Let These People Go

From The Guardian looking forward to the forthcoming Synod debate on women bishops and the Archbishops’ desperate last hope amendment to maintain some integrity for the church:

?Sally Barnes, from Women and the Church [WATCH], said: "If you institutionalise this kind of discrimination, it creates more problems. The issues of division will not be healing. If this goes down, Christian women who want women bishops have said, 'We're waiting for it to happen, we're so sick of the opposition. We will just leave.'"

Well go and good riddance. The people in WATCH have already been given too much rope. They are wrecking the Anglican Church with their duplicity claiming the guidance of the Holy Spirit when it suits them and the work of the devil when things do not go according to their selfish plan. They claim discrimination where none exists. They are blatant feminists caring not one jot for the faith of true believers in the one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.

For those who have been converted to acceptance of the ordination of women to the priesthood, life is so much easier. They have bitten the apple but why make life so difficult for the rest of us who remained true to the tradition of our church? Saturday’s Observer Magazine (04.07.10) carries an article “Is the Church Still Sexist?” which says it all. Still sexist? Joanna Jepson pictured below is quoted as saying “Whether I am called to be a bishop or not, the impact is personal, for all of us, because this corporate injustice is being challenged.” [My italics]

“I know I can do the job that is best suited to who I am” was the quote from a young curate while Lucy Winkett, who to her credit has not hidden her feminist goals, complains of what “in any other area of public life would be called discrimination.” She dismisses “the number of people who really can’t accept this [the ordination of women] [as] extremely small.” Rather like the early church? Forward in Faith and Reform are brushed aside as a small proportion of the ‘regular worshipping community of 1.7million (who attend at least once a month), the majority of whom – 65% - is female.”

This huge majority, a small minority in the Christian church as a whole, may be regular (I would say occasional) but it distorts the fact that the more frequent faithful few worshippers are more likely to have a deeper faith which is being pushed aside by forces content to see them fall by the wayside. How can this be? WATCH has nothing to do with faith. It is an ultra-feminist entrist organisation dressed in clerical clothing. I have no objection to feminism or to feminists but I do object to the deceit and duplicity WATCH use when they falsely claim discrimination to achieve their aim which is parity in the church as though it were a business corporation. They have already formed a woman bishop?S queue as they worm their way through the sah complexities and vote fixing in Synod as though they were engaged in some sort of corporate power struggle.

These women say they ?Will just leave? If they don?T get their own way. So what does this say about their faith and loyalty to the Anglican church if they can just up sticks and leave in a fit of pique while many devout Anglicans are so desperate to stay in their cradle church they are grateful for almost any fudge that can be put together? For far too long these WATCH feminists have been telling us to leave if we don?T like what they are about. Enough is enough. The church should embrace feminists but not destructive feminism before faith. It?S time to let them go and set up their own church, not destroy ours.

Postscript

With acknowledgments to Fr Ed's St Barnabas Blog this link is recommended viewing. I couldn't agree more.

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Forward in Faith

Yesterday's news that the Chairman of Forward in Faith, Bishop John Broadhurst, is to resign as Bishop of Fulham to seek entry to the Ordinariate has been intensified by today's news that 'traditionalists' have made gains in the Church of England General Synod elections which may at last see some compassion emerging and hopefully provide the accommodation so badly needed as the church battles for survival.

Probably the best that can be hoped for is a re-think of the voluntary code of practice but that is no small thing for those who, for various reasons, will be unable to take-up the offer of an Ordinariate. It is also encouraging news for those who have had to endure critcism from opponents who protested that we should have given up the fight, thus allowing a clear run for those we believe to be in error.

It is vital that we fight to the end for what we believe, to move 'forward in faith'. That is no disrespect to Pope Benedict. He has described the Ordinariate as the door to unity. A breathing space should ultimately enable more of the faithful to approach the door along a path that is not covered in brambles but perhaps lined with the rose .

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An Englishman's word is his bond?

An Englishman's word is was (?) his bond.

Promises are in the news again, this time thepromises that were made in the winning of the 2012 Olympic Games for London - as if we need them with huge cuts in essential services plus the security implications but broken promises are my concern here.

Political pledges such as those given on tuition fees are often looked at with scepticism in the shifting ground of politics but what excuse can there be for the Church of England breaking its promise to traditionalist Anglicans as it ponders the question of women bishops? - A 'Broken Promises' summary was published inForward in Faith's "New Directions" last month (page 10).

For some MPs it is not faith butpolitical correctness that counts as they attempt a fix regardless of the wishes of the new Synod.  If honour means nothing at the highest levels of government in Church and State with promises continually broken, as the question goes to dioceses for discussion it will be interesting to see if, for the grass roots, still "An Englishman's word IS his bond".

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Pentecost - residents of Wales

Source: FiF

From Acts 2: "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place... Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting... When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. Utterly amazed, they asked: “Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? ... Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, 'What does this mean?' "...

"They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common."

No longer for residents of Wales who worship in the Church in Wales.

To their shame the bishops of the Church in Wales claim to be successors of the Apostles but they do not behave like the Apostles to ensure that we all have equal opportunity to flourish within the Anglican Communion.

Forward in Faith has produced a card (reproduced above) with the Church of England's 'Five Guiding Principles following the House of Bishops' Declaration on the Ministry of Bishops and Priests'. The Church of England acknowledges that "its own clear decision on ministry and gender" is set within a broader process of discernment within the Anglican Communion and the whole Church of God.

Those unable to receive the ministry of women as bishops or priests are within the spectrum of Anglican teaching and tradition and will be enabled to flourish. So, pastoral and sacramental provision for the minority within the Church of England has been made without specifying a limit of time and in a way that maintains the highest possible degree of communion and contributes to mutual flourishing across the whole Church of England.

Adopting only four of the guiding principles, and contrary to the wishes of Church members expressed at diocesan meetings held specifically for the purpose of discerning their views, the unprincipled bishops of the Church in Wales dropped the fifth principle and inserted:

Since the Code of Practice needs to be both strong and flexible enough to respond to a changing situation in the future, and since the Governing Body has entrusted the Bench of Bishops with the task of agreeing a Code which commits the Bench to making provisions for all the members of the Church in Wales, the Bench reserves the right to amend the provisions of this Code as may be necessary in the future.

The Code of Practice made no meaningful concessions to those for whom the Code was intended. In fact, the inference to be drawn from the revised wording by the Bench is that church life for those unable to receive the ministry of  women bishops or priests on grounds of theological conviction can only get worse. Perhaps it is just too difficult for bishops devoid of conscience to comprehend the beliefs of those who do.

So for residents of Wales whose bishops speak in alien tongues, having "everything in commondanquot; is as far away in the Church in Wales as the Apostolic Succession.

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Catholic revival?

Well perhaps not but welcome news indeed.

Breaking News from Forward in Faith.

Next Bishop of Fulham announced

Oct 30, 2012

It has been announced this morning from 10 Downing Street that the Chairman of Forward in Faith, Bishop Jonathan Baker, is to be the next suffragan Bishop of Fulham in the Diocese of London. He will be translated from the suffragan See of Ebbsfleet, which he has held since his episcopal ordination in June 2011.

Bishop Jonathan said, ‘I am delighted to be taking up this new post, though of course very sorry to be leaving the priests and people of the Ebbsfleet parishes after such a relatively short time as their bishop. I am looking forward enormously to leading the Fulham parishes and to playing my part in the mission of the church in London across the Diocese.

I am assured that the process of appointing a new Bishop of Ebbsfleet is already underway, and so in due course I am confident that my move will lead to a strengthening of the team of catholic bishops in the Church of England at this critical time.

After having spent the whole of my ministry thus far in the Diocese of Oxford, it will be very good to be living and working in the heart of London for, having grown up in the capital, it will represent something of a homecoming for me.

I will, of course, continue to serve as Chairman of Forward in Faith.?

FiF Secretary Fr Ross Northing, who also serves as Vice-Chairman of the Ebbsfleet Council of Priests, added:  ‘Whilst we are naturally sad to be losing Bishop Jonathan from the Ebbsfleet area so soon, we nevertheless rejoice that he has been given this wonderful opportunity to minister to our brothers and sisters in the Fulham area.  He will leave Oxford with our prayers and very best wishes.’

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Where do we go from here?

After lengthy speculation, Downing Street has confirmed that Justin Welby is to be the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury. God help him, he will need our prayers. FiF has welcomed the appointment which is encouraging but on the downside his appointment has also been welcomed by Christina Rees, ex-Chair of WATCH, which does not bode well since he will be expected to be malleable to their will. Watching his press conference at Lambeth Palace he gave the impression of being his own man with a strong sense of conviction but stressed the need to listen attentively with regard to LGTB issues suggesting a possible about face on the question of same sex unions. He also urged the General Synod to vote in favour of legislation allowing women to become bishops. While he spoke positively about those who took a different conscientious view, as with the bishops who have taken part in the Enough Waiting campaign, there was no suggestion of further compromise.

Chosen to represent the Anglican Communion on the Crown Nominations Commission was the Archbishop of the neighbouring miniscule Province of Wales. Rightly or wrongly the delayed announcement had the stamp of Dr Morgan all over it. Stubborn in the extreme and not given to compromise, Dr Morgan is well know for his leanings towards secularised religion so he will be well pleased that Bishop Welby has been commented on mainly for his secular achievements rather than for his spirituality plus the fact that he is a strong supporter of the ordination of women as bishops. With characteristic insight the Rev Dr Peter Mullen provides a useful pen-picture of the new Archbishop here including the observation the Bishop Welby holds his views on women bishops "as a result of careful study of the scriptures and examination of the tradition" to which Dr Mullins rightly responds: "Well, that?S nice to know. But where does it leave those of us who examine scriptures and inhabit a tradition but come to conclusions at odds with those of Bishop Justin? For example, my examination of scripture reveals that it does not contain even so much as one solitary example of a woman bishop or, if it comes to that, a single woman priest."

What is clear is that to get on in the church today one has to be a supporter of the ordination of women - note the quick exit from the selection procedure of the Bishop of London, Dr Richard Chartres. Bishop Welby says he wants provision for 'traditionalists' but what can that amount to when any so called concession is regarded by WATCH as demeaning to women. In a briefing booklet Women Bishops Legislation - Not Fit For Purpose, members of the Conservative Evangelical and Catholic groupings in the General Synod commend the proposal put before the Church in Wales:

"We could look to the Church in Wales for an example to follow; having

rejected previous unsatisfactory legislation for women bishops, they are now

looking at a new process with two related pieces of church legislation, one to

provide for women bishops, and the other to provide for traditionalists (the

former cannot come into force until the latter has been agreed). This

approach has the potential to provide more equally for both those who

support women bishops and for those who do not."

It is dangerous to read too much into this proposal. It results from Dr Morgan's intransigence in refusing to appoint a new Provincial Assistant Bishop (PAB) to replace the Rt Rev David Thomas following his retirement. It is widely thought that the Governing Body of the Church in Wales voted against the ordination of women to the episcopate in Wales because of the Archbishop's refusal to re-appoint a PAB, a posture he maintained while bringing forward this cunning scheme. These are the two-stage proposals:

1. The first Bill would deal with the following matters of principle:

Women may be ordained as bishops in the Church in Wales.

There will be a scheme of pastoral provision, to be approved by the Governing Body by means of a second Bill, making provision for those who cannot in conscience accept the ministry of a woman bishop.

If this first Bill were to be passed and become a Canon, it would not come into force until such a second Bill is approved by the Governing Body and becomes a Canon.

    Dua. The second Bill would refer to the Canon enabling women to be ordained as bishops. We have purposely suggested that the scheme of pastoral provision be included ? Presumably as a schedule ? In a second Bill in order to give as much confidence as possible to those for whom it provides that their genuinely held views are being taken seriously and that the church is being faithful to its declared intent in 1996.

It is suggested that the two Canons would come into force on the same day.

Despite the apparent good intentions, since 'traditionalists' in Wales have already been denied pastoral provision based on their own spiritual needs, any new scheme will be based on what the Archbishop decides, not too unlike the position now facing the Church of England except that pastoral care continues to be provided by the Provincial Episcopal Visitors, but for how long once women bishops are approved?

The minimal provision before the Church of England Synod looks generous when compared with anything that might be expected by 'traditionalists' in the Church in Wales. They have no alternative but to accept or reject the pastoral care offered by the Bench of Bishops all of whom hold contrary beliefs. Under the Archbishop's new plan the issue becomes one of sex rather than integrity. If the diocesan bishop is a woman, a male colleague from the Bench may be requested but since neither would be of the required integrity the procedure is pointless. In the longer term, as the church becomes increasingly feminised and the number of bishops is reduced under proposals detailed in the Church in Wales Review there may, in the future, be only female bishops on the Bench. In the meantime Dr Morgan and the other bishops will be hoping that resistance will die out. It has not so far, nor will it.

The people of Wales should demonstrate that they are not as gullible as implied in the proposals and reject the ruse as another cynical attempt to deny 'traditionalists' what they were promised when women were admitted to the priesthood. Likewise in England, the measure before Synod has become one of integrity and should be rejected.

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