Caption corner 30 March 2019

The Dean of St Davids with Cardinal Koch, President of the Pontifical
Council for the Promotion of Christian Unity     Source: Twitter 

Faith and faithless

  @MuslimWales annual dinner @StFagans_Museum                              Source: Twitter @CytunNew

From a Church in Wales tweet: "Thanks to @MuslimWales for hosting an outstanding event last night to celebrate Wales' interfaith relationship - great to welcome Bishop Rowan Williams back as a guest speaker too."

No doubt the Muslim Council of Wales will have been thrilled to welcome Archbishop Rowan Williams as a guest speaker at their annual dinner but well known for his left-wing, inclusive views one has to wonder why was he invited.

For the majority of Muslims homosexuality is incompatible with their faith so the Anglican Church's views on homosexuality will be abhorrent to many Muslims.

In Birmingham, Muslim mothers succeeded in stopping LGBT lessons which they claimed were promoting gay and transgender lifestyles among primary school children.

In Wales parents' right to remove children from sex and relationships education (RSE) could be scrapped under reform plans. The Muslim Council of Wales, Christian Institute and the Catholic Education Service are opposed to the right of withdrawal being removed.

The Church in Wales, along with the National Secular Society, have backed the idea.

They said RSE helped young people "develop an understanding of tolerance and diversity" making it "fundamental to the core purposes of the new curriculum".

The Church in Wales is well known for its tolerance and diversity in its acceptance of the gay culture the bench is signed up to. Otherwise people have to make their own arrangements as the Ven Peggy Jackson succinctly put it.


The merciless killing of 50 Muslims in New Zealand has rightly been condemned but there was no similar outpouring of grief for the 140 Christians killed by Muslims in Nigeria.

According to the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN) more than 300 Christians have been killed by extremists in February and March of this year alone.

 Persecution of Christians is rampant but it goes largely unreported while the alleged persecution of Muslims is monitored by the government backed charity Tell Mama which claimed 593% rise in anti-Muslim hate crime across Britain in the week after the Christchurch shooting.

Claims that Muslims are a peaceful, persecuted minority have clearly resonated with many people. The majority of Muslims live peacefully but any attempts to present a more balanced view of Islam's ideology are met with claims of Islamophobia.

The Church in Wales should know better but they continue to show more respect for a faith that denies the divinity of Christ than for orthodox Anglicans. They are simply ignored.

Despite being well known for her LGBT advocacy I understand that jolly June Osborne was also present at the Muslim Council dinner.

A prime mover of the ordination of women with alternative episcopal oversight for those who could not in conscience accept the innovation,  I wonder if Rowan Williams had a word in jolly June's ear about persecuted Anglicans in the Church of Wales? I doubt it.

A sense of proportion!

A "packed Margam Abbey" welcomed @BishopJuno as she outlined the Diocesan Vision – Where Faith Matters.                                               Source: Twitter 

The result of 18 months of work with bishop June Osborne visiting all areas of her diocese and listening to parishes, schools and chaplaincies.

These figures are from Where Faith Matters which the bishop of Llandaff, June Osborne, delivered to the elderly in what was claimed to be a "packed Margam Abbey":

Population of Wales with Easter and Christmas Communicants in 2017 

Her figures show that only 1% of the population were Church in Wales Communicants at Easter and Christmas in 2017.

Faith mattered to many more people in Wales before Barry Morgan set about secularising the Church in Wales. Under him nobody was allowed to progress unless they followed his line.

One has only to look at those who style themselves bishops in the Church in Wales and many of their senior staff  to see where that has led. Jolly June's statistics illustrate the result.

CORRECTION

The bar chart should have referred to the diocese of Llandaff which covers around a third of the population of Wales.  The total population of Wales in 2011 was 3,063,456. The average Church in Wales Sunday adult attendance in 2017 was 27,359 representing less than 1% of the population. My apologies for the error.

Bishop of Llandaff sacrifices parishioners in latest initiative

Church in Wales parish church of SS Andrew and Teilo, Woodville Road, Cathays, Cardiff.                                                                              Source: Wikipedia

The parish church of SS Andrew and Teilo has followed the revisionist path of the Church in Wales to the letter but that has not saved parishioners from being sacrificed by bishop June Osborne.  Her latest strategy, presumably for growth, is to give away their church. Parishioners are far from pleased.

From their petition Save St Teilo's - Save Our Community:
"In March 2019 the members of St Teilo’s church have been informed that a decision has been made by the Bishop of Llandaff, June Osborne, to give their church away to an evangelical church called Holy Trinity Brompton. The decision was made with no consultation with the clergy or members of the congregation and wider community and she says the decision is final."

Popularly  known as St. Teilo's, the parish church became St. Andrew and St. Teilo after the nearby St. Andrew's church was rededicated as Eglwys Dewi Sant.

Before its rededication St Andrew's was a chapel of ease to St John the Baptist Church, the civic church in the heart of Cardiff now dedicated to the advancement of transgenderism following the bishop's appointment of a transgender activist vicar.

Led by a female priest the parish  of SS Andrew and Teilo has an "inclusive ethos" and is "formally associated with the Inclusive Church movement". They responded to the Church in Wales initiative taking up the Seven Sacred Spaces model to shape their mission life, something the former bishop of Llandaff, Archbishop Barry Morgan referred to as "places of pilgrimage", an unfortunate link in June Osborne's year of pilgrimage initiative as she prepares to fly her diocesan clergy much farther afield in her widely ridiculed Costa Compostela initiative.

 Famed for its Alpha course, Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) describes itself as "a vibrant Anglican church in the heart of London, passionate about seeing lives changed in the name of Jesus." In 2017, the Church Revitalisation Trust (CRT) was established to help build on this momentum of church planting in strategic cities across the UK:

While the success of HTB is to be admired, it is no reason for the bishop's high handed action, destroying one congregation in the hope of starting another. That is not church planting.

"Church planting is a process that results in a new (local) Christian church being established. It should be distinguished from church development, where a new service, new worship center or fresh expression is created that is integrated into an already established congregation. For a local church to be planted, it must eventually have a separate life of its own and be able to function without its parent body, even if it continues to stay in relationship denominationally or through being part of a network." Wikipedia

 Church of England Bishops set out principles for church planting.

 Among their guiding principles [20 ii]:
"We expect those responsible for church plants to commit themselves to work
to the best of their ability in cooperation with the other churches in the local
area, including the church in whose parish the new church plant is located, as
an integrated part of deanery and diocesan structures. They should aim to use
some of their resources to support the mission of their neighbours and expect
to make regular financial contributions to the diocese, as an expression of the
mutual responsibilities that are a normal part of church life."

What the bishop of Llandaff appears to be doing is adapting Church of England practice for use in the Church in Wales without its structure. In a similar way they cherry picked to write a Code of Practice which specifically excluded separate structures leaving orthodox Anglicans in Wales with nothing but their memories.

Church in Wales bishops have been resolute in refusing permission for orthodox bishops to cross the border. HTB plants have their own bishop for church plants, the Bishop of Islington. There is no indication how this would work in Wales.

We have been here before.

Revisionist bishops have destroyed orthodox Anglicanism in Wales, sacrificing  faithful worshippers in pursuit of their secularist agenda. If attempting to address the resulting decline with another experiment is June Osborne's answer parishioners is not taking it lying down.

You can sign their petition here.

Postscripts [22.03.2019]

Church Times: Church in Wales launches its first resource church

[25.03.2019] Anglican Unscripted coverage:

Modern Britain

In Birmingham Primary schools boys are asked to dress as girls and taught a story of a prince marrying another prince as part of the “No Outsiders” LGBT curriculum. The Church of England refuses to support the Muslim community in its stand against the sexualisation of primary school children.  Rebel Priest.

A devout Catholic and mother of five has been asked to attend a police interview after being accused of using the wrong pronoun to describe a transgender girl. She is being investigated for a possible hate crime under the malicious communication act, an offence that carries a maximum two-year prison sentence. While the 44-year-old has been invited to attend the interview on a voluntary basis, she claims she has been warned that she could face arrest if she fails to attend. The Telegraph.

News bulletins have been dominated by the outpouring of grief over the killing of 50 Muslims in New Zealand. By contrast there has been no coverage of the 140 lives lost with 160 houses destroyed in the past five weeks in Nigeria. Christian Headlines.

Are African Christians worth less because they have not signed up to Western revisionist, do as you please, the Church is backing you, 'Christianity'?

Press to read about Persecution

Today is International Day of Happiness with the theme Happier Together.

Postscript [20.03.2019]

CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION:  Home Office refuses asylum to Iranian Christian convert – quoting violence in the Bible as evidence of bogus claim

Government defends right of street preachers

Christian preacher arrested in London and Bible confiscated                                    Source: Premier.

In February I wrote about a Christian street preacher who was arrested at Southgate station London N14 for preaching about Jesus, saving people from hell.

The police told him he was breaching the peace because he was being "islamophobic".

Protests have been heard. From Premier:

"The government is defending the right of street preachers after a man was arrested in London last month and had his Bible confiscated.

"Responding to a question from MP Theresa Villiers, Home Office Minister Nick Hurd said people are free to follow their religious beliefs provided they do so within the law.

"It's currently legal to preach on the streets in the UK.

"In a written question, Theresa Villiers asked: 'With reference to the arrest and release of Oluwole Ilesanmi in Enfield, what steps he is taking to ensure that church groups can preach on the street.'

"In the response, Nick Hurd said: "The Government does not prevent individuals from following their religious beliefs or cultural traditions provided they do so within the law.

" 'The diversity of modern Britain is one of our strengths and many British people of different faiths follow religious codes and practices. The right to freedom of expression is a vital part of a democratic society. It is a long-standing tradition in this country that people are free to share their views with others'."

Something loudly demonstrated here.

Anti-Brexit protester Steve Bray used an oversized loudhailer to make his
views clear. Credit: Yui Mok/PA/ITV

Caption corner 17 March 2019

Grand Slam. Jonathan Davies (right) grins as John Inverdale, Clive Woodward and Jeremy Guscott look glum                                     Source: WalesOnline

As usual printable comments will appear under Comments.

Brood of vipers!

"To expect someone whose theological conviction does not enable him to receive the sacramental ministry of women routinely to turn up to a celebration of Holy Communion when he cannot discover in advance whether he will be able to receive Holy Communion seems to me to be asking too much."

The words of Sir William Fittall in response to a complaint by an orthodox Anglican who claimed he was being "marginalised" because he was forced to arrive at services  at Wakefield Cathedral without prior knowledge of whether there would be a male or female celebrant.

That will have a familiar ring for readers of this blog. In Welsh Primate abandons twin integrity I wrote:

" In his newly created role of Acting Dean of his own Cathedral, the dictatorial Archbishop of Wales and Bishop of Llandaff, Dr Barry Morgan, has decreed that the Cathedral Office is not to publish the names of officiants at each of the Cathedral services. The intention is to put a further barrier in the way of those who, for theological reasons, are uncomfortable with a woman presiding at the altar. Rather than being able to plan ahead to avoid unfortunate pastoral situations, it would appear that the only way of knowing who is celebrating the Eucharist at Llandaff is to see who appears at the entrance procession. 

"This action again illustrates that there is nothing so intolerant as an arch-liberal. If this is the level of pastoral care shown by the Archbishop in his own Cathedral for those who are told they still have an honoured place in his Church, what hope is there for the rest of us? "

The Dean of Wakefield Cathedral argued that "Removing the names of those - male and female - who are to preside at a particular service helps to make the point that it is our offering of the Eucharist that is central, rather than the particular individual who is presiding."

In the Anglican Church orthodoxy has become a hindrance resulting in outright discrimination.

Transgenders are thought by the House of Bishops to deserve a special welcome service while LGBT Anglicans have their own chaplains and LGBT Masses, often with the Lord's Table draped in a rainbow flag.

Orthodox Anglicans have to fend for themselves, often having to take steps to avoid being trapped into embarrassing situations as in Wakefield Cathedral.

Yet women priests still complain. "Not everybody accepts us” sighs England's first female priest as she casually trots out more secular propaganda about equality: "Despite the many advancements in equality that the Church of England has seen in the past few years, there is always room for further progress. One should never sit on one’s laurels and while there are pockets of resistance, it’s nice to kind of think we’ll persevere until there aren't any, but that’s probably being unrealistic.”

Presumably the pockets of resistance she refers to are orthodox Anglicans such as the "nice woman" who is "not hostile" to her but just can’t accept that women can be priests so she wont accept communion from her, and the worshipper in Wakefield Cathedral forced to complain because of a wilful failure to honour the agreement that enabled women to be ordained in the Church of England.

In its 'Five Guiding Principles', the Church of England says it is "fully and unequivocally committed to all orders of ministry being open to all irrespective of gender". But the principles also state: "Those whose theological convictions mean they are unable to receive the ministry of women bishops or priests continue to be within the spectrum of teaching and tradition of the Anglican Communion, so the church of England remains committed to enabling them to flourish"

With hindsight it appears that the revisionists had no intention of honouring the pledge intended to enable orthodox Anglicans to flourish.

In September 2018 a row broke out in the diocese of Oxford because an advert for a new vicar at St Barnabas and St Paul with St Thomas the Martyr Parish specified that it was seeking a male priest.

The Oxford Mail reported that the advert provoked outrage in the community with one councillor 'slamming the church' for being 'too cowardly' to confront misogyny.

In their pursuit of power Women in the Church have talked of equality rather than theology permitting false accusations of misogyny and discrimination in the Church.

The former Archbishop of Wales Dr Barry Morgan used similar tactics when he wrote of "discrimination in a church that believes there is 'no male or female' in Christ". He used one of the most misquoted verses in all of Scripture, in an attempt to hoodwink his readers.

He went further saying, "At the heart of the Christian gospel are values of integrity, justice, wholeness and inclusion". Values he and his brood have consciously neglected to apply to Anglicans who keep the faith as received.

Seeking to validate their dishonesty they claim that the Church has to be credible to outsiders. In doing so they have allowed feminism to take control and substituted sex for love as they scratch around in scripture looking for any reference they can take out of context to boost their cause.

The latest row over whether gay bishops attending the 2020 Lambeth Conference should bring their same-sex partners as guests illustrates how far Anglicans have moved away from the gospel. Nigel Evans MP said that he believes the rule could equate to workplace discrimination adding that "If it wasn't for the gays in the Church, the Church would crumble"!

Unable to distinguish between faith and secular fads, people outside no longer care what the Church has to say. The Anglican Church has successfully made itself 'more relevant' to society, losing the sense of otherness which had set her apart in the process.

The revisionists speak not for Christ but for themselves. They use their own interpretation of the gospel to support a preferred lifestyle while recruiting secular opinion to justify their cause.

The Dean of Wakefield Cathedral talked of the centrality of offering the Eucharist while the Acting of Dean of Llandaff, Archbishop Barry Morgan, wrote of sanctioning schism, threatening the unity of the church if he supported calls for a male bishop with jurisdiction for those who oppose the authority of a woman bishop.

The Holy Eucharist has become a weapon in support of claims that are not only unsupported by but condemned by most members of the Anglican Communion, the Roman Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church.

Pilate asked the crowd whom he should release to them, Barabbas or Jesus? The chief priests and elders persuaded the crowd to chose Barabbas.

What is the choice offered today? The Gospel of Christ or crowd pleasing liberalism?

Caption corner 9 March 2019

The Queen greets the Most Rev John Davies Archbishop of Wales     Source: Twitter@JustinWelby

As usual publishable captions will appear under Comments.

International Women's Day 2019

The congregation at a service in Lambeth Palace celebrating 25 years of women’s ordination
in the Church of England. Source: ACNS (Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Lambeth Palace)

The campaign theme #BalanceforBetter for International Women's Day 2019 on Friday, 8 March is explained thus:

"Balance is not a women's issue, it's a business issue. The race is on for the gender-balanced boardroom, a gender-balanced government, gender-balanced media coverage, a gender-balance of employees, more gender-balance in wealth, gender-balanced sports coverage...Gender balance is essential for economies and communities to thrive."

If it is a business issue, the drive for gender-balance in the Church has been a complete disaster as regular attendance at Sunday services has declined to the point that after "decades of falling church attendance and dwindling religious observance" the Church of England will no longer be obliged to hold regular Sunday services.

Successfully applying their secular, gender-balance values to the Church, feminists have succeeded in their campaign for women's ordination to the priesthood and their admission to the episcopate but they have shown no concern for the many other women and men who in conscience are unable to accept the innovation on theological grounds.

Women and the Church (WATCH) oppose the appointment of men who, in common with the vast majority of Christians throughout the world, cannot accept the sacramental ministry of women. They are accused of misogyny and not believing in equality even though provision was made to maintain the twin integrities when the ordination of women was approved in Synod.

Other obstructions have followed such as frustrating worshippers by concealing the sex of the celebrant yet women's ordination is celebrated as a great success. It may be for those involved and their sympathisers but for others it has been a disaster leaving other women with no church where they can worship in conscience.

It is right that women and men have equal opportunities in the workplace but faith is not something to be compromised for political purposes.

Success for some leads to despair for others. There is no balance in that.

Time to put an end to this farce

Sticking together? Bishop Richard Pain (centre) with Archbishop John Davies to his right and Bishop Gregory Cameron, both former college
 chums at the former St Michael's Theological College, Llandaff.    Source: Bishop hat-trick South Wales Argus

Enough is enough. 

February, the month suggested when the Bishop of Monmouth was likely to take up his duties again, has come and gone. Nine months of impasse. Nine months when Anglicans in the diocese of Monmouth have been left with an absent bishop raising questions about the need for six diocesan bishops. 

If Bishop Pain were to be 're-born' in the diocese of Monmouth after his senior clergy have lost confidence in him he would return to office with no moral authority. He should heed advice and retire.

According a Church Times report the bishop is "spoken well of by his flock", unlike the abuse directed by his supporters at those who properly used the established complaints procedure authorised by the Church in Wales.

Claims of smoke without fire make no sense unless intended to rubbish complaints of those who in conscience believe they have a genuine grievance. 

The South Wales Argus reports: Some churches are preparing to withhold parish shares until problems in the Diocese of Monmouth are resolved.

They should have been doing that already in protest against the secularisation of the Church in Wales which has perverted the faith of many for personal satisfaction.

Meanwhile the Church in Wales descends further into obscurity.

Archbishop follows suit

Archbishop of Wales, John Davies                  Source: Brecon & Radnor Express

From the Brecon & Radnor Express: "In his message for St David’s Day, the Archbishop of Wales, John Davies urged his followers to follow the example of St David to make our society strong, robust and caring."

A comment which sums up what has gone wrong with Anglicanism.

Followers of the former Archbishop of Wales, Barry Morgan, now lead the Church in Wales.

Followers of Christ have been left to fall by the wayside.

In his St David's Day message the archbishop talks of society, not the Kingdom of Heaven.

Following the example of the bishop of St Davids, Joanna Penberthy, John Davies quotes from the life of St David:

"Community, commitment and concern are things that can make our society strong, robust and caring, and that an ability to live in harmony alongside those with whom we might have significant differences mark us out as decent, honourable, people."

The archbishop has overlooked the fact that the bench of bishops would be ruled out of being "decent, honourable, people" since they have no time for anyone who follows Christ not them.