C in W: Going for broke

This is a view of the future for the Archbishop of Wales. Women priests and gay bishops in a thoroughly modern setting, bending the church to the fancy of an atheistic society. But will the church survive long enough under the gospel of Barry to achieve his ambitions?

As he continues his political campaigns the Church in Wales struggles to survive. It has been announced in a Press Release today that a group of five people will examine how radical proposals for the Church in Wales can be delivered: "They will look at recommendations made to the Church following an independent review, which took place across Wales last year, and advise the Church on how they can be taken forward." There are recommendations about Governance (I & II), Ministry areas and Team leadership (III) to (VII), Cathedrals (VIII), Leadership training (IX & X), Clergy support (XI), Young people and outreach (XII & XIII), Worship and outreach (XIV), Ministry training (XV to XXI), Dioceses (XXII to XXV), Administration (XXVI), The archiepiscopal see (XXVII to XXIX), Church Buildings (XXX to XXXIII), Finance (XXXIV to XLI), Fees (XLII to XLIV), The Welsh language (XLV), Mission and ministry (XLVI to XLVII), Bishop and archbishop elections (XLVIII), Constitution (XLIX) and Leadership for change (L). 

There has already been a mixed response. From the Diocese of St David's: There was a general feeling that the Province had not sufficiently taken into account the current developments and thinking within the individual Dioceses and the ongoing review of their mission and ministry and vision for the future. It was also considered that the short time frame in which the Diocese was expected to discuss such a large and comprehensive review was not conducive to allow a full discussion of all the issues. I previously reported here that things had got off to a bad start in Dr Morgan's own diocese of Llandaff. But one recommendation has now been achieved, the implementation of Recommendation L: the formation of a small working group charged with processing the changes! Only 49 to go.

Looking at the make up of the working group I see it is to be chaired by a Welsh NHS professional with a business consultant and a market researcher joined by a bishop to say the opening and closing prayers and a vicar perhaps to take the minutes. Whatever the clergy's functions they are outweighed 3 to 2 by business orientated laity, currently a sensitive subject in the C of E, but we must wish them well because my understanding is that even parish officers in the Church in Wales have not heard of the Harries Review let alone comprehend it. But it was an 'independent' review carried out under the chairmanship of Archbishop Morgan's friend and co-conspirator, both of whom are determined to change Anglicanism into a Protestant sect. There lies another problem. The former Bishop of Oxford has a problem with understanding the meaning of the word trust. Doesn't augur well!

Postscript
An interesting description of the review group here. It highlights that "a business consultant and PR and marketing experts have been included [sic] in the group to look at radical shake-up plans for the Church in Wales". Just what the modern church needs! But some spirituality is catered for. The Church in Wales is working in partnership with Good Relations Wales in Teleos which sees spirituality as "a creative and crucial dimension of enlightened organisations and their cultural architecture". The link? Helen Birtwhistle aka Helen Biggin, Chair of the new group.

Personally I find the Gospel more than adequate.