"Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.
The Church of England has been reminded in various Synod debates this week that the timeless faith of believers has little relevance in their 21st Century church. Weighed down by complexities of their own making designed to appeal to those with imported beliefs or none at all, they cast their votes leaving the Lord's disciples to make of it what they will with no hint of thought or compassion.
'Give me the child...I'll give you the man' was the cry of old but the male role model, already whittled away in primary education, is declining in the Anglican church along with attendance while the influence of the Anglican Church wanes. Sexuality over reason has seen Christian marriage devalued to the level of a political ball game which takes all and gives nothing with the implication that there must be something seriously wrong with people who share spiritual values beyond current flights of fancy. Who cares? Those men and women of conscience who do so are characterised as misogynistic bigots. They are forced to defend themselves against false accusations of discrimination clearly designed to appeal to secularists who see no place in society for a church that shaped our history; people who are content to see mosques replace our churches in the misguided belief that Islam is, as one commentator put it, just another 'Old Testament religion' or an Arabic version of the Bible. Traditional Christian values are being destroyed. The extremists who occupy our church insist that they are being generous as they strangle the life out of all who oppose them. They show utter contempt for those who do not share their distorted values and reward those who have shown them generosity by excluding them from the church they now see as their own.
The women at the cross stood weeping under Christ's broken Body as His garments were divided. In today's Anglican Church they simply divide His garments among themselves.
Dear Ancient Briton
ReplyDeleteI feel so sad reading your blog. I agree with everything you say (just about) and I too am feeling bereft as the rug is pulled further from under us, and dread losing the church of my baptism and all I hold dear within it.
But all is not finished. At the risk of sounding too 'sound of music-y', I know that when God closes a door he leaves a window open, and that he will provide for us. Nothing can take away our faith, after all.
You are not alone in your grieving, but perhaps it is just time for things to change, and for the wheat to be sifted from the chaff.
Hope your trip to Bangladesh goes well and broadens your horizons.
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