Fool's paradise

Credit: @dominiccawdell

The Governing Body (GB) of the Church in Wales was told yesterday it has lost 40% of members since Bishop Gregory was ordained but he does not see a dying church, only the pattern of 'every Sunday' worship is dying! If that sounds familiar compare the attitude of the Archdeacon of Norwich who claimed that the citizens of Norwich were "doing their churchgoing differently" (ie staying at home) when challenged after the 2011 census revealed the City of Norwich to be the most godless city in England.

Not to be deterred, Bishop Andy saw promising but tentative signs of change despite the continuing downward trend: the rate of decline had slowed. Given the severity of the crisis one would have thought more time would have been devoted to the subject of Membership and Finances but there was a pressing need to move on to consider the refugee crisis, not those made refugees in their own church, but those fleeing persecution abroad. The Archbishop thoughtfully reminded GB members that they should not be there if they dissented from the Statement from the Bench of Bishops and their Emergency Motion (here).

However, there was plenty of time to advance same sex marriage where the LGBT lobby and +Barry's acolytes gladly pushed his agenda at the expense of the Church. There was no formal motion but a 'straw poll' was used to inform the Bench how to take the subject forward. This is how GB voted:

OPTION    1       2       3

Bishops     1       2       3
Clergy     21       1     26
Laity       28       6     32

Note: Option 1=No change; Option 2= Blessing same sex partnerships; Option 3= same sex marriage

The required majority would not have been met had the vote been for real but nevertheless Dr Morgan has been gifted by GB what he failed to gain when consulting the membership as a whole. This shows the extent of influence the LGBT lobby has where it matters and has enabled the media to declare "Church in Wales votes YES for gay marriage".

There were claims of prejudice and of people being out of touch with current trends. If the illustration above is anything to go by, that includes me. As I have visited various churches I have noticed a lack of reverence to the Altar but to use the Holy Table to advance homosexuality reaches a new low in campaigning.

Not to be deterred Archbishop Morgan's next crusade while SSM goes on the back burner is a return to the question of an Archiepiscopal See and the need for more, not less bishops, no doubt to accommodate his female accomplices. Meanwhile the Anglican Communion is about to be dismembered.