese of Bangor?S new LGBT Chaplaincy Team. You have to wonder what the local Imam makes of that given Islam's absoluterejection of homosexuality.

Presumably the bishop of Bangor is content with this arrangement which makes it all the more worrying. Perhaps the Dean of Bangor facilitated the visit given her Muslim links. But the Iftar is not a first. Archbishop Justin Welby has already been 'honoured' in joining Muslims breaking their daily Ramadan fast.

As the church embraces Islam I am reminded of an earlier departure from accepted norms when a deacon down South proudly described herself as "Reiki Master, Feng Shui practitioner, Crystal Healer and Deacon".

No doubt these people have the best of intentions but for the Church? I am sure Ms Roberts means well but one has to wonder about the selection process for ordination in the Church on Wales. Islam and Christianity are at opposite ends of the spectrum when it comes to beliefs.

Ms Roberts said, ?There are many reasons why I am doing this: to show solidarity to our Muslim neighbours, to share in this powerful testament to faith, to contemplate my approaching ordination and what it means and to explore more deeply the relationship between food, prayer and connection to the Divine." What testament to faith? Islam or Christianity?

The duduk perkara is that Islam denies Christ died on the cross. Under Sharia Christians are given the options of convert to Islam, pay the dhimmi jizya tax or die. As pleasant as her Muslim neighbours may be, that is what they are taught. As they grow in numbers their demands increase. If the diocese of Bangor needs any proof they should just look beyond our borders at Islamic states abroad.

One hopes that Ms Roberts will feel able to preach the Gospel without fear of offending her Muslim friends. Christ died on the cross. He is the only way to the Father

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Illiberal liberals

Christian Tim Farron pushed to resign leadership of the LibDem Party. Source BBC

It has been widelyreported that Tim Farron resigned as the leader of the Liberal Democrat party because he could not continue in the face of continuing questions over his faith. He said that he had been torn between his Christian faith and serving as a political leader.

Earlier it was reported that former gay bobby, now Liberal peer Lord Paddick had quit as Liberal Democrat Home Affairs spokesperson following the "furoredanquot; over leader Tim Farron's views on gay sex. Intentionally or otherwise Paddick's action put enormous pressure on an "honourable and decent" man - the words of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

During the General Election campaign journalists continually baited the Lib Dem leader over his Christian faith implying that the lifestyle of 1.7% of the population was far more important than the faith which not only underpins British society but on which our system of government is based. Tolerance and fair play has no place in the politically correct world of people who have nothing to offer but political correctness and their constant cries of '....Phobia' to curtail any rational discussion.

Since the election government talks with the DUP have been dogged by complaints that the DUP is against same sex marriage as if it were the Holy Grail. As an example the former Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, among others was quick to distance himself from the DUP policies on last Sunday's Andrew Marr TV show.

This has prompted the Coalition for Marriage (C4M) to protest that there has been a sustained attack on DUP MPs simply because they are socially conservative. "Two issues are always quoted – their opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion":

The BBC in particular has seemed far more interested in pursuing this than asking about the DUP?S policy on Brexit or the economy. Even if, like C4M, you are not party political, I expect you are outraged by the media?S actions.

John Humphrys laughed on Monday morning when a former DUP assembly member explained they are a compassionate party. Humphrys immediately claimed that ?Most people? Think their stance is ?Intolerant?, citing opposition to same-sex marriage as an example. And yesterday, the BBC reproduced a long series of satirists? Cartoons lampooning the DUP.

In response to the whole controversy, Roman Catholic commentator Dr Tim Stanley (who does not support the DUP in general) defended the DUP?S right to hold religious beliefs and argued ?It has become politically toxic to be a Christian?.

So dominant has the issue become that the Scottish Conservative leader who plans to marry her same sex partner soon has been told by the Prime Minister that any Conservative deal with the Democratic Unionist Party will not affect LGBTI rights as though there is something intrinsically wrong in the traditional belief that marriage is the union of one man with one woman.

We are supposed to be a Christian country but Christian values based on biblical teaching are ridiculed. Christians are mocked for their faith. Lord Paddick's sexual preference is his own affair but as a liberal one would have thought that he would regard Tim Farron's faith as his affair. Instead he chose to advance the LGBT rencana at the expense of the leader of his Party. How very illiberal.

"There are no atheists in foxholesdanquot; still holds true when tragedy strikes. Whether the merciless attacks on innocent people or events such as the tragic London tower block blaze, in times of need people expect the church to be there. But how much longer? Christianity in this country is under threat. Where will people turn when it has been extinguished by illiberal liberals and their like?

Postscript

Former Liberal Democrat Member of Parliament for Yeovil, David Laws, claims that Tim Farron was right to resign because "he held prejudiced viewsdanquot;. He said, " As a gay man, I do not wish to be 'tolerated'. I wish to be respected for who I am. And I want a party leader whose respect for human equality comes before outdated and frankly offensive religious views."

Mr Laws would earn more respect if he did not misrepresent the meaning of human equality and the views of opponents of same sex marriage. Many of us welcomed civil partnerships but gay marriage is a red line. Frankly, it is Mr Laws' prejudiced views as a gay man which are offensive but opponents of same sex marriage are no longer expected to hold a contrary view.

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Anything but orthodox Christianity

Part of the human chain of "faith leaders from across Walesdanquot; who gathered outside a Cardiff Mosque as an act of solidarity with the Muslim community. BBC

In their Evening News programme yesterday, BBC Wales Today gave extensive coverage to the Welsh link in the aftermath of the Finsbury Park mosque attack.

On the extreme left of this video still as if she were preparing for the hokey cokey is the dancing Archdeacon of Llandaff, the Ven Peggy Jackson. Brought into the Church in Wales by former Archbishop of Wales, Barry Morgan, to impose his liberal agenda on the faithful, this late convert is happy to see cradle Anglicans left with no church while she supports just about any cause other than orthodox Christianity.

The hypocrisy of it all.

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Consecration of the Bishop of Llandaff

The bishop-designate of Llandaff, the Very Rev June Osborne    Source: CinW

“This service will be a wonderful celebration of faith and hope for the future as we consecrate June as bishop and welcome her into the family of the Church in Wales. I am sure everyone will welcome, support and pray for her as she begins this new stage in her ministry." - Bishop John Davies

Faith? What a load of old cobblers. Faith has long since been abandoned by the Church in Wales in favour of an ideology of relativism. Why the new bishop is to be presented with a copy of the Bible is a mystery unless it is to act as a reminder of when the Church was built on faith.

A graduate in Social Sciences, June Osborne was a founder of the Church’s Leading Women programme. No surprise, then, in the travesty that the Gospel will be read by Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori, former Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the USA, the Anglican Communion’s first woman primate and the ruination of the Episcopal Church in the United States.

A portent I wonder?

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The joy, the pain and the sorrow

A post-ordination scene outside Llandaff Cathedral.                                                                             Source: Church in Wales

This post-ordination scene outside Llandaff Cathedral is palpable. Blessings and hugs. I well remember such joyous scenes before women were ordained. Everything then was clear cut. Orthodoxy prevailed.

There is nothing biblical about the ordination of women but having been led astray, many women insist that they hear the call as though God has changed His mind after sending His Son to show us the Way. If He had, surely the change would be universal, not confined to local decision makers. But, sadly, it is as it is.

Today the Church in Wales is in disarray. Progressives continue to push for more change as the pews empty. More defections are expected after the second woman bishop is enthroned next month because the promised provision evaporated once the progressives achieved their goal.

So, there will be great joy for many this morning among those for whom conscience is not a persoalan. For others there will be pain because their church has left them. More to the point, there will be great sorrow because nobody in the Church in Wales appears to care.

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The Llandaff problem

Llandaff Cathedral and the soon to be vacant again Deanery?

Many of the comments received in response to entries in this blog have been about the problems besetting Llandaff Cathedral, latterly as the result of Archbishop Barry Morgan's appointment of his former Chaplain as Dean.

Dean Capon has his admirers as well as his critics. My view is largely one of sympathy for someone who lacked the necessary experience and seniority to be catapulted into a role for which he was  not qualified. To his credit he stepped in when asked, inheriting problems not of his creation when others declined.

How long the Dean will survive after the enthronement of bishop June Osborne is a question many have been asking. One commentator suggested that the Dean would be promoted to Assistant Bishop in the Autumn. This was later withdrawn as a joke; however, it tied in with other rumours that the new bishop had plans to resolve the difficulties in which traditionalists find themselves because they are unable in conscience to accept the sacramental and pastoral oversight of women. In short, the bishop would promote Dean Capon to Assistant Bishop to care for traditionalists in her diocese.

Firstly, if true, to promote someone out of trouble is unacceptable but more importantly, an assistant to a female bishop would be representing a bishop who, in conscience, is regarded as unacceptable on theological grounds so that would not be a solution.

I also have a problem with the Dean's judgement, most recently in disclosing, in general terms, people's giving, and suggesting that the depth of someone's pocket along with a willingness to dig deep was an essential qualification for appointment as the Treasurer of the Friends of Llandaff Cathedral.

This was commented on by Lux Et Veritas under a previous entry, in response to a communication from the Dean following the death of  Sir Donald Walters. Dissatisfaction continues to rumble on with further comments coming in from both sides.

Another potential problem for Llandaff Cathedral was identified in the Church Timesdisclosure that, using the Freedom of Information Act, Dr Jeffrey John had obtained partially redacted emails sent be­­tween the Welsh bishops in the run-up to the electoral college.

The emails reveal anxieties over the potential appointment of Dr John:

"An email dated 8 February, which appears to be from Bishop Davies, states: 'My instinct is that JJ’s stance on the matter of same-gender relationships and his own situation might be un­­welcome to many in the Diocese who would suspect that Barry’s [the former Bishop of Llandaff and Welsh Primate, Dr Barry Morgan] evident liberal agenda was being perpetuated by his election. It would probably do the perception of the Bench, at home and elsewhere, no particular good either'. Personally, I also think that his elec­­tion would be an immense distraction in the Province at the wrong time."

He also writes: "I am still of the view that JJ’s election could set off a media circus.” Returning to the state of the Llandaff diocese he wrote: “Whilst neither sexuality nor age are con­clusive factors here, I think that the depth of problems in Llandaff has yet to fully emerge. . . Getting to grips with all this, becoming known and trusted and turning things around will take a deal of time, possibly more than JJ has given his age.”

The bishop of St Asaph appears to be more sanguine in his response adding weight to the suggestion from some quarters that it was he who had spoken with Dr John in the row about Electoral College confidentiality, something Dr John chose to ignore in the interests advancing his own candidature.

Regardless of one's views on the matter, the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon simply mirrored the conclusion reached previously when Dr John was a candidate, latterly for Monmouth.

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More of the same

"Thank you for your kind applause", as Madame Edith used to say in 'Allo 'Allo! after her star turn                                                          Source: Church in Wales

No altar cross or candles on the nave altar when the appointment of the Bishop of Llandaff, June Osborne, wasconfirmed in Sacred Synod last Friday. Instead the altar was used as a microphone stand. Apt for another political rally!

The first reported utterance of the new bishop on the occasion of her consecration the following day was to urge "sexuality-row" Llandaff diocese to move on, again drawing unwelcome attention to the Electoral College row after the Western Mail re-hashed the Jeffrey John self-promotion story on 11 July, an episode the bench had been trying to bury with their appointment of the Dean of Salisbury, the Very Rev June Osborne as bishop-designate.

More successfully buried had been the Church of England Osborne Report on homosexuality which should have been published in 1989 but surfaced in 2012. Some believe this report damaged Osborne's chances of preferment in the Church of England. Not so in the Church in Wales.

Pursuing another pet theme, bishop June offered her view of the church as a secular institution given over to the advancement of women in a BBC interview which formed part of their coverage of her consecration. She said:

"Isn't it fantastic, Wales becomes the Province of the Anglican Communion that has the highest percentage of women bishops in it and that has to feel right because one woman is great but more than one woman in an organisation, people know this, really begins to make a change for the better because gender parity, gender equality, women feeling that their voice is respected just as the men's voices. It's what the Church in Wales has been working on for some years now and so I just think that bishop Jo in St Davids will be a fantastic colleague but it will also mean the the workings of the bench of bishops and the whole church will just become more normal. It's what people know in the normal life is mixed gender teams."

Yet more of the same in a radio interview here (advance to 51.12).

Rather than the Cornerstone, Jesus Christ has become the stepping-stone for women to pursue their careers in the church, demanding parity rather than spirituality.

Stand by for more of 'what the Church in Wales has been working on for some years', substituting politics for faith when bishop June and her 'fantastic colleague' bishop Jo 'make normal the workings of the bench of bishops and the whole church'.

What bishop June failed to mention when she referred to the 'whole church' was that she had in mind the Church in Wales, one of the smallest provinces in the Anglican Communion, and possibly the Church of England. The vast majority of the world's 80 million Anglicans, along with the Orthodox Church and the Roman Catholic Church, regard provinces such as the Church in Wales and the Church of England as being in error which puts her views into context.

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New Anglicanism: secularism with ritual?

"Recent developments in The Episcopal Church with respect to a change in their Canon on marriage represent a fundamental departure from the faith and teaching held by the majority of our Provinces on the doctrine of marriage. Possible developments in other Provinces could further exacerbate this situation." - Scottish Episcopal Church Agenda and Papers, General Synod 2016.

Last month the Scottish Episcopal Church voted to allow same-sex couples to be married in church.

The Archbishops of Canterbury and York have been criticised for inviting the proposer of the Scottish gay-marriage motion to the General Synod meeting in York, placing a group of the Synod?S laity and clergy in an ?Invidious? Position.

There should be nothing to discuss if a change is "a fundamental departure from the faith and teaching" but the Archbishops of Canterbury and York appear to be one-track minded on this issue. In January 2016 there was anexplanation in The Telegraph explaining how the Anglican Communion came to find itself in this mess.

Much has been made of changing attitudes towards gay marriage but how many simply go with the flow? That public opinion has shifted is hardly surprising in a do-as-you-please society which fails to recognise the absurdities of the new 'anything goes' mentality.

In what could be a "world first" an eight-month-old Canadian baby has been issued with a health card that does not specify the child's sex. It has been done at the request of parent Kori Doty, a non-binary transgender parent who identifies as neither male nor female. The obvious is no longer obvious.

The Holy Smoke podcast above poses the question: Are Christians warming to gay marriage? For secularists same sex marriage is defined in terms of equality, regarding any opposition as discrimination. That religious groups are apparently falling into line indicates not so much a change in view of the sacrament of marriage, rather it indicates how the church has been infiltrated by lobbies determined to advance their agendas at any cost.

Civil partnerships were introduced to ensure that homosexual couples are not discriminated against. For the Anglican church to introduce same sex marriage would be to turn it into a secular institution with ritual, a return paganism.

Update [09.07.2017]

Reporting on GS Misc 1158 - Proposals for the Pastoral Advisory Group on Human Sexuality and the Development of the Teaching Document (item 8 on Saturday's Agenda at the York Synod) - Archbishop Welby "hoped a document would be available for discussion at the synod in early 2020 'though on a process this complicated we cannot be pinned down relating to time'."

Had the Archbishop maintained Christian doctrine ?Founded in scripture, in reason, in tradition, in theology and the Christian faith as the Church of England has received it?, the Church would not have the complication.

Winding up the debate on her motion calling for a ban on the practice of Conversion Therapy aimed at altering sexual orientation, Ms Jayne Ozanne quoted a tear jerking letter from a retired homosexual priest in his 90's who complained about homophobia in the Church. This has been alleged so often that the bishops believe it when in my experience the reverse is true, often with the innocent on the receiving end as some gays seek to extend their influence at the expense of others.

Next up: Church of England to vote on transgender services. To follow, 'polyamorous' marriage?

Postscript

Please also readSin at Synod - How the Church forbad forgiveness by Gavin Ashenden and listen to Peter Ould losing it in his PodcastT is for Tearing up the Rules of Anglicanism.

What hope can there be for Anglicanism in this country?

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Dumbed-down, dressed down, let down

The Church of England at Synod

Who needs scripture, tradition or reason when a few dozen like-minded people can gather together in His name to make up the rules as they go along?

The headline in Plant Transgender after the transgender blessing debate was 'Church of England votes to bless transgender lives'. This is the attitude the Church has validated and sums up the current trajectory of the Church of England as progressives pander to lobbyists who seek to make the church more relevant to society regardless of the evidence and views of the wider Christian Church:

"Imagine awakening one Sunday morning joining with your family at church for a special service to celebrate your authentic gender?  A coming out like never before is taking place at the Church of England, the third largest Christian communion in the world. Blessed by your church you would find yourself confident, spiritually empowered and ready to face life as never before. A motion to make this a reality has been agreed on during the Church’s four-day general synod meeting in York which started on Friday. but may take three years to finalize."

As the Rev Peter Ould put it, 'T is for Tearing up the Rules of Anglicanism'. Listen to his excellent podcast on Radio Free Canterburyhere.

On their web site the Church of England proclaims 'a Christian presence in every community'. That is a presence for all on equal terms but now there is a special welcome for LGB T people who claim they want to be treated the same as everyone else while demanding special treatment.

Also, clergy are to be allowed to ditch their robes in a 'further sign of dress-down Britain'. This is likely to result in some bizarre sights removing any semblance of the 'otherness' as mystery is replaced by the commonplace.

Again and again the bishops of an Anglican Church have let down those they are meant to guide.

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In the pink

Straight, monogamous heterosexual with cancer but drugs too expensive? Tough.

Gay and promiscuous? Drugs that can prevent HIV infections will be offered to gay men for free via an NHS trial starting next month.

Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) drug Truvada can "drastically reduce people?S chances of being infected with HIV, and is available in a number of countries to high-risk groups including sex workers, men who have sex with men, and people in serodiscordant relationships."

And the LGBT lobby still complains that they are persecuted with the publicly funded BBC taking the lead!

Updates

[07.08.2017]

NHS cutting back on IVF fertility treatment to save money here.

[15.08.2017]

New pill to enable safer promiscuity

 "Over 95% of people living with HIV in the UK have acquired HIV through sex without a condom." - National AIDS Trust. Full Christian Concern report here .

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The cost of success

This image from Twitter (H/T Anglican Mainstream) shows the celebration of a lesbian civil partnership at Southwark Cathedral with "Eucharist, Dinner and Dancingdanquot;.

It was joyfully attended by the Very Rev'd Professor Martyn Percy Dean of Christ Church Oxford, who pressed Philip North either to renounce his membership of The Society or to decline his nomination as bishop of Sheffield, and his wife Emma Percy, Chair of WATCH who likes to refer to God as a 'She'.

Taken with the errors committed at the recent General Synod in York, this is another example of how far Anglicanism in Great Britain has become a do as you please religion.

In another recent post on Anglican Mainstream thequestion was posed, Why is the Episcopal Church near collapse? A note of caution was added: Ed:  The author of this article is not mentioned, nor is it dated.  We believe it to be several years old, but we consider it suitable for posting as the situation has not improved and the article clearly shows the effect of revisionism.

The rot started in the US. If ever there was a cautionary tale to heed one would have thought that the brakes would have been applied but instead progressives in this country have held up TEC as an exemplar.

After all she has done to bring down the Episcopal Church in the United States, their former Presiding Bishop, Katharine Jefferts Schori, was invited to proclaim the Gospel at the consecration of the new bishop of Llandaff, ignoring the Church in Wales' own Basic Guidance concerning the Celebration of the Holy Eucharist:   "[17.] The Gospel is normally proclaimed by a deacon, where available...and, from the Appendix, It is the duty of the deacon to proclaim the Gospel."

The Gospel stunt was a distraction which focused on the advancement of women in the Church rather than giving glory to God with the central focus of the liturgy being Christ himself (General Guidelines).

Another posing opportunity for women bishops       Source:Salisbury Journal

Back at the parish ministry area level, this comment was received following my previous entry which confirms worrying reports about Ministry Areas:

".... You mention 'inspiring our poor worn out hard working priests'

I agree with you but the management push to force ministry areas everywhere, is doing the opposite. Team leaders here in Monmouth are hard to come by as no one wants to run tiga-4 parishes with less and less team members. Cwmbran, became a ministry area and went from 4 full time clergy, to two, the curate recently was moved to Malpas Ministry Area as no one would apply for it, so the remaining ministry team leader has resigned and is off to Llandaff as a team vicar. So soon no full time clergy......But hey plenty of lay readers who have been ordained...........(is it me or is that bad theology?)

I gather Llandaff has a chap going round full time, telling PCC's how wonderful ministry areas are......."

In the wider sphere, an observation from Pope Benedict XVI who sent a "sobering" message at the funeral of Cardinal Joachim Meisner saying he was moved at the dubia cardinal's ability to "live out of a deep conviction that the Lord does not abandon His Church, even when the boat has taken on so much water as to be on the verge of capsizing.

What liberals claim as progress is the cost of their success. At the official level Anglicanism is all but finished in the US with Great Britain not far behind while blind progressives still insist that it is they who are right!

But all is not lost. Please read this hopeful message:To the Anglicans of Great Britain.

Postscript [28.07.2017]

Read a review of material from Southwark Cathedral to mark civil partershipshere.

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Knocking

"There's somebody knocking at the door!"                          Source: Twitter/CinW

Two tweets from the Llandaff Cathedral enthronement ceremony today:

1. "Bishop June knocks on the west door of @LlandaffCath and is welcomed inside by the Dean for enthronement service." - You can listen to a classic knocking commentary here.

2. "In her enthronement sermon  @LlandaffCath Bishop June pays tribute to her predecessor Bishop Barry and says she will build on his legacy." But Barry's legacy is one of desolation. Numbers have plummeted. Churches closed. Parishes forced into Ministry Areas. Demoralised clergy and laity, those who are left.

Bishop June must have the cause of this mayhem in mind rather than the consequences because it fits in with her established rencana of more women and sexual licence apparent from the long-time buriedOsborne Report.

Described as a 'Pioneer' English woman priest, "June Osborne?S ministry has been characterised by her passion for equality and diversity and she was a founder of the Church?S Leading Women programme".

No doubt there will plenty of gender equality clerics knocking at the door to reinforce bishop June's aim of parity. Building on Barry's legacy the door will be open to them, unlike marginalised, traditional Anglicans who continue to be punished for adhering to the catholic faith which is followed by the majority of Christians including Anglicans.

The Good News tells us,knock and it will be opened to you. That Anglican bishops do not receive the message as they mutter between themselves like Minnie and Henry illustrates how far they have departed from the Christian faith.

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BBC celebrates 'love'

Still from the BBC factual drama 'Against the Law'

A vicar in Hull hasclaimed that words such as 'pride' and 'gay' have been being "hijacked" by people who would seek to normalise LGBT activity as part of mainstream life.  An addition to his list could be 'love' following the BBC's Gay Britannia LGBTQ TV campaign for the advancement of homosexuality in Great Britain.

At the beginning Episode 1 (Series 1) of the BBC's 'Prejudice And Pride: The People’s History Of LGBTQ Britain', a male presenter referred to "loving" someone for a single night!

Presenters Susan Calman and Stephen K Amos

So 'love' is used to describe a night of sex with someone of the same sex. The female presenter went on to object that lesbians had not been included in the anti-homosexuality laws so they fell outside the definition of what sex could be. Lesbians were "virtually invisible" she complained. All that has nowchanged.

'Equality' is another word used by liberal progressives to justify their cause resulting in considerable confusion especially when equality is substituted for theology.

The BBC had previously screened a harrowing factual drama "Against the law". In 1954 there was considerable shock and outrage when Lord Montagu of Beaulieu was imprisoned after being found guilty of homosexual activity with two airmen. They escaped prosecution after receiving immunity in return for their incriminating testimony, naming more than 20 other sexual partners, against whom no action was taken.

Also convicted was Daily Mail journalist Peter Wildeblood.Described as "one of the bravest men who ever lived", he was the only openly gay man to give evidence to Lord Wolfenden’s committee which in 1957 recommended the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Britain.

Sadly this act of bravery was trivialised in the programme by an ageing queen who with obvious delight and amusement outed Lord Wolfenden's son with whom he claimed to have been "having an affair" at the time. No honour among queens!

In his evidence [advance to 1.11.20 on iPlayer] Wildeblood dismissed two of three categories of homosexuals he claimed there to be; 'pansies' who regarded themselves as women and pederasts for whom he had considerable contempt. He said that homosexuals in the strict sense are "adult men who are attracted to adult men. Men who desire to lead their lives with discretion and decency, neither corrupting others nor publicly flaunting their condition." [My emphasis - Ed.] They were "by far" the largest group of homosexuals.

By publicly flaunting their LGBT+ preferences, the gay pride movement is undoing the achievements of Peter Wildeblood in gaining respect for homosexual people "who desire only to lead their lives with discretion and decency".

The BBC's Gay Britannia celebration is undermining those hard-won achievements in what appears to be a concerted campaign by Church and State to queer Britain and force the acceptance of same sex marriage, a red line for many.

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Keeping up

Secretary of State for Education and Minister for Women and Equalities

It has beenreported in the Mirror and elsewhere that the Equalities Minister Justine Greening has urged faith leaders to "keep up" with 21st Century attitudes as she "piled pressure" to let gay couples marry in church. With that attitude she could be a bishop in the Church of England. They need no encouragement from Cabinet Ministers to follow a secular agenda.

As the first openly gay woman in the Conservative cabinet perhaps the Minister of Equalities feels it incumbent upon her to promote the LGBT lifestyle of 1.7% of the population over the interests of the majority 98% . This demam isu has been evident in the church when gay conference delegates and Synod members have taken a decision to vote 'as a gay person' instead of representing the views of their congregations when they have voted.

In April this year the BBC announced a major new season, Gay Britannia, marking the 50th anniversary of The Sexual Offences Act and heralded as "Bold and provocative stories celebrate the LGBTQ community". A change from the usual TV diet of murder and mayhem but many of these programmes have become more promotional than informative, encouraging people to celebrate diversity rather than simply accept difference or, as Ms Greening would have it,  'keep up with 21st Century attitudes'.

'Keeping up' has, step by step, led to an eight-month-old Canadian baby being issued with a health card that does not specify the child's sex at the request of parent Kori Doty, a non-binary transgender parent who identifies as neither male nor female.

The Equalities Minister has also announced that she wants toreform the 2004 Gender Recognition Act to make the transgender process less intrusive. Currently people must be diagnosed with gender dysphoria, a condition where a person's biological sex and identity does not match, so the UK government is considering plans to make the process of changing legal gender easier.

No longer capable of coping with the obvious, at a High School in Connecticut, a 15-year-old boy with a moustache recently crushed female competitors in track and field, "to the great dismay of the girls who had spent many intense days training so hard".

The boy identifies a girl in his self-proclaimed ?Gender identity? Which is regarded as fair in the bizarre universe of terkini-day LGBTQ liberalism. The equality movement has inspired transgender athletes to join teams of their preferred gender which often means biological males are competing against biological females on women?S teams.

When the BBC announced that Dr Who is to betransgendered in the name of 'equality', former Doctor Who, Peter Davison, said that casting a woman means another loss of a 'role model' for boys, part of a wider problem for boys in their formative years now that school teachers are predominantly women.

In an article for the BBC, Katie Price poses the question, "Jobs for the boys? - The top roles women have never had", complaining that there has not yet been a woman archbishop. She may be unaware that there has been one in the United States in the person of former Presiding Bishop and Primate of the Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, who continues to be held as a role model despite her disastrous tenure in office suggesting that the church is being used as a means of advancing secular causes.

But to what end? According to a recent report in "significant parts of the United States, TEC has ceased or will soon cease to have a meaningful presence" and "there is much for wider Anglicanism to learn from the U.S. experience". It has been estimated the the Church in Wales will become extinct in a generation.

Nevertheless, in her enthronement sermon the new bishop of Llandaff claimed her dear friend the former Presiding Bishop as an 'episcopal mentor' when she said:

"Well, I have under God just been anointed for the work of Bishop of Llandaff and it’s very special that it was Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori who commissioned me for that task.  I am proud to call her a dear friend and now an episcopal mentor. Her time as Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church took her around the Anglican family worldwide and so to be anointed by her is a very great privilege. She brings with her that experience of the universal church, socially and culturally diverse, and our call to share God’s desire for a reconciled creation and transformed world."

Step by step the church has "kept up" resulting disunity and a possible split between liberal progressives and orthodox traditionalists.

Ms Greening would do well to look to the difficulties of running the country and keep her secular nose out of matters of faith which clearly she does not understand.

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