Queen's speech 2014

Should we be surprised at the headline,Queen beats Archbishop of Canterbury as ‘most moral leader’ in new poll?

HM The Queen:"For me, the life of Jesus Christ, the prince of peace, whose birth we celebrate today, is an inspiration and an anchor in my life.

A role model of reconciliation and forgiveness, he stretched out his hands in love, acceptance and healing. Christ’s example has taught me to seek to respect and value all people, of whatever faith or none." You can read the Queen's speech 2014 in full here .

The Bishop of Buckingham (for example):"The Church of England is still guilty of “serious institutional homophobia” and has yet to overcome “inertia and ignorance” towards same-sex couples, an Anglican bishop has claimed. Alan Wilson, the bishop of Buckingham, praised gay members of the clergy for showing “considerable courage and determination” as they fight deeply ingrained prejudices to marry. “In very few years people will wonder what the fuss was all about,” the bishop says in a Christmas sermon for the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community recorded for Pink News. He adds: “But for now it’s a path that calls for considerable courage and determination. So please spare a thought this Christmas for them." Full article here.

If the Bishop of Buckingham wants a proper example of“considerable courage and determination” he need only look to the 'Defender of the Faith and Supreme Governor of the Church of England'. One can only imagine what the Queen must be thinking with all that is going on in the Church of England and in Government especially when the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act 2013 received Royal Assent.

The Bishop of Buckingham is not a lone voice in the Anglican Church. Rather, he reflects the move away from liturgy to a particular view of social justice which relegates worship almost to an optional extra and "Christ’s example" is distorted to justify just about any secular fancy. One has only to look at the fate * of the Episcopal Church (TEC) for an example of how this trend develops into litigation and dilution of the faith resulting in a church in name only:

"Why is the Anglican Church in North America growing (now over 110,000) while TEC is in decline? Why has ACNA overtaken the Anglican Church of Canada in Average Sunday Attendance? It's all about the message - one of the transforming love of Jesus Christ to all sinners. There is almost no difference in the way a TEC parish functions from that of an ACNA parish. A visitor would see no discernible difference in worship forms, liturgy (though there is a greater use of the 1928 Prayer Book in ACNA parishes). The difference is what is proclaimed from the pulpit each Sunday. Preaching endless sermons about inclusion, diversity, the joys of pansexuality, the need for women priests/bishops, the Five Marks of Mission, MDGs and a whole host of so-called hot button issues does not change lives just opinions and not always that. TEC needs to radically rethink who they want as next generation priests. Second career aging lesbians won't cut it."

All is not gloom in the Church of England. Part of the package which saw the appointment of the first woman bishop included 'broad church' provision so that Evangelicals and Anglo Catholics have the opportunity to prosper.

Not so in the Church in Wales. Their bishops proposed legislation that would have made statutory provision for those opposed to the ordination of women on grounds of conscience but this was swiftly dropped after a successful plot by the devious Archdeacon of Llandaff and her sidekick the Area Dean of Llandaff which enabled the bench sitters to do as instructed by their unscrupulous Archbishop.

Looking at the success of ACNA and the failure of TEC it is not difficult to see why Dr Morgan stamps out any opposition to his view of Anglicanism. So much so that one has to wonder what is "an inspiration and an anchor" in his life. Where did Dr Morgan come in the 'most moral leader' poll? So far, I have been unable to find any reference to him!

* Update (30/12/2014)

See alsohere, an interview with Fr. George Rutler, pastor of the Church of St. Michael in New York City .

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Women, sex, death and judgement

The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, the Archbishop of Wales and the Archbishop of Canterbury

Surprise, surprise! The Church of England cannot carry on as it is unless decline is ‘urgently’ reversed – Welby and Sentamu. The latest sorry saga is reported in a Telegraph article here.

First to hit the rocks was The Episcopal Church of the United States (TEC). The Church in Wales is bobbing along on autopilot hoping to avoid catastrophe by setting the same course as TEC.  Now, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have warned that in the Church of England "there is a compelling need to realign resources and work carefully to ensure that scarce funds are used to best effect":

"The Church of England will no longer be able to carry on its current form unless the downward spiral its membership is reversed ?As a matter of urgency?, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have warned.

It could face a dramatic shortage of priests within a decade as almost half of the current clergy retire, according to the Most Rev Justin Welby and Dr John Sentamu.

Meanwhile dwindling numbers in the pews will inevitably plunge the Church into a financial crisis as it grapples with the “burden” of maintaining thousands of historic buildings, they insisted."

You don't need a doctorate to spot the link. TEC is now described as a post-Christian church :

"This is no longer George Washington?S Episcopal Church ? In 1776 the largest denomination in the rebellious British colonies. Membership has dropped so dramatically that today there are 20 times more Baptists than Episcopalians.

U.S. Catholics out-number the Episcopal Church 33-to-1. There are more Jews than Episcopalians. Twice as many Mormons as Episcopalians. Even the little African Methodist Episcopal denomination -- founded in in 1787 -- has passed the Episcopalians"....

"Liberal Christianity has been hailed by its boosters for 40 years as the future of the Christian church. Instead, as all but a few die-hards now admit, the mainline churches that have blurred doctrine and softened moral precepts are declining and, in the case of the Episcopal Church, disintegrating."

Sad to say, the Church in Wales is on the verge of a nervous breakdown. Regular attendance figures are almost at rock bottom claiming just 1% of the population as regular attenders. The historic parish system is shot to pieces. Priests are no longer offered a 'living'. Instead, Priests-in-charge, often of groups of parishes and 'house-for-duty' priests have been used to prop-up the system but even this is no longer a viable option. The Church in Wales is regrouping intoministry areas "served by a team of people both lay and cleric", the hierarchy oblivious to the fact that in many parishes the laity have been shouldering the burden of responsibility for keeping the ship afloat for years, mopping-up tasks not suited to incumbents. But don't expect much change with the new breed of Non-stipendiary ministers who expect only to officiate on a Sunday because they work during the week!

From figures in the Telegraph article, "typical Sunday attendances have halved to just 800,000 in the last 40 years:

"The two archbishops gave their backing to a series of reports calling for administrative changes in the Church to be debated by the Synod next month but added: 'Renewing and reforming aspects of our institutional life is a necessary but far from sufficient response to the challenges facing the Church of England.' They went on: 'The urgency of the challenge facing us is not in doubt'.

'Attendance at Church of England services has declined at an average of one per cent per annum over recent decades and, in addition, the age profile of our membership has become significantly older than that of the population. 'F inances have been relatively stable, thanks to increased individual giving. ' This situation cannot, however, be expected to continue unless the decline in membership is reversed'."

So much for the transforming ordination of women, liberal views on gay and lesbian bishops and the current push for same-sex marriage to be recognised by the Church. Read a previous entry "The Church of England is in crisis" here. It is not as if the writing was not on the wall. In 2010 Archbishop Rowan warned "Conform or face the consequences":

"The Archbishop of Canterbury has asked Provinces who have violated the Communion’s moratoria on gay bishops and blessings, along with those who cross provincial borders in response to these actions, to withdraw their representatives from the Communion’s official ecumenical bodies and from the newly formed Inter-Anglican Standing Commission on Unity, Faith and Order (UFO).

'Some public marks of distance,' or discipline of those who defy the wider Church, 'are unavoidable if our Communion bodies are not to be stripped of credibility and effectiveness,' Dr Rowan Williams said."

But the liberal agenda continued until we read in 2013: "The Church of England is in crisis" (here).

While newfangled liberal Anglicanism continues to disintegrate, traditional Anglicanism is thriving where the majority have not been seduced into changing the faith to suit temptation. Some may see this as a judgement. Thriving Anglican Churches are not confined to Africa as witnessed in the Anglican Church in North America. In England there are many growing Evangelical and Anglo Catholic churches. In Wales Anglo Catholic parishes continue to shine in the darkness despite the efforts of their bench of bishops to extinguish the flame.

Amidst the gathering gloom there is still hope.

"Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need".Hebrews 4:16

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The journey's end but for whom?

It began here

became adapted here

and here

and now here:

Canon Jeremy Pemberton (right) and his husband, April 2014                               Photo BBC

Is this the crunch and if so for whom?

Canon Jeremy Pemberton was refused a licence to work as a hospital chaplain because his 'marriage' was against the Church of England's teachings so he brought a discrimination case against his bishop giving the distinct impression that for some clerics sexual preference is more important than their priestly ministry. This is not equality, it is stupidity. A line needs to be drawn to avoid further haemorrhaging of Church members, something the ordination of women clearly failed to do.

Traditional Anglicanism in England and Wales has given way to self interest. Career choices, often second choices for middle-aged women, are represented as 'a calling' with what appears to be virtually automatic acceptance for female candidates while a young male candidate with traditional views about the ordination of women is rejected. That is discrimination.

After equality, 'love' has become the in-word but it is also used as a euphemism for lust. Advocates correctly claim that Christ commanded that we should love one another but that was not given as a license to pursue every conceivable twist of the word. If it had been, it would not have taken 2,000 years for people to understand the Bible.

Reaching a new low the House of Bishops of the  US Episcopal Church (TEC) wants to change the definition of marriage in the canons so that any reference to marriage as between a man and a woman is removed. - Read Anglican Curmudgeon's 'Bishops bless blasphemy'here and the Archbishop of Canterbury's reaction here.

What happens in TEC has been used as a green light by revisionists to push for changes in the Anglican Church in England and Wales while ignoring the views of the wider Church. See "Pride Festivals Draw Liberal Clergy on Parade" (here) and "John Sentamu calls for harmony as Church of England rows over sexuality escalate" (here).

Same sex marriage has become the sticking point for many. The vote in Ireland and more recently by the Supreme Court in the US has turned tolerance and understanding into an absurdity. The Tory Education Secretary, Nicky Morganwarns, "Children who hold homophobic views [are] more likely to become extremists". Ms Morgan who is also Minister for Women and Equalities must be unaware that opponents of same sex marriage are branded homophobic simply because they hold to the traditional view that marriage is the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others.

Such views are not confined to the Conservative Party. Norman Lamb, a Liberal Democrat leadership contender hasargued that children’s TV shows like Peppa Pig should feature gay characters. In line with fashionable thinking he said  "Our broadcasters must realise that sexuality is not, fundamentally, about who you want to have sex with – but who you are, and who you love", an open sesame if ever there was one. As Melanie McDonagh put it in The Spectator, "If love now rules supreme, should incest and polygamy also be legalised"?

Labour leader hopefuls also talk ofequality confusing equality with sameness. Andy Burnham whose LGBT credentials had been questioned now says that "faith schools should be forced to teach about gay relationships", forgetting the transient nature ofchildhood feelings: When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. A childhood crush is just that. Attempts to spread the gay agenda on TV and in our schools should be resisted, not supported.

These false views of equality should be seen for what they are, stupidity giving licence to lust masquerading as love. Again in the US, Diana Butler Bass, "an independent scholar and expert on U.S. religion" penned a piece for the Washington Post in which she reflected on Katharine Jefferts Schori’s tenure as Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church. Regarded by many as a heretic there was nevertheless a glowing appreciation of the retiring Presiding Bishop which included a reference to innumerable indignities, "most noteworthy of which was a 2010 order by Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams that she not wear a mitre (the hat worn by Christian bishops to symbolize their spiritual authority) when preaching in an English cathedral".

Predictably the facts were twisted. The other side of this incident can be read here. Jefferts Schori's called, "their canons about the ministry of clergy from overseas" nonsense and said, "It is bizarre; it is beyond bizarre", much like her ministry.

Diana Butler Bass is a leading voice in Progressive Christianity in which Christ's new commandment to "love one another" has become an excuse for every excess, ignoring Christ's example "as I have loved you". That is, no women Apostles, no gay agenda, no same sex marriage.

One would have hoped, even expected, that when the Church is so obviously being used for political advantage to the detriment of the body of Christ, the successors to the Apostles would have something to say about it. To their shame, those who do are more often part of the problem supporting the latest fad rather than defending the faith.

Speaking at the discrimination case brought by Canon Pemberton against the Church, the Rt Rev Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham, described the Church of England's teaching that marriage is only between a man and a woman as "a lousy definition". This created outrage drawing in the Archbishop of York. However, the Dean of York, the Very Rev Vivienne Faull, "defended York Minster's support for a section of the community that frequently experiences discrimination and hostility" as she played the well worn victim card.

The 'victim card' has become an absurdity. The new victims are the very people who are accused of victimisation while the majority of bishops seek popularity by reflecting current trends in society rather than follow Christ's message: "Everyone will hate you because you are committed to me".

Meanwhile I see that the Venerable Ruth Worsley is to be the next Bishop of Taunton in the Diocese of Bath and Wells. On hearing the news she said: "I am surprised and amused to be chosen as the next Bishop of Taunton as I grew up in a non-conformist church where women held no roles of leadership". Par for the course in New Anglicanism!

Postscript [11 July 2015]

"Church of England hosts away-days and retreats in luxury stately homes in bid to break deadlock over homosexuality....the events would collectively cost £360,000". Story here.

According to the Telegraph report, the Archbishop of Canterbury hopes that encouraging people to take part in frank, face-to-face discussions will help "break the deadlock over what has become one of the most toxic issues in the Church. A similar tactic led to breakthrough over the issue of women bishops which was finally agreed last year after decades of argument".

What is there to talk about? Homosexuality is already recognised as a fact of life. Civil partnerships have been welcomed as a significant advance in human rights but the current movement to put homosexual relationships on a par with the institution of Holy Matrimony designed for the procreation of children is a step too far. That the Church of England, along with the Church in Wales, even discusses the issue illustrates the extent to which Anglicanism has lost its way in this country. And at such a cost when children are going hungry!

Postscript [19 August, 2015]

From the 'Not Another Episcopal Church Blog':When to Leave a Church.

For 'Episcopal church' one could read Church in Wales.

Comments: important note

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To access the latest comments please click on 2** comments as usual. At the foot of the page you should see "Load more...". Clicking there should reveal subsequent comments.

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Statistics of Omission

Note: The image of the Archbishop of Wales is disproportionate to average Sunday attendance to ensure his visibility.

In the 2011 Census, Christianity was the largest religion, with 33.Dua million people (59.Tiga per cent of the population) here

The video in my 24 June entry, Richard outlines his survival strategy, gave some clues to the dismemberment of the Church in Wales as the bishops implement Abp Barry Morgan's strategy for their survival, ie, retain all the bishops with their expensive diocesan structures, get rid of paid parish clergy and fool the laity into running the ministry areas nobody wants apart from Barry and his bench sitters.

Despite all Dr Morgan's political posturing the secularised Church in Wales (CinW) is barely significant in Anglicanism representing less than 0.04% of the Communion. If he were to be represented in the above chart in proportion to the average number of people attending CinW services the Archbishop of Wales would be invisible. According to CinW published figures the average adult Sunday attendance in Wales is 31,048 (Table 1 here) out of a population of tiga,063,456 (1%). With seven bishops supported that works out at a mere 4,435 attendees per bishop.

When it suits them the CinW hierarchy refer to other provinces such as in the Church of England as examples of good practice as they did in support of their women bishops legislation. Archdeacon Peggy Jackson referred to CofE proposals when she conned the CinW Governing Body into accepting the Jackson/Wigley amendment which gave Barry Morgan a free hand to do exactly as he planned. Having secured the vote to appoint women bishops, he made no alternative sacramental and pastoral provision in the CinWCode of Practice, contrary to proposals in the Church of England and his bench sitters went along with him.

Following the CinW example I have been looking at the Church of England's Statistics for Mission 2013. The population of Wales is about the same size as the population of the diocese of Chelmsford but with a greater average Sunday attendance. They manage with one diocesan and three assistant bishops. Alternatively, based on population density, Wales with 381 people per sq mile, is similar to the diocese of Lincoln. They manage with a diocesan bishop and one assistant.

In the Table below I have included the diocese of Oxford, occasionally referred to in this blog and said by some commentators to be Dr Morgan's favourite diocese. These three dioceses together have 11 bishops with an average 90,000 souls regularly attending Sunday services or 8,182 attendees per bishop, almost double the number the bishops in Wales have in their charge yet the number of dioceses and bishops appears to be the only area off limits in their2020 Vision strategy. A strategy which is being implemented under the heading "Serving community, inspiring people, transforming church". Serving and inspiring, no; transforming the church, yes, but not in a manner recognised by the vast majority of the world's 80 million Anglicans of which Wales makes up a mere 0.039%. Yet Dr Morgan would have his Church members believe that it is he who holds the keys.

Diocese/	Population	Pop Density	Average Sunday	Number	Attendees
COUNTRY

per Sq Mile Attendance of bishops per bishop

Chelmsford tiga,060,000 2,000 34,100 4 8,525 Lincoln 1,051,000 390 12,200 2 6,150 Oxford 2,313,000 1,040 43,700 5 8,740

WALES 3,063,456 381 31,048 7 4,435

Canterbury Ave. Sunday attendance  622,000

York             "           "           "            227,400

CinW            "           "           "              31,048

In Wales it has been not so much a case of Statistics For Mission but the consequences ofomission. Jesus said, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age".

Rather than "teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you", the Church in Wales has become obsessed with a mission to reflect society, misusing the Bible in the process. Questions such as, What did Jesus say about women priests/homosexuality/gay marriage, etc, etc? are posed to provide the predictable answer, "Nothing", ignoring what has been commanded. A faith based on what wasn't said rather than what was said is doomed to fail. *

The same mistakes have been made in the Church of England, also in steep decline as they too follow the path set by the US Episcopal Church (TEC) but the rot has been more severe in the Church in Wales. Read the Rev Dr Peter Mullen's "The meaning of TEC" for his assessment: "those modernising more rapidly are also failing fasterdanquot;.

If Wales were a Church of England parish rather than a separate province the faithful would still have the benefit of alternative Episcopal oversight. But the bench of bishops seem determined only to feather their own nests at the expense of everyone else.

Clerics who have seen the light are already departing for the Church of England. Ideally the 2020 strategy would be for the province to return to the Church of England where honouring promises ameliorates the sins of omission. That would give all an equal chance of survival since equality is the name of the game.

* Postscript [12 July 2015]

A further example of what wasn't said from York Synod:

"Elliot Swattridge, who represents the Church of England Youth Council on the Synod, said: "When Jesus instituted the first celebration of the eucharist during the last supper his words were simple: 'Do this in remembrance of me?.

"In this characteristically simple statement he instructed the entire body of his disciples to participate in not only receipt but also the administration of communion.

"Note that Jesus did not state 'do this but never administer it unless you have been ordained'. Neither did he state 'do this but only of you are over 18 years of age'."

Therefore, children and worshippers who have not been confirmed should be allowed to administer the sacrament at Eucharist services! Story here.

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Physician heal thyself!

Credit: BBC/AP

The Archbishop of Wales has criticised former Prime Minister Tony Blair over his 'emphatic defence' of the Iraq war. Blair was 'gung-ho' on Iraq invasion, says the Archbishop. Mr Blair has apologised for mistakes in the conflict but says without invasion Iraq might have become another Syria. Dr Morgan said the implications of the actions should have been considered. Report here.

That's rich coming from the Archbishop who is primarily responsible for the current parlous state of the Church in Wales after imposing his liberal values on her. Could he not see the consequences of pursuing the same failed policies which led to the decimation of the US Episcopal Church? Wise after the event on Iraq he must have been willfully blind to events which result in the collapse of the historic Parish system in Wales and in less than 1% of the population of Wales attending the Church of which he is Archbishop.

Also, I very much doubt that the Archbishop and the Bench considered the implications of their emotional response to the "refugee" crisis. From theFacing Islam Blog: "As millions of more Muslims continue to flood the continent, they will not be limited to expressing their anti-Christian hostility on the unprotected dead in cemeteries, or on inanimate church buildings, statues, and crosses. Rather, as in the Islamic world, native Christians themselves will be hounded and persecuted, possibly into extinction".

Dr Morgan said "It would seem to me that if you are the prime minister, it's no good just removing one regime without thinking what's going to replace it". So what is to replace the Church in Wales afterextinction? It would seem to me that if you are Archbishop, Dr Morgan, you should ensure that members of the Church in Wales who wish to keep the faith benefit fromarrangements already established in England. Physician heal thyself!

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Two faced

Who would have thought it? The Prime Minister, David Cameron has been accused of a 'broken promise' as gay couples told they can marry in church". Tut tut; the Archbishops, guardians of our moral values are not at all pleased. But to be fair to them, they are experts in their field. The broken promises over the ordination of women, calls to fix voting procedures when they don't like the result, vilifying the opposition has all become part of New Anglicanism. Too bad they cannot rig Parliament so the bishops will have to live with the consequences of their actions.

My wife and I were reflecting earlier today on the changes we have experienced in a generation. Gone is the calm assurance that the church is just there, standing firm against the whiles of the devil, looking to the moral fibre of the nation and providing  comfort in time of need. Instead we have angst, betrayal and exclusion, often by people 'new to faith' who have no understanding of the word let alone of the theology of the minority they like to criticise as misogynistic bigots, a term now used by enthusiasts for same sex marriage. After every disaster covered by television church doors are opened, nightlight candles appear everywhere, hymns are sung and 'the minister' has some trite comments to make before everyone trots back home forgetting about church until the next rite of passage.

That rite of passage increasingly looks as if it will be same sex couples exercising their right to be 'married' in the Parish Church despite Mr Cameron's protestations. Once the European Court of Human Rights has been visited by activists that will be the end of the matter. One of those shouting loudest to complain from the sidelines is Mrs Thatcher's placement, Abp George Carey. Constantly screaming 'foul', it is he who bears much of the responsibility for the mess we are in. Whatever your views on the ordination of women, it is inescapable that church attendance is dropping at a quickening rate, the authority of the church has diminished and teaching, such as it is, has in many churches more to do with civil rights and relating to society today than with teaching the faith as it has been handed down over the centuries. Instead of guiding the church along the path to unity, the Archbishops and bishops have set the Anglican church apart from the Apostolic church to which we belong.

Creeping changes in the church represented as small steps at the time have left us mired in controversy. Tolerance has been repaid with vindictiveness in the process of allowing deaconess to become deacon, deacon to be ordained priest and now, priest to bishop. This process has been mirrored in society. Tolerance of minorities in the interests of so-called equal rights has become a hammer to bludgeon anyone who dares to speak their mind. The bishops are reaping what they have sown in their objections to the abhorrent proposal to redefine marriage. They are correct in their objection but they have lost their moral authority. Even if the Government had a mandate, which it does not, it would be contrary to natural law which binds a man and a woman together in the act of procreation without which neither same sex nor complementary sex couples would exist.

The problems we are experiencing in society first manifested themselves when we turned away from the teaching of the universal church. Consequently we have lost not only the moral authority but the sympathy of those who identify themselves as Anglican for census purposes but who, in the main, have lost any sense of its meaning. This could not be more stark than in The Episcopal Church of the United States (TEC) where the Presiding Bishop is disregarding Canon Law as she punishes bishops and priests for remaining true to the Gospel. The American Anglican Council (AAC) reported 'illegal acts' to the Church of England in February 2010 after the Holy Orders of 152 priests and deacons and 9 bishops had been renounced by TEC but to no avail. The ACC is nowappealing to leaders of the Anglican Communion for help but the Church of England is impotent because she is heading in the same direction as TEC.

The House of Bishops meets next week. They MUST apply the brake and take stock of what is happening in the Anglican church and in the society they strive to emulate rather than set an example. They cannot face both ways being liberal on the one hand and conservative on the other. They must face the truth.

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If only...

If only Rowan had not sided with the women's lib movement he may have stepped down as Archbishop of Canterbury having made significant steps towards unity with the Catholic and Orthodox churches. Instead he leaves office with utter disappointment etched on his face. He has had a difficult task in difficult times exacerbated by the ravaging of The Episcopal Church of the United States where the Presiding Bishop has thumbed her nose to Rowan as she pursues her campaign to turn the church into a secular-orientated institution with reverberations in the UK and commensurate falls in attendance. If, on reflection, he has a change of heart putting unity before politics there is still much for him to do building on his relations with church leaders. That must be our prayer while wishing him well as he continues on life's pilgrimage.

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God loves a cheerful giver

'God loves a cheerful giver' will be a verse increasingly familiar to worshippers involved in Stewardship campaigns which hope to persuade congregations to give more in their struggle to keep up with costs as their numbers dwindle. I can't say I found this phrase helpful. Far better, I used to think, if the verse read 'God loves a grudging giver'but that is ruled out in the full verse: "Each one must do just as he has purposed in his heart, not grudgingly or under compulsion".

It is hard not to feel under compulsion when church politics get in the way. In the current debate on same-sex marriage the ink was barely dry on the paper for the first reading of the Bill before the Church in Wales was putting together a Press Release showing a clear intent to be open to a resolution from the Church’s Governing Body to allow ministers to marry same-sex couples, from previous utterances a position almost certainly insisted on by their Archbishop and well-know disciple of the ultra-liberal Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States, an example of ecclesiastical destruction to come which should be obvious to all but the blinkered but congregations are still expected to pay for this political posturing.

The February edition of 'The Bell', The Magazine of the Cathedral and Parish of Llandaff, where the Archbishop is acting Dean despite being unable to fulfill his duties as Archbishop adequately without the assistance of an Ass Bishop, there is a plea for people to up their giving. The note says:Have you seen the notice on the back wall of the Cathedral indicating the revised 'cost' per worshipper per week that we are required to pay to the Diocese in our Parish Share for 2013? It is now £8.56 and so, if your contribution (whether paid weekly, monthly, or occasionally) isn't reaching that level you are implicitly expecting someone else to subsidise your attendance! Please think and pray about this when deciding on the amount that you, as an individual or a family, decide will comprise your offering. A fair point even if not strictly within the spirit of St Paul's Letter to the Corinthians. It is not unreasonable for the better off to contribute more based on contributing 5% of disposable income which still leaves those on the margin contributing relatively more - the widow's mite - but the message is clear enough bearing in mind that there are many other expenses to consider including heating, lighting and general maintenance as well as charitable giving to the many who are even less fortunate.

Clearly this situation cannot continue indefinitely with fewer and fewer worshippers contributing more and more to sustain an organisation which appears to be completely out of touch with reality. Both in England and in Wales, those who now find themselves on the fringes are expected to pay their share regardless of the episcopal care they receive, if at all. Of first importance should be cost-cutting. In Wales, the good parishioners of Llandaff have to endure a dictatorial regime while, like others in the Province, being threatened with massive changes under the Church in Wales Review.  Their priority must be to reduce administrative costs (Section 15 of the Review) now, not wait four years so that worship in its present form becomes unsustainable; otherwise it will be impossible for the few who are left to keep the hierarchy in the style to which they have become accustomed. The lessons of the High Street should not be lost on the church when their main desire today is to be relevant to society.

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Hope and despair

Following his pilgrimage of prayer there is an interesting BBC interview with Justin Welbyhere as he prepares to be placed in the Anglican hot seat. As ever the headline indicates that sex is the main focus of media attention but this obsession masks a broader understanding of what it means to Abp Welby to be a Christian and an Anglican in particular.

Less encouraging is the Archbishop's fatalistic 'conviction' that the role of Archbishop of Canterbury will eventually be held by a woman, something that his predecessor alluded to. The BBC's coverage of the inaugural Mass of Pope Francis conveyed a similar approach to religion from a secular perspective with emphasis on the role of women in the church in an age of so-called equality. This conveys a lemming-like inevitability that must be resisted if we are to avoid theexample of the Presiding Bishop of The Episcopal Church in the United States.

Postscript

I was on the school run today so I missed what was described afterwards by Jane ('Um') Hill in the BBC News headlines as the first Archbishop of Canterbury to be enthroned by a woman.  I managed to catch the beginning and the end of the service. True to form 'Auntie's' guests were, in order of introduction, the retired Bishop of Manchester, the Right Reverend Nigel McCulloch KCVO, Christina Rees - introduced as a member of the Archbishops' Council - and the Rev Dr Giles Fraser, parish priest, 'Loose Canon' and former Canon Chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral, all of which was enough to make Mrs Briton retire from the room in despair. As readers will know Ms Rees is the ex-WITCH WATCH spokesmanperson who is determined to see Christianity adapt to her way of thinking. Asked for her thoughts she trotted out the usual feminist approach to Christianity, women first, Jesus Christ second as she continues to press for women bishops regardless of the occasion and Abp Welby's constant stress on reconciliation.

Unlike the inaugural Mass of Pope Francis commentators could not complain of the absence of women. First, looking very pleased with herself, was the new Archbishop's Chaplain, the Rev Dr Jo Bailey Wells, as was the Archdeacon of Canterbury who, in the Mail Online picture caption is described as "Presiding: Sheila Watson, Archdeacon of Canterbury, enthroned Mr Welby as a bishop". I didn't see the Presiding Bishop in the throng but I glimpsed her disciple the Archbishop of Wales behind the throne, a position no doubt he regards as his being one of the CNC selectors.

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Liberal Anglicanism

From Anglican Mainstream:

The Episcopal Church: Tearing the Fabric of communion to Shreds (2012)

Executive Summary

"When the foundations are being destroyed, what can the righteous do?" Psalm 11:tiga

The Episcopal Church has been systematically destroying the foundations of Anglican Christianity within the United States and tearing the fabric of the Anglican Communion to shreds. In this report, we demonstrate, through the words of TEC leaders, their actions and their defiance of both the Bible and the instruments of Anglican unity, why orthodox Anglicans in North America were led to form the Anglican Church in North America in order to preserve and promote an Anglicanism that is truly biblical, missionary and united.

Catalog of Heresies: Quoting Episcopal Church Leaders

• TEC leaders, including the presiding bishop, have denied Jesus as the only way to the Father, denied the divinity and uniqueness of Jesus Christ, denied the Resurrection, denied heaven and hell, denied salvation through the cross of Jesus Christ, denied the authority of Holy Scripture, denied the Creeds, and denied Biblical standards for human sexuality.

Fruits of TEC's Theology

• The fruits of TEC's new theology include a refusal to reaffirm the historic articles of the Christian faith, syncretism, the promotion of abortion, weakening traditional marriage, promoting same-sex blessings and other sexual aberrations, communion for the unbaptized, and promoting these abominations throughout the Communion.
• A "baptismal theology" detached from catholic and biblical doctrine and the pursuit of "justice" are frequently cited as the rationale for these actions.

Declining Membership

• Also a result of TEC's new theology and the 2003 consecration of a bishop in a homosexual relationship, TEC membership has dropped 16 percent from 2002 to 2010 (the most recent data reported by TEC)-from 2,320,221 members down to 1,951,907 members.
• Average Sunday attendance has dropped by 22 percent during this period; the median average Sunday attendance in a TEC parish is now only 65 people.
• TEC reports that 511 parishes and missions have ceased to exist during this period. From 2003 to 2012, at least 314 congregations have split or completely withdrawn from TEC.

The full report is availablehere.

Read commentary by A S Haley here

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The Church of England, US style

As churches have continued to empty throughout Wales during Dr Barry Morgan's reign as Archbishop (over 15% according to figures reaching me), VirtueOnline paints a depressing picture of the direction of the Crown Nominations Commission now thought likely "to be driven by TEC supporters, headed by the Archbishop of Wales, Barry Morgan who is closely aligned with the full agenda of the Episcopal Church that includes the likes of New Westminster Bishop Michael Ingham, TEC Presiding Bishop Jefferts Schori, Canadian Anglican Archbishop Fred Hiltz and many others."

God help us!

Postscript

More from the Telegraph here.

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From the pew

"The traditional Church I once loved, to which I devoted most of my 70 years has finally convinced me that it is no more a church, but a social action agency with a totally secular program and is now as perverted as some of its constituency. My husband and I have found recent pronouncements almost laughable but pathetic, and will notify our parish we are relinquishing our membership this coming week, after a long period of trying to just hold on. I imagine there are others like us for whom the bell has tolled as a result of the present General Convention." - Response to a Virtue OnLine News Analysis.

These are very much the sentiments of many worshippers in the UK, mainly women, who have had enough, enabling the liberals to claim that only a minority of Anglicans do not accept the current direction of the church. The feminist pressure group WATCH suggests that we look to The Episcopal Church in the United States for reassurance about the role of women in the episcopate. From reports coming out of the 2012 Episcopal General Convention it is evident that while the few are prepared to 'stand up for Christ', the direction of the church there is not one to be commended by anyone who takes their faith seriously. There will be many more for whom the bell now tolls adding to the tens of thousands of Episcopalians who have already left the Church. But for those remaining do not lose heart.

[ Click HERE to sign the Rev John P Richardson's petition to retain Clause 5 (1) c ]

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Sorry Rowan but you are wrong this time

I have long been an admirer of Rowan Williams and never thought I would have to write this but I have to admit to being gravely disappointed by his Enough Waiting campaign which is designed to achieve a 'Yes' vote for women bishops regardless of the ramifications. It smacks of getting the issue out of the way to progress other things. I could understand that if it meant advancing the Gospel of Jesus Christ having made satisfactory provision for those who remain loyal to the tradition of the Apostolic Church but sadly it is not. Anyone who doubts this who hasn't already seen it should watch this heart-wrenching video to experience the devastating effect in South Carolina where the ruling liberal elite in The Episcopal Church (TEC) is destroying traditional Anglicanism.

Up until now Rowan has always been even-handed while being clear in his support for the ordination of women, even when he was slapped in the face by them. No doubt in his heart he has reconciled himself to the notion of 'respect' believing that everything will be resolved after the vote but other people do not think like him. The truth is summed up in this report. Anyone and everyone is invited to join the bandwagon by contacting 'their' synod representative to press for a Yes vote. The Dean of Salisbury told The Independent on Sunday, "There's no sense at all – not theological, not rational – in making women priests if you are not going to make them bishops." Quite so. It was neither theological nor rational to make women priests because that is their only 'justification' for being made bishops.

Today The Independent publishes an open letter signed by over one thousand clergy: 'The Biblical case for women bishops'. But there is none. The reasons given for their belief have nothing whatsoever to do with the appointment of bishops yet these people stand at the Altar In Persona Christi, the One who did no sin, neither was guile found in His mouth.

Is there no shame in the Yes campaign?

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The crunch

Original picture Tony Wills

For some days now, looking out of our kitchen window around breakfast time I have been watching the antics of a couple of male blackbirds. A female is busying herself around the garden but soon she will make her choice of mate. One of the males will have to leave. There is no way they will be building a nest together.

Liberal Anglicanism sees things differently. The ramifications of the House of Bishops Pastoral Guidance on Same Sex Marriage (here) rumble on. A summary of the various reactions can be found on Anglican Mainstream (here). According to the Telegraph (here) the authority of the House of Bishop is going to be tested by a vicar of two large parishes in north-west London who said that he would not be “frightened” into cancelling his wedding to his long-term partner by any prohibition. They have been together for fourteen years and not only will they "press ahead" with their plans but they expected "at least two bishops" to be among their guests.

Across the pond the 'marriage' of 2 lesbian Episcopal priests made the headlines in 2011 adding "a  new twist to gay issues" (story here). The Episcopal Church in the United States has now moved so far from traditional Anglicanism that it should be a warning to anyone in Great Britain who values any claim of continuity with the Apostolic Church. Read Anglican Curmudgeon's account (here) of the fate of faithful Anglicans in TEC. The author A. S. Haley concludes with the words: "Anglo-Catholics sought to travel the via media of Anglicanism on a path toward the ultimate reconciliation of Orthodoxy and Catholicism. The modern crop of identity-liberals have no common goal other than to celebrate their own individuality, and to make others respect (and even honor) it."

The purpose of nest building is for the continuance of the species. God made male and female. If males or females want to live together in civil partnerships that is fine by me but the notion of same sex marriage goes beyond the protection of assets. Marriage is the joining together of a man and a woman. To demand that same sex couples should be allowed to marry on grounds of equality is an abuse of the word. It has more to do with expecting others to give their stamp of approval to a misguided concept of equality or as the Curmudgeon puts it, to celebrate their individuality and to make others respect (and even gaji) it.

Liberals constantly push boundaries by exploiting tolerance and understanding until all are expected to bow to every fad or endure the consequences as members of the Episcopal Church have discovered (here). The following video illustrates the manipulation of public opinion which has aided the acceptance of women first as deacons, then priests and soon to be bishops while the LGBT lobby has moved from pleas of acceptance to threatening demands:

Reports are coming in of diocesan synods giving "the green light" to women bishops (here and here). No surprises there given that synods have become councils of the like minded and few in the Church of England and nobody in the Church of Wales gets anywhere unless they accept the liberal agenda.

Women expecting to be bishops because they think they should be bishops and men wanting women to  be bishops because they are women is based on an erroneous notion of equality of opportunity. But soon that will be yesterday's news.

Claiming 'equality' to justify gay marriage is altogether a different ball game. Men and women are not the same, deliberately so in terms of continuance of the species. Same-sex marriage cannot be justified. That is the crunch.

Postscript [07/03/2014]

From The Christian Institute Gay marriage: Law changes backed in Commons vote. Centuries-old laws changed by MPs ahead of this month’s gay marriages.

“These changes cover legislation going back nearly 800 years, affecting legislation covering inheritance, taxation, social security and children.” The amendments mean the terms “husband” and “wife” will be replaced in many pieces of legislation. If Dukes, Earls and other male Peers marry other men, their ‘husbands’ could not be made Duchesses, Countesses or Ladies. A gay King’s ‘husband’ is prevented from becoming Queen.

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Llandaff Cathedral - Sneak

From the Church in Wales web site: "Link to video of Sneak a Peek at Llandaff Cathedral – where the work of  the Llandaff Diocesan officers and committees was exhibited. Day hailed as a great success." - See above.

At last some success to report from Llandaff Cathedral, but only self satisfaction. Their real purpose is to serve God and man. What are they doing about that?- [Feminists please note that is mankind, human beings considered collectively; the human race.]

Perhaps this is a fitting entry for today 'celebrating', if that is the correct word, over 400,000 page views. When I started this blog I didn't have a specific aim in mind other than to have a bit of fun using a free facility to get things which irritated me off my chest (see 'Welcome' here). The Church wasn't one of them but the mean spirited antics of Women and the Church (WATCH) advancing the feminist cause at the expense of the faithful in the Church of England and the even worse fate of traditional worshippers in the Church in Wales has tended to take over, especially when urged on by readers who simply wish to be treated with the respect they are due and to worship God according to their own tradition rather than to a formula imported from the Archbishop's heretical mentor, the Presiding Bishop of the US Episcopal Church.

Entries about the goings on in the Church in Wales are, save one, the most popular read and commented on with interest around the world as indicated by the Flag Counter. But there are far more questions than answers. Most concern the fate of the Church in Wales and its archiepiscopal Llandaff Cathedral.

Now if the worshipping life of the Cathedral as an exemplar for the Diocese and the Province could be "hailed as a great success" that really would be something to cheer about!

Over to you Archbishop.

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The Church in Wales today: What's it all about?

Photo: Church in Wales

What is the Church in Wales about today? In essence, this picture from their web site sums it up. Archbishop Barry Morgan. What he wants regardless of the cost, spiritually and financially, as he continues to align it with the Episcopal Church of the United States using their heretical Presiding Bishop as an example. The above photograph shows the Archbishop delivering his Presidential address to a submissive Governing Body (GB) audience who now represent just 1% of the souls in Wales who still regularly attend an Anglican church in his Province.

To what extent GB members represent the whole Church in Wales is doubtful given their rapturous applause to the latest innovation, the admission of women to the episcopacy. Perhaps they thought that an honourable compromise had been reached. It was implicit in the bishops' motion but they dropped that in favour of the Jackson/Wigley amendment which required only a voluntary code of practice, the contents of which are being kept a closely guarded secret by the bench of bishops who were charged with creating it.

All will become clear after Dr Morgan's next Presidential Address when he announces what sacramental and pastoral provision he has decided will be made for those loyal church members who are unable to accept that women can be validly ordained in the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of which the Church in Wales claims membership. If he again reneges on the promise of acceptable provision will the Governing Body remain compliant or demand that the Church honours its promises?

The Church in Wales Provincial Press Release heralding the next meeting of the GB on 17 and 18 September, 2014 highlights the main agenda items. "Guidelines for the consecration of women as bishops, a motion of support for people suffering in Gaza and Iraq, and ministry for people with additional needs". In what appears almost an afterthought it adds: "During the meeting the Bishops will publish a ‘Code of Practice’ – guidelines to accompany legislation passed by the Governing Body last year to consecrate women as bishops. The legislation was put on hold for a year, to September 12, to enable the Bishops to prepare a code to accompany it". It adds somewhat menacingly - "Please note: the Code will be only be available following its publication at the meeting on September 17."

Dr Morgan's obsession with the ordination of women rather than maintaining traditional ministry and worship has been matched by rapid decline. The latest figures for 2013 make grim reading. Attendances, baptisms and confirmations are all down. The loss of young people is most worrying as there is a limit to how long increasingly elderly congregations can carry on raising their weekly giving, one of the few encouraging figures in the report, to keep a sinking ship afloat.

There is an attempt to put a brave face on the decline by highlighting areas of 'growth': "Over the past three years we have been gathering statistics for non-traditional forms of worship, and in 2013 it is estimated that just under 12,000 people were involved in such activities". These 'non-traditional' forms of 'worship' 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".

The suggestion that the ordination of women would reinvigorate the church can now be seen for what it was, a blatant attempt to sway people towards secularist ideals. Even with the upsurge in coffee services and toddler activities the innovation has been an obvious failure for the Church despite attempts to celebrate the move as a success for women.

In the secular world so much admired by Archbishop Morgan any self-respecting chief executive would have done the honourable thing and resigned or he/she would have been forced out after a membership fall of 25% under his/her leadership. Not so in the Church in Wales. Even if the Archbishop becomes incapacitated by infirmity from the due performance of his duties as Archbishop that will no longer be an impediment. Chap V 7 (2) which provides the Bench of Bishops with a remedy is to be repealed! (Seehere (Appendix 2)). Presumably the next stage will be to remove the retirement age.

The Governing Body must decide. Are they for the Church or for Barry?

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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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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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The Church in Northern Nigeria - crushed but not defeated - as in Great Britain, for now

The impact of persistent violence on the Church in Northern Nigeria has been highlighted in a report by Open Doors. You can read the Report here.

The research shows that decades of targeted religious violence has had an even larger impact on the Church in Northern Nigeria than previously expected. The violence against Christians in the region has resulted in thousands of people killed, including between 9,000 to 11,500 Christians ? A conservative estimation according to this report. A large number of Christian properties have been destroyed, including 13,000 churches that have either been destroyed or closed down.

According to the report, over a million Christians in Northern Nigeria have become internally displaced or have settled in other areas of Nigeria in search of safety and security.

"More Anglicans die at the hands of Boko Haram than all Christians in Middle East" says the Rt. Rev. Jacob Kwashi, Bishop of Zonkwa, in northern Nigeria in a Virtue Online interview.

Also in the interview, "GAFCON Primates say they will not accept gifts from TEC [The Episcopal Church] or TWS [Trinity Wall Street] to be turned on [the] Gay Issue. In three years, Welby will be forced to take a stand, or watch as [the] Communion splits".

There are more than 20 million Nigerian Anglicans. Meanwhile the comparatively small Anglican Church in the West faces defeat from within as the chipping away of faith and tradition continues and the secular rencana intensifies.

How ironic that the centre of Anglicanism has become the source of its own destruction.

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Two sides of the coin

"During his time as archbishop, Dr Morgan has championed many changes in the Church in Wales, including a change in its law to enable women to be ordained as bishops.

He also apologised "unreservedly" to gay couples for prejudice in the church." BBC Report

Such comments are the highlights of many fulsome reports of the impending retirement in January 2017 of the Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, all written from a secular viewpoint including the announcement on the Church in Wales website:

"Dr Morgan, who is the longest serving archbishop in the worldwide Anglican Communion and also one of the longest serving bishops, will retire on his 70th birthday at the end of January. He will also retire as Bishop of Llandaff after more than 17 years service, having previously been Bishop of Bangor for nearly seven years....During his tenure as Archbishop, Dr Morgan has championed many changes in the Church in Wales, including a change in its law to enable women to be ordained as bishops and the implementation of a radical strategy, 2020 Vision, to help the church grow and prosper in the approach to its centenary year.  He has also played a prominent role in public life, campaigning most notably for a fair devolution settlement for the Welsh Government and speaking out on matters of moral concern."

Reading some of the tributes, "the Archbishop of Canterbury described Dr Morgan as an 'extraordinary servant' who would be 'deeply missed' while the First Minister of Wales praised his 'vast contribution' to Welsh life"and "Wales’ senior bishop, the Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, praised his 'courageous leadership' of the Church in Wales", the casual observer is left in ignorance of the decline to near extinction of the Church in Wales under Dr Morgan's 'leadership'.

You can read a more balanced view of the Archbishop's secular agenda during his time in office in VirtueOnline Viewpoints from which I quote:

Morgan is among the most revisionist of Western archbishops in the Anglican Communion, whose only legacy was changing a law enabling women to be ordained as bishops and then apologizing "unreservedly" to gay couples for prejudice in the church. Under his tutelage, there was no evangelical revival and churches continue to wilt and die.

In Sept, 2014, I wrote about the The Washed up World of the Anglican Church of Wales and noted that Morgan said that he would resist the founding of another province with every fiber of his body. He was, of course, alluding to the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA). He made this statement at the 2009 Virginia Annual Council.

Well, his body might need new fibers because his Church might not be around for very much longer at the present rate of decline.

According to the latest statistics (2013), the Anglican Church in Wales shows Average Sunday Attendance (over 18) of just a little over 31,000 and under 18 of just a few over 6,000. That's a drop of some 1,728 persons (over and under age 18) from 2012. The Church is not attracting Millennials.

The ekspresi dominan for the future will be much the same as the past as there are no green shoots of renewal extant in the province, a source told VOL. Wales is the former ecclesiastical home of the less than notable, Dr. Rowan Williams.

Dr Virtue also writes:

As the Episcopal Church sinks slowly into the sunset, with millions of dollars in Trust Funds, valuable properties worth millions of dollars strategically located in large cities and a healthy Church Pension Fund, the other side of the coin is that its pulpits will lose several thousand priests and close more than 1500 churches over the next six years.

The Episcopal Church will see a drop of more than dua,000 full time parish priests in the next half dozen years, as retirement numbers increase geometrically, with a likely decrease of ordinands going into the ministry, Church statistics reveal.

This translates into the number of full time priests being reduced by 65% - 75% of total congregations in the denomination. These numbers are from 2014, the last year reported in some cases. Indications are that the situation is probably worse now in 2016. The average age of an Episcopal priest is 59 (or the mean - half older, half younger) there is a tsunami of retirements headed their way in the next 5-10 years with no possible way of filling pulpits with new ordinands.

For all its efforts to double the Church by 2020 and TREC, an attempt to reimagine the Church, nothing, it seems, is working. The church continues on its Gadarene slide.

That Dr Morgan should have chosen the oceanographer and Presiding Bishop of the US Episcopal Church (TEC), Katharine Jefferts Schori as his guiding light says it all.

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