“One Church, one Faith, one Lord”

In my youth, our church choir used to sing the last line of each verse of Thy hand, O God, has guided, with great gusto: “one Church, one Faith, one Lord”, lingering lovingly on those last words.

The fifth verse said much:

And we, shall we be faithless?

Shall hearts fail, hands hang down?

Shall we evade the conflict,

and cast away our crown?

Not so: in God’s deep counsels

some better thing is stored:

we will maintain unflinching,

one Church, one Faith, one Lord.

Reports from Wales indicate that their politically obsessed Archbishop is to dine out in celebration of inter-faith dialogue "aimed at promoting understanding and tolerance across the country in the wake of international terrorism fears."

http://www.churchinwales.org.uk/dynamic/press_releases/display_press_release.php?prid=4955

Our church is dying while her leaders play politics. Faith needs to be nurtured; it is much more than a history lesson. Our ministers both sacred and secular must act quickly before it becomes no Church, no faith, one Lord.

http://www.youtube.com/user/Legendry101#p/a/F374EFA5EB9DCAD5/0/WtZ5JrDd8OE

The Church’s one foundation

is Jesus Christ, her Lord;

she is his new creation’

by water and the word;

from heaven he came and sought her

to be his holy bride,

with his own blood he bought her,

and for her life he died.

In some predominately Muslim schools mentioning Jesus is now regarded as unacceptable. The God of Abraham has to be the same God for Jews, Christians and Muslim or there would be three gods so if “God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” why do we deny that truth by not proclaiming the Christian message? As another hymn aptly puts it:

Tolerance and understanding are fine but we are not all playing by the same rules. Christianity is being undermined in our own country.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/educationnews/7805772/Schools-failing-to-teach-children-the-core-beliefs-of-Christianity-says-Ofsted.html

Rather than ‘maintain our church unflinching’, the Anglican church has become irrelevant to most British people except for rites of passage. Ecumenism has given way to inter-faith dialogue while Christians are persecuted abroad. Our tolerance has become our undoing. From The Telegraph: “In non-faith state schools, Christian assemblies are being dropped in favour of multi-faith worship, despite a legal requirement for Christian collective worship, and children are no longer taught the Lord's Prayer” according to an Ofsted report:

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Wake up call

This tiny, carefully constructed island which the warbler calls home has been occupied by a fellow creature which she feeds and cares for as her own. Her inbred instincts of kindness and generosity overwhelm her, completely unaware that the cuckoo in her nest has a wholly different agenda.

The Christian faith which shaped much of our heritage is on the wane but unwittingly its principles still motivate the lives of most people in the British Isles; love thy neighbour, do unto others as you wish to be done by, etc. Familiar Christian landmarks like the vast Cathedral churches struggle on aided by tourism. Smaller churches which were built with their Norman towers in sight of others to warn of invasion still dot the landscape while town and city churches and chapels close, many to become Mosques. And why shouldn?T they people ask? Muslims need somewhere to pray! They ask as though the Muslim call to prayer is simply an expression of a faith which many Christians and other religions have now lost, unaware that it is a completely different religious ideology. They hear talk of peace - but at what price?

Islam is alien to our culture. The Koran is not the same as the Bible. When Muslims talk of peace they mean peace under Islam and Sharia law, not as we know it. Biblical-type argument in which one verse is pitched against another does not exist. In the Koran earlier verses are abrogated by later verses permitting dissemblance and are regarded as commandments. To this aim deception (taqiyya) is not only permitted but encouraged. In religious Islam the objective is clear for those who want to see it. Political Islam is less clear. How much is deception?

There have been warnings in the press of political infiltration but much is ignored in the guise of democratic rights and political correctness. That is a huge mistake. The democratic rights they demand under British law would be denied us under Islam. To allow the spread of a system that seeks to suppress all others is political and religious suicide. If it were a virus there would be health warnings. The fact that it is a religion is worse because people are intimidated against questioning it through fear of being accused of racism yet in Muslim countries Christians are persecuted and driven out. Couldn't happen here? Lebanon used to be a Christian country; it is no longer.

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Liberal values

Women in waiting                                                                                                Photo credit: Telegraph/Jane Mingay

From today's Sunday Times (here £) "Most bishops... do not automatically qualify for a seat in the Lords and there had been fears that it would be a decade or more before a churchwoman sat on parliament’s red benches. Now, in a historic move championed by Nick Clegg, the law will be rewritten so that female bishops jump the queue when a place among the 'lords spiritual' comes up. The first could be appointed to Westminster’s upper chamber as early as next year."

Last year Mr Clegg was awarded an A-plus for hypocrisy in this Mail Online report: "This week it’s the announcement that he — an atheist and the leader of a party that has pledged to make faith schools more inclusive — has succeeded in getting his son into one of the most over-subscribed Catholic state schools in Britain. Entry to the London Oratory School is dependent on at least one parent not only being Catholic, but regularly attending Sunday Mass at the Brompton Oratory for at least three years. Even with these strict criteria, the school had 800 applicants for its 160 places. How very fortunate that the Cleggs were, as the Deputy Prime Minister put it himself yesterday, ‘lucky’ enough to get one."

Mr Clegg is an atheist married to a Catholic. He told the Mail Online that he wouldn’t impose his political will on his wife when it came to educating their children. But that has not prevented him from imposing his political will on religious matters.

In a radio phone-in Mr Clegg said that he would like to see the disestablishment of the Church of England which would lead to the Queen's removal as the head of the church: "In the long run it would be better for the church and better for people of faith, and better for Anglicans, if the church and the state were over time to stand on their own two separate feet." Mr Clegg believes that the Anglican Church would “thrive” if no longer “inhibited” by its role at the heart of the British constitution.

The Anglican Church in England and Wales was supposed to "thrive" following the ordination of women to the priesthood but last month the Bishop of Truro warned that the Church of England has only "five or six years" to save itself. Previously, when the Bishop of Blackburn launched a 12-year-plan to attract younger people to the Church hefeared that unless the Church reinvented itself in his own diocese, it would disappear like the region’s textile industry.

An elected House of Lords has been a "long-cherished goal of the Lib Dems" but plans to reform the second chamber had to be abandoned after the Conservatives "broke the coalition contract" (here).

Perhaps Mr Clegg is getting his own back, doing the same for the House of Lords as women's ordination has done for the Church, steady decline.

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The not so quick and the dead

The Archbishop of Canterbury The Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby pays a visit to St Alban's

  Academy in Highgate                                                                        Photo credit: Birmingham Mail

In my previous entry I referred to a report that the Archbishop of Canterbury was to visit a school in Birmingham where 80 per cent of its pupils are Muslim and just eight per cent of its pupils are Christian. He has. A report on his visit to St Alban’s Academy can be readhere.

The reports I have seen so far concentrate on gays and gay marriage. Referring to Church of England’s laws the Archbishop said, "Marriage is between one man and one woman for life and sexual activity should be confined to marriage" before adding that he [like many of us -Ed.] has many gay friends who do "incredible" work. He  admitted that he "struggled" with his views on homosexuality adding: "I’m listening very, very closely to try to discern what the spirit of God is trying to tell us." That sounds like sandy ground to me, just as in Wales where 'consultations' are taking place to to be ignored, as before, if they don't meet their Archbishop's expectations set out here.

Important though the sanctity of marriage is it was this quote which worried me more:

"Answering a pupil who asked whether he would encourage him to convert from Islam to Christianity, the Archbishop said: 'I am not going to put pressure on you, and I wouldn’t expect you to put pressure on me'."

'Pressure' is reserved for Muslims who have no scruples about gaining converts for Allah. Examples here andhere; ideology here. From another report today on the Facing Islam Blog:

"ISIS has abducted dozens of Assyrian men, women and children, including 12 from Tel Hurmiz, 15 from Tel Goran. They have been brought to Jabal Abdul Aziz. The residents of the villages of Tel Shamiran (approximately 50) and Tel Jazira (about 40) are being held captive in their own villages by ISIS.

 A number of churches have been destroyed, including the church in Tel Hurmiz, one of the oldest churches in Syria, the Mar Bisho church in Tel Shamiran, the church in Qabr Shamiy and the church in Tel Baloua.

Three weeks ago ISIS ordered Assyrians in the region of Hassaka to remove the crosses from their churches and to pay jizya (Christian poll tax), warning residents that if they failed to pay they would have to leave or else be killed."

The Principal of St Alban’s Academy told reporters: "Our collective Christian, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu parents and those of other faiths or none send their children to St Alban’s because of its high expectations and good discipline founded on strong moral and religious principles and because they recognise the value of children being encouraged and supported in their faiths. Despite the fact that the school has a Church of England ethos, its multi-faith intake means it has strong partnerships with various establishments including Birmingham Central Mosque. [My emphasis - Ed.]

The Principal talks about a Church of England 'ethos' but I see little evidence in the reports. Perhaps he is unaware that it is the duty of all Muslims to convert infidels to Islam believing that "Islam is the one true faith that leads to salvation". Archbishop Welby may have been caught on the hop but I was disappointed that he didn't grasp the opportunity presented to him when asked about conversion.

Muslims need to know Christ. How else are we to conquer the evil that is being allowed to spread around the world on the absurd pretext that Islamic extremists have nothing to do with Islam? They are emulating their prophet while non-violent Muslims are spreading their religion surreptitiously. Turning the other cheek is one thing, turning away from Christ is quite another. According to research by the Pew Research Center, "in 34 of the 38 countries where the question was asked, at least half of Muslims believe that Islam is the one true religion that can lead to eternal life in heaven". We need more Christianity and less political talk so that people know the truth.

If I may Archbishop, some recommend reading from 2 Timothy 4:

In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage--with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.

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Church in Wales Lowlights April 2015

"Places like Wales you can write off with Brazil as either in the pocket or in the mindset of Katharine Jefferts Schori in the hard left." - Anglican Unscripted 172 (@12.38)

The recent meeting of the Governing Body of the Church in Wales was dominated by the representation of women in the church: "Equality rencana responsibility of the whole Church" see pages 4 and 5 (of 8) inHighlights. It did not occur to them that self praise is no recommendation.

Never one to shrink from voicing her own opinions as if they were representative of the Holy Catholic Church, the Venerable Peggy Jackson "saw a disconnect between who we are and who we think we are. 'We must address our own issues. We want positive action, not positive discrimination.' She urged women to step up and take responsibility". Peggy and her chums may be big fish in a very small pond but in no way are they who they think they are.

But Barry did not have it all his own way. Another of his chums, the Lord Harris of Pentregarth, a former Bishop of Oxford and "a leading CofE liberal thinker" who thinks that the "Koran should be read at Prince Charles' coronation" (here), inserted an unpopular recommendation in the Church in Wales Review:

Recommendation XLII

1) Fees for occasional offices should be paid into church

accounts and go towards the cost of the Share in the Ministry

Area.

Dua) Clergy stipends should be recalibrated to ensure that they are

comparable to that of neighbouring Anglican churches.

As a former Dean of Llandaff was fond of saying, that went down like a cup of cold sick with Church in Wales clergy who rejected the idea. The motion was lost, with 48 votes against, 34 for, and 27 abstentions. Again there is nothing like self-interest for moving the soul. Much like the "Damascus Rangers" who in a flash saw which side their bread was buttered after the Church in Wales decided for themselves that there was no theological objection to the ordination of women.

From halaman 27 of the Review report, "The Church in Wales is unusual in allowing clergy to keep fees for funerals, weddings and other occasional offices. This system is open to abuse and we find it unacceptable". It is an oddity of the Church in Wales that other Provinces are held up as exemplars when it suits and then dropped or otherwise ignored. Recall how the Code of Practice in the Church of England was held up as an example of care and compassion in the debate on women bishops only to be dropped after the motion was successfully amended to accept the innovation before a code for Wales was agreed by those for whom it was intended!

Compare also the use ofdiscretionary funds: "Care for those in need is an essential feature of Christian discipleship and an important part of the Church?S work. At the same time this work needs to be effectively managed. In the past people in need have turned to the clergy for help from Discretionary Funds. This role for the clergy is no longer appropriate. - But fine in the Church in Wales! Christ had a word for that.

One of the oddest moments occurred in Question Time with the question:

Will the Bench of Bishops, recognising that current Church policy is to instruct all clergy to use fermented communion wine at the Eucharist, consider in individual and exceptional circumstances, for pastoral reasons, permitting a cleric with the approval of the bishop, to offer a separate chalice of non alcoholic communion wine?

Bishop Gregory responded:

"The question opens out unexpected theological intricacies. The Anglican Lambeth Quadrilateral said that "the two sacraments ordained by Christ himself—Baptism and the Supper of the Lord—are ministered with unfailing use of Christ’s words of institution and of the elements ordained by him." This means the use of wine—the fermented juice of the grape—is essential to proper celebration of the sacraments. The reception of bread alone should be pastorally sufficient when well explained to anyone who has difficult receiving alcoholic wine."

At last, I thought, some theological sense but then Bishop Gregory added: "Dealcoholicised wine is available for use in the Eucharist; and a discrete second chalice could be used". So how long before the Liturgical Commission recommends a change to "took the cups"? Perhaps in due course, on its road to non-conformity, the Church in Wales will encourage the use of optics and individual communion glasses in the part of the church set aside for coffee so that everyone can do their own thing.

The main issue for the Archbishop, his campaign for same-sex marriage, remains hovering in the background. It is currently being discussed around the Province in preparation for it to be imposed regardless of the outcome of any discussions, just as the Code of Practice was imposed after disregarding the outcome of provincial meetings which agreed that adequate provision should be made for Church members who were opposed on theological grounds to the ordination of women. If the bishops of the Church in Wales kept the faith there would be nothing to discuss."Places like Wales you can write off". Seems so.

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The destruction of true Anglicanism in England and Wales: The hour has come

The Dean of Westminster (left) and the Archbishop of Wales with Bishop Gene Robinson of the US Episcopal Church

That divisive lobbyist Christina Rees and her feminist campaigning group, Women And The Church (WATCH) which could not tell the difference between equality and feminism started a process of dilution which has relegated the Anglican Church in the West to the margins of faith with ever decreasing congregations save for some remarkable exceptions on the evangelical wing. The 'equality for women' campaign is just that, a distortion. Their brand of equality demands preferential treatment for themselves leaving the rest of the church to struggle on the best they can. Many "budding clerics - perhaps a third - are from evangelicals" but they are allowed only a token bishop while women bishops are to be fast-tracked into the House of Lords so that they can continue their protest about discrimination at the highest levels.

An indication of their warped views can be found in a comment of a new WATCH baton carrier on the overdueappointment of the prominent evangelical, the Rev Preb Rod Thomas as Bishop of Maidstone. The Rev Jody Stowell whoshares her distorted views on 'religion, feminism and community and the life of a priest' in a blog said "We should be careful that this isn’t creating a church within a church", just as they have done in the Anglican Communion.

It is reported that the appointment was made only in a bid to avert a split in the Church of England. All credit then to the Archbishop of Canterbury but none whatsoever to the Archbishop of Wales who continues to lead his church down into the pit with no concessions to anyone who doesn't conform to his fashionable, liberal bent.

From the recent Cranmer disclosure and other events afflicting the Anglican church it is apparent that this dilution of the faith is turning into pollution of the faith.

At first sight one might be forgiven for assuming that this was an innocent mistake since the prayer was read in Turkish but the Dean of Westminster is quoted as saying that he defends inclusion of Muslim prayer in Abbey service: "Dr John Hall told Christian Today it was appropriate to offer hospitality to other faith traditions but this did not in any sense compromise the form and orthodox character of our belief and proclamation." How deluded can one be? In Muslim majority countries  the Islamic form of hospitality is "convert, pay the jizya or die", so cruelly evident inIraq and elsewhere in the Middle East and beyond  where Christian churches are being destroyed and Christians driven out of the lands where Christianity took root.

Mohammed is a false prophet. Christ predicted that there would be. How can any Christian accept the claim that Mohammed is 'the chosen one' in a line of prophets from God from Adam, Noah, Abraham to Moses, Jesus and Mohammed Mustafa, identifying Mohammed as the chosen one? Islam denies that Christ died on the Cross and even claims that Jesus was a Muslim. So the One who died for all is replaced by one who would kill all if they don't believe in him. It cannot be appropriate to offer hospitality which allows critics of all other faiths and none to peddle their distorted ideology in Christian churches which, if they had their way, they would destroy.

The Holy Bible is used by Islam to justify its ideology by distorting the Word. Is Dr Hall not aware that Islam is persecuting Christians simply because they are Christians and in doing so take their authority from the Quran? Have no lessons been learnt after a Muslim prayer service was held at St John's Church in Waterloo? - "The Bishop of Southwark takes very seriously his responsibility to uphold the teaching of the Church and to work within its framework of legislation and guidance. It is quite clear that Islamic prayer should not take place in a consecrated building," said a spokesman for the Southwark diocese.

From the enemy without to the enemy within, there is no let up in attacking traditional values for the benefit of a few individuals who would see their irregular relationships regularised, opening the door to other relationships such as three or more person marriage with children left to work out the puzzle as to why they don't simply have a mother and a father. And why not if love is the criterion? That is the logical development of the process. The process started with the ordination of women but that was just part of the package. The gay lobby, particularly in the Episcopal Church of the United States (TEC), has torn Anglicanism apart with the appointment of practicing homosexual bishops, a novelty welcomed by Dr Barry Morgan, the Archbishop of Wales, who likes to claim that opposition is fruitless because change is inevitable. Under his headship, perhaps, but even he is not immortal which will leave future bishops to pick up the pieces, such as they are, be they gay, straight or transgender for that is how the Archbishop sees the future of the Church in Wales based not on faith in Jesus Christ but faith in Katharine Jefferts Schori the retiring Presiding Bishop of TEC.

This is not fiction. In 2012 TEC approved legislation that opened the door to transgender ordination leading to the conclusion "Cross-Dressing Clergy: These Are the Reasons the Episcopal Church Could Be Near Collapse". Note the similarity of the Archbishop's pronouncements with the legislation passed at the Episcopal Church Convention: The Episcopal General Convention voted to amend church laws to state: "No one shall be denied rights, status or access to an equal place in the life, worship, and governance of this Church because of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, disabilities or age" - provided always that their views accord with the Presiding Bishop and her faithful disciple.

In 'Episcopalians for Traditional Faith' the Rev. Dr. Frank Larisey wrote an article claiming "It's Not about Sex". He wrote:Episcopal Church (TEC) spokespersons insist that the mass exodus of members began when Gene Robinson, celebrity homosexual, was consecrated as Bishop of New Hampshire in 2003. Most of the mass media slavishly follow TEC's lead, mentioning the first openly gay bishop in every article about declining church membership. Fr. Larisey begs to differ. TEC's claim is a smoke screen that obscures the true reason behind the loss in membership: When the revisionists changed the words of worship, they changed the religion itself, making possible what followed.

Dr Larisey's claim makes a lot of sense. "When the revisionists changed the words of worship, they changed the religion itself, making possible what followed". Not only has much of the beauty of the Book of Common Prayer been lost but subtle, and not so subtle, changes are made (see the solemnization of holy Matrimony below). In the Church of England a new baptism service without mention of the devil was debated by members of the General Synod in February. It was claimed that "the new texts are needed because the world has changed so much, even in the last 15 years". Yes the world has changed but by reflecting secular change rather than maintaining our faith based on scripture and tradition the Anglican Church in the West, literally, is the poorer.

All this change has reached fruition in the campaign for same-sex marriage. Opponents are accused of being homophobic but what is homophobic in believing that marriage is the voluntary union for life of one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others? The argument that the Church has survived many upheavals doesn't wash when all the indications are that such views are motivated by self-interest rather than "for our good and the good of all His Church" as we say in the sacrifice of the Mass.

Gays and particularly the many gay clergy in the Anglican Church have become increasingly vocal as they see an opportunity which goes beyond acceptance to one of 'normality' as equivalent to Holy Matrimony and the procreation of children. It is not and cannot be. This is the straw that will break the back of the Anglican Church.  This goes beyond vested interests. People who have tolerated female ordination and gay bishops are drawing a line. They find the concept of same-sex marriage too ridiculous to be taken seriously and their treatment for saying so offensive. The hour has come.

Read "Voting No to same-sex marriage is not homophobic, say [Irish] bishops here, and an

"Open letter of [Church of Ireland] Anglican Evangelical clergy on marriage" here.

Marriage is the voluntary union for life between one man and one woman to the exclusion of all others. Same-sex marriage is not "equal" marriage. It is an grotesque imitation which demeans the solemnization of holy Matrimony:

DEARLY beloved, we are gathered together here in the sight of God, and in the face of this Congregation, to join together this man and this woman in holy Matrimony; which is an honourable estate, instituted of God in the time of man's innocency, signifying unto us the mystical union that is betwixt Christ and his Church; which holy estate Christ adorned and beautified with his presence, and first miracle that he wrought, in Cana of Galilee; and is commended of Saint Paul to be honourable among all men: and therefore is not by any to be enterprised, nor taken in hand, unadvisedly, lightly, or wantonly, to satisfy men's carnal lusts and appetites, like brute beasts that have no understanding; but reverently, discreetly, advisedly, soberly, and in the fear of God; duly considering the causes for which Matrimony was ordained.

First, It was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of his holy Name.

Secondly, It was ordained for a remedy against sin, and to avoid fornication; that such persons as have not the gift of continency might marry, and keep themselves undefiled members of Christ's body.

Thirdly, It was ordained for the mutual society, help, and comfort, that the one ought to have of the other, both in prosperity and adversity. Into which holy estate these two persons present come now to be joined. Therefore if any man can shew any just cause, why they may not lawfully be joined together, let him now speak, or else hereafter for ever hold his peace.

Why do the bishops of the Church of England and the Church in Wales even have to discuss the matter? They should follow the example of the bishops of the Church in Ireland and condemn the move as inconsistent with Christian teaching.

Update [08/05/2015]

"The Church of Ireland synod has agreed to extend the time for the Church's select committee on human sexuality, which would include the discussion on same-sex marriage and gay relationships." The decision follows the "open letter signed by two Belfast ministers" referred to above which concluded:

"In recent days two Irish bishops have publicly declared and taught contrary to the plain teaching of Scripture and to the teaching of the Church of Ireland. This is despite the vows and promises made at their ordination and consecration, to uphold the Church's teaching and to refute error.  We believe that they are now themselves teaching error and we call on them to repent of this and to teach what the Church has taught about marriage according to Scripture."

Today's reading from Acts is entirely apposite.

Update [09/05/2015]

"Will 2015 Be the Last Mother's Day Celebrated Ever?" Read here.

"US clergy, including five bishops, ask synod to 'stand firm' on marriage." Read here.

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The test of faith

Upon this rock I will build my church

'But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God'. In my book you either believe that or you don't. If you believe it, talk about Jesus being a man of His time is just rubbish churned out to persuade the gullible that the ordination of women is something to be decided by popular vote, including the votes of unbelievers.

Ten years ago between a quarter and a half of Church of England clergy surveyed did not believe in thevirgin birth and a third doubted or disbelieved in the physical Resurrection. Given those figures it not surprising that many clergy regard Jesus simply as a man of his time. So what are they doing in the church? The answer appears to be that they are carving out careers for themselves at the expense of those who believe that the Son of the living God must be the man of all time.

The revisionists are doing such a good job at pushing their secular values that in the first test of public opinion after the synod vote on the measure for women bishops, 76% of adults said that the Church is out of touch with society. Today's Telegraph has some uncomfortable reading in showing that the number of Christians has fallen by 4 million in the ten years 2001 to 2011 while the number of Muslims has risen significantly from 1.5m to 2.7m.

After the women bishops measure was lost all manner of statistics were bandied about to illustrate that a minority had defied the mind of Synod. Less comfortable reading will be the statistics which show that "the overwhelming majority, 82.3%, believe that those opposed to the ordination of women are faithful Anglicans who should not be forced out of the Church of England". A similar situation exists in the Church in Wales.

There have been suggestions that the Church of England follows the example of the Church in Wales with a twin approach to solving the problem, see here, here and here. So here is the challenge. If the movers of the ordination of women are sincere in their belief and are genuine in their desire to make concessions to achieve their objective, why not show their sincerity by adopting the Church in Wales initiative but reversing the two clauses to ensure that faithful Anglicans are not forced out of the church but are enabled to prosper in common with the overwhelming majority of the wider church?

As it stands,"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". Currently that is meaningless to those for whom it is intended because it has been made plain that provision will be determined by the Bench of Bishops, a situation that has existed since the first (and only) Provincial Assistant Bishop retired in 2008.

If the bishops are serious in their promise 'to give as much confidence as possible'to faithful Anglicansopposed to the ordination of women, such a strategy will test their sincerity. Failure to meet the challenge will lead not only to a weakening of the position of the Anglican Church but to another massive drop in the number of Christians in the 2021 census.

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Mixed messages from No 10 on issues of faith

Photo: EPA

Yesterday in his statement to the Commons on the Algerian crisis, the Prime Minister referred to the threat of Islamist terrorism inspired by an ideology that is an 'extreme distortion of the Islamic faith' which holds that mass murder is not only acceptable but necessary in an attempt to divide the world into a clash of civilizations. Convinced that democratic principles are the answer to Islamic ideology, previous attempts to impose Western democratic principles including the West's backing of the Arab Spring have backfired for Christians in Islamic countries. AsMetropolitan Hilarion put it [see previous entry under 'Media Ignores Religious Persecution']: "In Iraq only one tenth of a million-and-a-half Christians that lived there ten years ago have survived. In Egypt we are witnessing a mass exodus of Christians. There are practically no Christians left in Libya. Ninety five percent of Christians have abandoned Homs in Syria."

Alexandria was one of the earliest centres of Christianity. In Egypt today Christians are persecuted simply for being Christian, not by terrorists but by followers of Islam, as they are around the world. So why do politicians continue to peddle the myth that Islam is a religion of peace? Tony Blair struggled to answer when he was asked in an interview what he knew about Islam [advance to position 39.00 but preferably watch the whole video]. I suspect Dave would fall into the same trap if he were asked.  As Coptic priest Fr Zakaria Boutros explains here, it is a mistake to compare Muslims with Jews and Christians, it is what the religion is based on, or, in the case of Islam, the ideology that matters.

Bishop Nazir-Ali came to Britain from Pakistan in the 1980s because his life was in danger.  In a statement to the European Court of Human Rights last year he argued that laws originally designed to protect basic freedoms are instead being used to strip British society of its Christian foundations while upholding the rights of minorities. He said: “The Christian faith and our Judeo Christian values are the cornerstone of our freedoms, prosperity and liberty in Europe” and warned that Christianity is now under threat from a “human rights agenda” which he argued is denying Christians their rights while upholding those of others. The result of the case here.

While the 'Islamic faith' is talked up, Christianity is constantly talked down and adherents put under pressure; exampleshere and here. In evidence to the European Court the UK Government had argued that wearing a cross is not an essential tenet of Christianity so it was not a breach of human rights to refuse permission to wear a cross; a helpful technicality! Youth organisations are not exempt from being targeted by secularists even if the organisation was founded on Christian principles such as the Scouts and the Guides. The Air Cadets is the latest organisation to drop God from their promise leaving a spiritual vacuum which others will not hesitate to fill to their own advantage whenever the opportunity presents itself. A good example of exploitationhere.

So what is the Government doing to protect our Christian heritage and values? Well they will not force churches to perform same-sex marriages, that can be left to the European courts. Currently they are rushing through legislation that has not been properly thought through to change the law of succession - but not to the satisfaction of one Labour MP who is gathering support for an amendment that will 'extend the protection' to include the eventuality that the child is gay or lesbian. If by then we are a Muslim nation the heir is, in that event, more likely to be hanging from a crane than sat on the throne.

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Comment is free

Church faces crisis over 'tainted' women bishops plan ran the headline in the Telegraph:Historic plans to allow women to become bishops have been plunged into crisis after existing bishops voted through an eleventh-hour concession to traditionalists. In this articlethe dramatic headlines are balanced by wide ranging comments from interested parties. The Independent put it this way:Supporters of women bishops have rounded on senior leaders within the Church of England after they inserted last minute amendments to proposed legislation that will allow female clergy to hold the highest levels of office alongside their male colleagues.

Both papers presented intelligible reports on what Ruth Gledhill described as the worst -written press release since the Reformation. A less balanced view emerged in the Guardian's Comment is free including this revelation: [The Rev] "Miranda Threlfall Holmes, whose piece demanding no changes at all we published on Saturday, put up an embarrassing blogpost comparing the bishops to a particularly disgusting man who had gouged his wife's eyes out and then kept her in the house for 12 hours to stop her getting medical attention. She has subsequently taken down the post, which she now calls intemperate. I think she has been spending altogether too much time caring about Anglican politics." *

Last year Mrs Briton became incensed, and is still, after reading a bishop's view that "The ordination of women will rid the world of homophobia, misogyny, brutalisation of women in all situations including those in war zones."

However bizarre their views at least these people have an 'insider's' view of the direction in which they think the church should be heading, usually from the spiritual to the secular, but taking Comment is free as an example, it is amazing how many secularists feel free to pass comment on people's faith when faith clearly has no meaning for them. Worst of all, though, is insiders who should be people of faith using views of secularist outsiders to bolster arguments against those in the church for whom faith really matters.

* More from the Telegraph here.

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Augustina of Canterbury

The Cathedra Augustini           From Wikipedia

Concluding his interview on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show (here) before the vote on women bishops was taken at York Synod, the 105th Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, claimed that he would be "delighted to see a female successor on theChair of St Augustine in his lifetime".

Canterbury Cathedral is the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion and seat of the Archbishop of Canterbury.

From Canterbury Cathedral history: "St Augustine, the first Archbishop of Canterbury, arrived on the coast of Kent as a missionary to England in 597 AD. He came from Rome, sent by Pope Gregory the Great. It is said that Gregory had been struck by the beauty of Angle slaves he saw for sale in the city market and despatched Augustine and some monks to convert them to Christianity.

Augustine was given a church at Canterbury (St Martin?S, after St Martin of Tours, still standing today) by the local King, Ethelbert whose Queen, Bertha, a French Princess, was already a Christian. This building had been a place of worship during the Roman occupation of Britain and is the oldest church in England still in use. Augustine had been consecrated a bishop in France and was later made an archbishop by the Pope. He established his seat within the Roman city walls (the word cathedral is derived from the the Latin word for a chair ?Cathedra?, which is itself taken from the Greek ?Kathedra? Meaning seat.) and built the first cathedral there, becoming the first Archbishop of Canterbury".

Move on 1400 years. From 'yourcanterbury' 2014 (here). The italics are mine: "The Rev Kes Grant is school chaplain at St Augustine Academy in Maidstone. She admits when the Synod rejected the proposal 20 months ago, it shook her faith in the Church. Speaking to KoS this week, she said: “It’s bloody fantastic. It’s been a long time coming.”

The Church ordained its first two women priests in 1994, She added: “When that vote didn’t go through in 2012 I was absolutely gutted - even though in hindsight it was right because the legislation wasn’t right. “That morning I didn’t even know if I wanted to be in the Church of England anymore when it couldn’t even come into the 20th century, let alone the 21st.

“When you visit your doctor, you don’t stop to ask if they are gay or married or a woman. You just see someone because they are qualified for the job. No one bats an eyelid about women in senior jobs in any other section of society. “The Church really needed to get a grip. Telling people they are not welcome is not what the love of God is all about. When they do things like that I don’t recognise the Jesus of the Bible.” The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has been a supporter of the proposals and described the vote as “an adventure in faith and hope”."

An adventure for some; the secularation of the Church of England for others. As for faith, there have been numerous threats that women would leave the Church if they didn't get their own way while those of faith rather than fancy have had to battle against the odds on being told that they are not wanted in this Church.

One has to wonder what 'Augustina' of Canterbury will believe when she occupies the Chair of St Augustine but we already have a pretty good idea from existing trends and from the example of the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States here. It beggars belief that bishops of the Church of England have done this.

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Holiness or worldliness?

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

birch wood, walnut stain tinting. 1999

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

Take a impian tour here.

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

What a treat compared with all the angst of late.

The mystery of faith!

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

Archbishop Morgan, now unofficial

supreme governor of the Church in Wales

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dr Morgan said:

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

He added:

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

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

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

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Church in Wales: The Llandaff dimension

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

It should:-

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

individually outside the dictates of personal conscience

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Photo: Church in Wales

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Archbishop sets out his stall

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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When bishops were bishops

Canon Rosie Harper                                                                REUTERS/Yui Mok/POOL

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

PART II

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

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

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

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

THIS HOUSE BELIEVES THAT WE ARE ALL FEMINISTS NOW

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

“APPALLING” GENDER SPLIT IN POLITICAL SPEAKERS and

THE OXFORD UNION MUST REFLECT AN EQUAL SOCIETY

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

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

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From equality to mediocrity

Source: BBC

The end, on a show of hands.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Fasting with friends

Preparing for ordination to the Deaconate by fasting with Muslims         CinW

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Consecration of the Bishop of Llandaff

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

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

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

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

A portent I wonder?

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Barry's gay legacy

Provincial news: Pride Cymru                                                                                                                Source: Church in Wales

After 14 years in office as Archbishop of Wales, this is his legacy. A gay pride event fronted by the first woman bishop in the Church in Wales, highlighted as Provincial news on the Church in Wales web site under the headline "Bishop celebrates at Pride Cymrudanquot;.

Supported by predominantly women clergy, the bishop of St Davids will "take part in a discussion about faith and sexuality" before "leading Pride’s first ever Communion service". Penarth assistant curate, the Revd Rosemary Hill, will be talking about "bi-sexual Christianity" and later Newport assistant curate, the Revd James Henley, will discuss "belonging in a disconnected world". On Sunday, the Revd Rhian Linecar, Cardiff assistant curate, will lead Taize sung prayer and meditation, no doubt on an 'inclusive' theme.

FaithTent coordinator, the Revd Delyth Liddell, said, ?We are delighted to be welcoming our first ever Bishop to the #FaithTent this year, Bishop Joanna".

In one small step towards the bishop of Llandaff's goal of parity, the omnipresent cleric at 'inclusion' events, Canon Aled Edwards, chief executive of Cytun, Churches Together, will talk about ?Open Inclusive Nation? Before leading the closing thanksgiving service.

Deemed by Archbishop Morgan to be the 'best person to be a bishop', Joanna Penberthy was reported to have been elected in a 'stitch up'. Could her LGBT credentials have been why?  The news of her election was welcomed by one gay priest on Thinking Anglicans as "Wonderful news - for Wales and for the LGBT Community in the Church".

Given that her name had been circulating months before her election it should have come as no surprise but it did for those who believed that the work of the Holy Spirit could not be manipulated. One former Archbishop actually described the loss of the vote for woman priests as the work of the Devil.

If twenty years of women priests culminating in a bishop favouring the gay community over cradle Anglicans whose only desire has been to worship as the Holy Spirit moves them, the Archbishop could have been right but on the wrong occasion.

Presumably, then, the task of a bishop in the Church in Wales today in Barry Morgan's book is to advance Queer Theology. Joanna Penberthy has been most conspicuous by her presence at all things gay but little else from Church in Wales news reports.

Looking back, bishop Penberthy was to the fore inVictims last December and inChurch in Crisis in February this year. More recently she preached at the Welsh NationalEisteddfod on 'diversity', reported more accurately elsewhere as LGBTQIA+.

The first woman bishop is no longer alone. The new bishop of Llandaff, June Osborne has a similar LGBTagenda.

The bishop of St Davids participation in Pride Cymru's Gay Weekend in Cardiff brings more LGBT 'good news' from one who has become a peripatetic ambassador for the LGBTQIA rencana, moving from diocese to diocese to welcome those who claim to be unwelcome despite all the evidence to the contrary. It is a ploy. Their aim is same sex marriage in church.

So this is Barry Morgan's legacy. A queered church motivated by illiberal 'liberal' clergy with a bishop in St Asaph taking on the mantle ofSelf inflicted pain while leaving traditional Anglicans with nothing but memories to support their faith.

Barry Morgan's successor as Archbishop must break his secularist mould and return the Church to spirituality.

Update [27.08.2017]

"Bishop's Pride Cymru involvement 'fantastic'" - Rev Delyth Liddell faith tent coordinator.

The faith tent coordinator is a Methodist minister and University Chaplain. In a BBC video interview she highlighted the leadership of the bishop of St Davids.  Liddell claimed that LGBT people "would not be allowed to receive Communion" and "would not be welcome in church" which is what made the bishop's Eucharistic celebration so "fantastic".

As a Methodist minister Liddell may be ale to back up her claim but not in the Church in Wales. In reality I suspect it is just another 'persecution' claim built on fantasy as was bishop Penberthy's claim of discrimination which on examination turned out to be nothing more than someone taking an opposing view to hers.

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Welsh bishops relegate unity

The bishops of St Davids, St Asaph, Llandaff, Swansea and Brecon (archbishop), Bangor, and Monmouth having a laugh          Source: Premier Christian Radio

The Church in Wales has placed an advert in the Church Times for a Director ofFaith, Order and Unity.

This looks suspiciously like an empire building re-jig of an advert which resulted in the 2014 appointment of a WCC staff member to the post ofUnity, Faith and Order Director for the Anglican Communion while relegating unity to third place.

No surprise there since the Church in Wales slammed the door on any hope of church unity in the conventional sense many years ago when Barry and his bench sitters chose to ignore most of Christendom and apply their own version of faith and order by choosing instead an alliance withNonconformist churches, thus causing further disunity within the Anglican Communion and beyond.

The Church in Wales already has its own Doctrinal Commission to tell its bishops what they want to hear. They also have their own version ofunity - being a 'big' fish in a very small pond. As there is no hope of unity with the much larger Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches there should be little for the successful applicant to do unless the object of the role is to continue re-interpreting the Gospel to promote gender equality and parity in place of suitability, the main thrust of the newly enthroned women bishops.

At the last meeting of Governing Body of the Church in Wales, the new Archbishop John Daviespromised ‘more of the same’ — but faster! The Scottish Episcopal Church is following suit with the recentlyappointed first female bishop indicating that her first priority is to see the election of more women for high-profile roles. Their General Synod has alreadyagreed to permit same-sex marriage.

As for the Church of England, they are still trying to work out what they believe with their 'Shared Conversations on Scripture, Mission and Sexuality' (here) while preaching a message that is contrary to Christian belief based on scripture.

Given the continually shrinking regular attendance figures at Church in Wales Sunday services (28,291 and shrinking) one has to wonder what the bishops  do these days. The latest figures show confirmations fell by 21% between 2015-2016  to 872.

Much of their time has been diverted towards the propagation of feminism and, contrary to scripture, formerly establishing homosexuality in the church as the expression of God's love, a situation neatly summed up on BBC Radio 4 [@18.01] when Ed Stourton speaks with Lorna Ashworth, a highly regarded evangelical, who has resigned her place in General Synod and the Archbishops’ Council over the issue, and Jayne Ozanne who "campaigns for gay equality within the Church of England and the wider evangelical community" using our need to love one another as her passport to acceptance of deviating from the Gospel.

The Archbishop of York, John Sentamu, who jointly oversees both the general synod and the Archbishops' Council alongside the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, said he was 'sad' Lorna Ashworth had resigned. He added, "However, I do not share her doubts that the Church of England will be part of God's renewal of the Christian faith in this nationdanquot; indicating the dilema faced by Lorna Ashworth and those of us who share her concern for the Christian faith in this country.

Empire building in a declining church appears to be high on the list of priorities for the bench of bishops even though the Church in Wales Review recommended a reduction in the number of dioceses and the associated administrative costs.

From Section 15 of the Review:

"...there is a widespread sense across the church that the Church in Wales is top heavy, with too many committees and too much time spent on simply keeping the institution going as it is."

The masalah for the Anglican Church is that most of the bishops in Great Britain are so busy trying to satisfy the desires of the flesh that they are blind to the needs of the spirit. As a consequence they are fishing for minorities while many of the faithful feel excluded from an organisation that has lost the Way and the truth and the life. They leave and giving goes down creating the current crisis.

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