Do we want a Church of England as intolerant as the Church in Wales and ECUSA?

"Children at the church's Sunday school have written letters to the bishop about the protestdanquot;

It used to be "Give me a child until he is seven and I will show you the man". Now it is more likely to be 'Give me the child... And I'll show you the woman' as witnessed by the work of St Oswalds' Sunday School children in Knuzden, Lancs.

Their work illustrates that the children in St Oswald's have been tuned to the same wavelength as their vicar's by enthusiastically endorsing her decision to maintain a ten minute silence instead of preaching a sermon in protest against the consecration of the Rev Philip North as the Bishop of Burnley. As the Archbishop of Canterbury has indicated there are many clergy today who could follow the vicar's example, allowing their congregations time for silent reflection but not for the reason stated.

The Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, made his position abundantly clear in his outright rejection of accusations that he was giving credence to a theology of taint but that was not good enough for those who presume to know better. From the Telegraph: The Campaign group WATCH (Women And The Church) said: "We are dismayed that it seems that the Archbishop of York will not lay hands on Philip North at his consecration as Bishop of Burnley. We believe it is unprecedented that an archbishop should be present at a consecration in his own province and not lay hands on a candidate, and not preside at the Eucharist. We are saddened that there will be such a powerful visual sign of a divided College and House of Bishops at the moment of consecration."

They would say that, wouldn't they? If the example of Our Lord Jesus Christ is not good enough for them, who the hell is the Most Reverend and Right Honourable Dr John Sentamu?

Following the Libby Lane circus, the 'new bishop' frenzy has subsided to the point that the consecration of Fr Philip North has warranted only the briefest of mentions, mainly to emphasis divisions invented by the women's lobby in their continuing divisive campaign despite the strenuous efforts of Archbishops of Canterbury and York to put the troubles facing the Church of England behind them. But these farcical feminists frivolities continue. The Feast of the Presentation of Christ in the Temple (Candlemas) was celebrated in St Mary?S Church, Thatcham, last night with a special service to a mark the consecration of the first female bishop in the Church of England as if to emphasis what has become the main priority in the Church of England today.

These sideshows detract from the essential teaching of the One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Catholic faith has been redefined in the Church of England to suit the wants of a few. As one of the art works in the above illustration puts it: "One Church not two!" Unfortunately the irony of that will be lost in St Oswald's under the guidance of their protesting vicar.

Theshow is over for now, to be resumed when the next woman bishop is consecrated and possibly the one after that. Then what, when the occasion becomes old hat?  United we stand, divided we fall!

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Margaret Thatcher: divisive to the end

This morning while hospital visiting I overheard an elderly couple telling anyone who was prepared to listen what a wonderful person Margaret Thatcher was. Clutching a copy of  the Daily Mail, the essential guide for working class Tories, they were pressing all to agree that Port Stanley should be re-named Port Margaret in recognition of Mrs Thatcher's conquering of the "enemy without" adding that she had "done more for the working class than all union officials put together".  The only response came from a frail old man as he shuffled away reminding them that the "enemy within" were the successors of theBevin Boys who helped us win the real war.

Margaret Thatcher could claim some remarkable achievements but that unguarded comment about the enemy within was not one of them. Her policies split the country and problems created for the mining communitieslinger on today as families continue to pay the price of their convictions. At the top of the scale those who were to gain most from the Thatcher revolution have learned nothing as they continue to line their pockets while the rest of us are told to tighten our belts. At the bottom of the scale people worry not only about the cost of living but about the cost of dying with theaverage cost of a funeral exceeding £3,000. It is understandable therefore that people regard spending£10 million of tax-payers money on what appears to be a state funeral in all but name as a grave error of judgement.

But at the end of the day this is what politics is all about. There have been many fulsome tributes and some entertaining speeches in both Houses showing parliament at its best. The Prime Minister and the Leader of the Opposition set examples of propriety in the Commons while Baroness Shirley Williams, another remarkable female politician, gave us a woman's perspective from the Lords where Mrs Thatcher's ever faithful servant Norman Tebbit expressed his profound regret of having "left her at the mercy of her friends"!

Mrs Thatcher served her party well but she was dropped when she became a burden to them. Now, in death, her image is being restored, projecting her as the person who "saved" Britain and made Britain "great" again. That's politics for you but apart from the enormous cost of this exercise it sets a dangerous precedent by drawing the Queen into the political manoeuvering. The Queen's attendance at the funeral appears to endorse the suggestion implied here that she gives royal approval to a period of great divisiveness in which we still live today. That is a matter of great regret.

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A new beginning?

Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church, and Pope Francis met at the Jose Marti

 airport in Havana Feb. 12, 2016 ? The first-ever papal meeting with the head of the Russian

 Orthodox Church, a historic development in the 1,000-year schism within Christianity.

 (Crux / Max Rossi / AP)

That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. John 17:21

The key points in the declaration signed by Pope Francis and Patriarch Kirill after their historic meeting on Friday 12 Feb 2016 reported by Crux include:

• An acknowledgement that ?We have been divided by wounds caused by old and recent conflicts, by differences inherited from our ancestors.?

Deep concern for ?Christians [who] are victims of persecution.? The two leaders said, ?In many countries of the Middle East and North Africa whole families, villages and cities of our brothers and sisters in Christ are being completely exterminated. Their churches are being barbarously ravaged and looted, their sacred objects profaned, their monuments destroyed.?

A plea for greater inter-religious dialogue: ?Differences in the understanding of religious truths must not impede people of different faiths to live in peace and harmony,? The two men said.

Worry about secular hostility to religion: ?We observe that the transformation of some countries into secularized societies, estranged from all reference to God and to His truth, constitutes a grave threat to religious freedom. It is a source of concern for us that there is a current curtailment of the rights of Christians, if not outright discrimination.?

Defense of immigrants and refugees: ?We cannot remain indifferent to the destinies of millions of migrants and refugees knocking on the doors of wealthy nations,? They said.

A strong call for preserving the ?Natural family? Based on marriage between a man and a woman, and the ?Right to life,? Including opposition to abortion and euthanasia.

An invitation to ?Prudence, social solidarity and action aimed at constructing peace? In Ukraine.

Full report here.

In the words of St Benedict "Always we begin againdanquot; -

"that the world may believe that thou hast sent me".

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