June Osborne: “But isn’t it inspiring that social history is changing in front of us? If you think back to Florence Nightingale, she would probably have been a bishop had she been allowed.
“She was a very devout Christian but the church wouldn’t welcome her.
"I think of women who haven’t had the kind of chance we have watched come in my lifetime. It’s inspiring."
Nothing could be further from the truth. Florence Nightingale's upbringing was one of great wealth and luxury. She was brought up by governesses but she was determined to serve, not to be served.
She felt called by God to serve others, unlike women motivated by Women and the Church (WATCH) who serve only themselves. Not content with admission to the episcopate they campaign for self advancement with spurious claims of injustice, inequality and exclusion, ignoring or belittling the views of anyone taking a contrary view. Ideology has replaced theology.
Florence Nightingale reflected on Mary's service to mankind when she said, "'Behold the handmaid of the Lord and so have I said in my youth.' (Luke 1:38) To a night nurse in 1886 Nightingale prayed: May we all answer the angel as Mary did: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it unto me according to Thy word."
She was an Anglican with a Unitarian background. From Caring & the Christian Story: "Her theology was far from orthodox - she dismissed the incarnation, the Trinity and the atonement as abortions of a comprehension of God's plan. However, she considered herself a Christian and her work a "call from God."
Baptised in the Anglican Church, Florence Nightingale was "highly critical of the Church of England, dismissing both its male centred power structure as unjust and the Apostles' Creed as unbelievable. She regarded the theology of the Book of Common Prayer as childish and was particularly aggrieved by the sort of prayer which she believed was insulting to God's majesty and grandeur." (Florence Nightingale, radical theologian).
In that sense Florence Nightingale would have made a typical Anglican woman bishop but in stark contrast to the desolation caused by those holding the 'victim' views expounded by the bishop of Llandaff, Florence Nightingale dedicated her life to saving others.
As the founder or 'mother' of modern nursing Florence Nightingale improved lives. WATCH shatters them.
The movement for the ordination of women was built on deception. The deception continues with references to what Jesus would have said or done. We know from the Bible what He said and what He did. Feminists choose to ignore it or twist scripture to mean what they want it to mean.
Florence Nightingale a bishop? Rubbish. She was far superior.
Thanks for this AB. I was astonished when I read that comment too. For a Bishop who is arguing for Church in the community, it is indeed odd to dismiss a woman who saved millions of lives (by inventing modern nursing). The implication is that lay ministry in the community is not important, only being a Bishop is!? How contradictory.
ReplyDeleteI thought poor old Flo had been jettisoned in favour of Mary Seacole. Perhaps being white and upper class are okay for the moment in Glamorganshire.
ReplyDeleteShe may have been able to be a Bishop today since not subscribing to the basic doctrines of Christianity don't seem to be a hindrance any more. Besides being a woman in her own time, her disbelief in the doctrine of the Trinity may have well been a disqualifying factor don't you think?
ReplyDeleteOh and don't forgot good old Betsi Cadwaladr will you! Welsh, and a Bible believing Christian to boot, no chance of being raised to the episcopate then. Too working class and evangelical dear! My goodness, the woman even speaks Cymraeg!