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Monday 13 November 2017

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 of Faith, 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 of Unity, 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 with Nonconformist 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 of unity - 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 Davies promised ‘more of the same’ — but faster! The Scottish Episcopal Church is following suit with the recently appointed first female bishop indicating that her first priority is to see the election of more women for high-profile roles. Their General Synod has already agreed 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 nation" indicating the problem 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 problem 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.


16 comments:

  1. Time was when one of the bishops held this role. Since Barry the Golfer excluded anyone of greater intellectual acumen than himself (setting the bar fairly low) from the Bench, we have no-one 'in house' to take on this portfolio. The next advert will be for someone to convene the episcopal knitting circle - of which Shirley will be president.

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  2. This really is the height of hubris. Parishes are working very hard to pay parish share, many now, no longer have full time clergy due to ministry areas yet no reduction in parish share. Monmouth appoints a third archdeacon, and now this. All needing life long pensions.....................
    Didn't the review that brought ministry areas, also say we were top heavy???

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  3. Alwyn from Abertawe13 November 2017 at 17:51

    Danny, I can't agree more. All the catholic ordinands being told they can't train in proper theological colleges in our ancient universities (e.g. St Stephen's House and Westcott House) where they would receive rigorous and rounded formation because the C in W "Can't afford it." And here we are shelling out for... well what? Someone who will plug the intellectual vacuum among the bench sitters. Disgraceful.

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    Replies
    1. Pondering Pastor: well said!

      Delete
  4. What would Jesus say?13 November 2017 at 19:01

    Should schools let children explore their gender?
    The Church of England has said children should be able to try out "the many cloaks of identity" without being labelled or bullied.

    https://www.facebook.com/progreatbritain/videos/1208364065961600/

    Same crap was heard on Radio 4 this morning too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Common sense out, the lunatic fringe in.
      https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/teacher-suspended-for-referring-to-a-transgender-pupil-as-a-girl-rather-than-a-boy-in-class-a3689146.html

      Delete
    2. Meanwhile, in Sturgeonland,
      http://www.christian.org.uk/news/scots-parents-question-trans-feelings-kids-reported/

      Delete
  5. All they can think to do is move a few thousand pounds around,or rather throw a few more thousand away.
    Just another person to pass the buck.
    This is not development ,it is floundering panic. The Bishops have lost the Christian plot, and so have the CofE as 'What would Jesus say' writes above.
    Indeed ! What would Jesus say ? I wonder do the Bishops ever think in these terms

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  6. Another example of the noble and ancient art of the movement of deckchairs on a thing once thought to be unsinkable.

    Where is the Director of Mission and Church Growth if one must have such positions?

    Incredible.

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  7. @Simple Soul
    One wonders if the Bishops think.
    All the available evidence is to the contrary.
    By now the Church in Wales attendance figures will be well South of 28,000.
    For all the good they are doing they might as well be playing Tiddleywinks

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  8. Pondering Pastor: This has to be the height of extravagance. When Parishes fight for survival and the Bishop of Mon in his presidential address tells the Diocese conference that the valleys are bleeding congregation and clergy.
    Surely with such salaries, one of the Episcopal elite could take this role, or split it between them all. It's not as if the portfolio is that great!
    As for not being able to train ordinands in well established seminaries, opting for the new modularised system that rose from At Mike's, it's going to see more less well trained clergy.
    I so hope the bench become more breathtaking in there ways.
    A sad and growing sadder state of affairs by the day.

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  9. In response to many recent blogs, we should listen again to the now prophetic words of the following clip - British Comedy Fans added a new video: Yes, Prime Minister.Liked
    11 November at 10:24 · Yes, Prime Minister. What about God? "Nuff said".

    ReplyDelete
  10. I always thought that the bishops themselves were the "directors of faith, order and unity". I was obviously mistaken and therefore ask myself "What are they for?"If they have this sort of money to splash around, (not to mention the costly move from Cathedral Road to the most expensive office block in town), they don't need any contributions from me. I have decided therefore to stop giving and donate instead to worthy charities who will make much better use of the money.
    Nemesis

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Good for you Nemesis, I have already stated through this blog that I have taken legal steps to disinherit these irresponsible spend thrifts.

      Delete
    2. I stopped giving financial support to the heretic Church in Wales several years ago and at every opportunity urge others to do the same.

      Delete
    3. Les Bouffons d'eglise Pays de Galles.
      It's Panto time everyone !

      Delete