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| Rt Revd Mark Tanner has been confirmed as the new Bishop of Chester. Source: CheshireLive |
The new Bishop of Chester has announced that he is a supporter of Black Lives Matter.
That should go down well with Stephen Cottrell the new Archbishop of York who also came out as a Black Lives Matter supporter while declaring that Jesus was a black man.
That should go down well with Stephen Cottrell the new Archbishop of York who also came out as a Black Lives Matter supporter while declaring that Jesus was a black man.
From the Telegraph (£):
"BLM happily self-identifies as a neo-Marxist movement with various far left objectives, including defunding the police (an evolution of the Panther position of public open-carry to control the police), to dismantling capitalism and the patriarchal system, disrupting the Western-prescribed nuclear family structure, seeking reparations from slavery to redistribute wealth and via various offshoot appeals, to raise money to bail black prisoners awaiting trial. The notion of seizing control of the apportionment of capital, dismantling the frameworks of society and neutralising and undermining law enforcement are not just Marxist, but anarchic."
There are more worrying facts from Alexander Boot about the BLM affiliate, Movement for Black Lives (M4BL) in his blog.
Assuming that 'going along to get on' aspirants in the Church of England understand what they are supporting this is another worrying development for orthodoxy.
Postscript [26.07.2020]
From Twitter: "The leader of Oxford Black Lives Matter Sasha calls for a black militia, compares the police to the KKK and calls for a revolution."
Previously on Twitter: "Oxford Black Lives Matter leader Sasha uses racial slurs and threats of violence to abuse a black man."
Will the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of Chester reconsider their support for the BLM movement? I doubt it.
Statue of slave owner Thomas Picton to be removed from Cardiff City Hall
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-53512384
Cardiff council are busy de-platforming historic figures long since dead.
Have they really got nothing better to be discussing?
Pathetic virtue-signalling and BLM posturing from politically correct nobodies.
#NotInMyName
On one level I'm tempted to agree: the past is indeed another country, and there's no way in which the present generation can undo it. Or, I'd say, be held responsible for it.
DeleteAdditionally, there's an inevitable temptation to portray history in polarized simplification, in terms of the 'goodies' and 'baddies' of American 'westerns' which my generation of little kids used to devour in the early days of TV in the 1950s. The reality, inevitably, is more nuanced.
In this respect Wikipedia's entry on Thomas Picton is instructive. In the course of his prosecutions - in which he was intitally convicted but then subsequently acquitted on a technicality at a re-trial - he amassed vey considerable legal costs. Sympathetic fellow grandees in the military and among the landowning aristocracy organized an appeal to help him meet those costs, but he refused their offer, insisting on paying his costs himself and donating all of the money which his sympathizers had donated to him to a relief fund for Port of Spain, the Trinidad capital where he'd lived and served as governor, and which had been recently devastated by a fire that had devoured much of the town's buildings. Not, surely, the action of the 'Darth Vader' figure which he's been recently represented.
On the other hand his tenure as governor - as a soldier and administrator, he doesn't seem to have had any significant direct involvement in the slave business - was brutal and vicious, which was how he came to face a court in the first place. And inevitably the main victims of his brutality, in a hierarchical colonial society, were poor ordinary folk who were for the most part by then imported African slaves and servants.
More than any other city in Wales Cardiff these days is a mixed-ethnicity city, and this year has its first ever black lord mayor, a guy whose forebears originally came from the Caribbean. It's readily arguable that Picton - who hailed from the other side of the country anyway, from Pembrokeshire - isn't these days an appropriate figure as a 'local hero'.
All the more so, perhaps, because, I hear, some sort of poll was taken in Cardiff as to who should be commemorated in the then new 'hall of heroes' in the city hall. Space was limited, and Picton wasn't initially one of the successful contenders. Nevertheless his statue did ultimately appear, presumably because some influential folk thought that, whatever the vote, it ought to. Maybe now's the time when it ought not to?
As a Cardiff resident and Council tax payer, I was certainly not invited to take part in any "sort of poll". I can't help suspecting that if "some sort of poll" did actually take place, it was rigged to obtain the desirable and politically correct outcome. The woke and right-on Community have learned the lesson of the Brexit referendum - whatever happens, don't give everyone a say!
DeleteSlave-owners (rather than slave traders) include George Washington! Time to change name of city and state?
Delete@ Ruth:
DeleteUnless you were alive and a qualified voter in the late nineteenth century, you wouldn't have been invited to take part in a poll. The vote was called back then, when the 'hall of heroes' in Cardiff city hall was first decided on, and the question inevitably arose as to who should be commemorated.
@ Evangelical Ed:
My take there is that that's something for Americans to determine, and nothing to do with us here.
You make my point for me John.
DeleteIf Picton's statue was placed in the City Hall in Cardiff as the result of "some sort of poll" then it should not be removed unless and until another such poll has been held and his statue is voted out.
The problem with these socialists who claim to be Liberal and open-minded is that they are anything but.
They won't even call "some sort of poll" because they know that the silent majority will not provide them with the required answer.
Fair comment, Ruth. At least now you would get a vote; my information source didn't identify precisely who was entitled to express their opinion - which was apparently circumvented! - as to which luminary was to be commemorated in the hall of fame.
DeleteBut if the criterion accorded with general voting rights at the time, it'd be confined to male owners of a property over a certain value, from which I take it that anyone bearing the name Ruth would be excluded! ;-)
You underestimate me John.
DeleteMy husband does as he is told and votes how he's instructed.
Vote as he's instructed? Dear me, how undemocratic!
DeleteRather reminds me of certain south Asian households of which I heard in my political days in north-western England, where the clan's postal votes were dutifully submitted to a cental point do that they could all be uniformly filled in.
Though that, as I recall, was effected by a patriarch rather than a matriarch! ;-)
Why is anyone surprised?
ReplyDeleteSheffield Cathedral Dean & Chapter have decided to get rid of their Cathedral choir in the name of diversity.
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8553763/Sheffield-Cathedral-disbands-40-strong-choir-fresh-start-inclusion-drive.html
Sheffield Cathedral to replace choir for singers from 'mixed urban community'
The cultural vandalism begun by Peggy the Pilate continues.
Sheffield can look forward to a Gospel choir accompanied by steel oil drums wearing rainbow coloured cassocks.
I'm as disappointed by this news as you are, Teilo, but I think you ought to avoid jumping to unjustified conclusions. This article might set the record a little straighter.
Deletehttps://www.spectator.co.uk/article/why-is-sheffield-cathedral-s-choir-being-disbanded-for-inclusivity-?fbclid=IwAR2mk5WDb3SRB6jmq9DJ6fhFZr3FZ2xy_FZhpHse8lNw4BHgU9Pp4fEhnMw
I saw that yesterday after posting above thank you Matthew.
DeleteIt changes nothing.
I see no sense whatsoever in the cultural vandalism of destroying a choir and music tradition already in place.
By all means add something new to the mix but Sheffield should do what Llandaff failed to - keep the Choir and dismiss the Dean and Chapter.
As was the case in Llandaff, the Sheffield Choir is almost certainly responsible for attracting more worshippers and visitors than an insipid and irrelevant bunch of crusty clerks in Holy orders.
Perhaps you also ought to avoid jumping to unjustified conclusions too Matthew.
Deletehttps://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jul/24/sheffield-cathedral-to-investigate-bullying-and-harassment-claims
Sheffield Cathedral, which closed its choir this week to an outcry from parents, former choristers and musicians, is being investigated over allegations of bullying and harassment.
The cathedral’s dean, Peter Bradley, ordered an external inquiry after complaints were made to its governing body, the Chapter, over alleged bullying of musical staff and volunteers.
My niece sang in Sheffield Cathedral choir a few years back. Contrary to the Chapter's deliberately duplicitous statement, she (and many of her fellow choristers) did not attend independent schools. My niece was from a deprived, single-parent home, with very little money to spare. The Cathedral choir was a life-saver for her. It enabled her, and many of her friends in the choir, to aspire to go to university (which she has). It gave her confidence, encouraged her latent academic potential, and gave her a set of values. She is now an altar server at the cathedral in the city where she studies and volunteers with a charity supporting the homeless. What cathedral choirs provide, in terms of team skills and a culture of mutual support, is priceless. And all that's on top of the musical skills and giving children and young adults a stake in the church's liturgy.
DeleteThe Dean of Sheffield (in post for the past 16 years) and, in my view, a rather insecure and defensive personality whom no-one else will touch with a barge pole, according to privileged sources in the church, was appointed at too young a stage in his clerical career. He became arrogant and is widely recognized as a bully. He's hardly a charming conversationalist and comes straight out of the Saddam Hussein school of pastoral care. He goes through canons (of the clerical sort) like water. The enquiry Lux et Veritas refers to was not ordered by the Dean after allegations of bullying by the musicians. It's been a secretive plot instigated by the Dean two years ago to take control of the music from the hands of professionals and close down the choral foundation. Diversity and inclusiveness has nothing to do with it whatsoever. This is a naked power grab by a disappointed and desperate man (again, in my opinion).
Thank you David for your candour.
DeleteI can assure you that anyone with experience of dealing with the duplicitous Bishops of Llandaff and their sycophantic Deans and Chapters will have no difficulty in believing or accepting your version of events.
The biggest mistake anyone could make is confusing what goes on in some of the Cathedrals and Abbies in the UK with Christianity.
Anyone else see the irony in the fact that an all-white, middle-aged, monoglot English cathedral chapter is disbanding the choir on the grounds of... er, diversity and inclusiveness?
DeleteIt was this assertion by Teilo that I considered unjustified: "Sheffield can look forward to a Gospel choir accompanied by steel oil drums wearing rainbow coloured cassocks." I've no doubt that the cathedral authorities are inept and worse, but according to the Spectator article the Dean's idea of Diversity is rather more highbrow: "Drums and guitars are not my tradition. The London Oratory is more my world, musically speaking. I cannot say too strongly how committed I and the cathedral are to the Anglican choral tradition and evensong."
ReplyDeleteThat was sarcasm Matthew.
DeleteWhile knowing not very much more than I've read in the press about bullying in Sheffield, I hear the storm clouds of bullying are gathering once more in Llandaff, with relations between the Deanery and Llys Esgob at such a nadir that complaints of bullying are being directed from one towards another and at least one party is on gardening leave. Anyone on The Green with more privileged information?
ReplyDeleteBazza's golf caddie hasn't been seen for months amid rumours a nervous breakdown.
DeleteIt hardly matters though since he does so little work he's not been missed one bit.
As others know to their cost, Caiaphas is definitely a bully.
Gerwhine is a nasty bit of work but usually limits his bullying antics to writing poison pen letters to elderly Parishioners, usually widows.
DeleteThey deserve each other.
One well-informed cleric suggests that Juno (to invoke her twitter handle) decided she'd had enough of being lied to and decided to confront the supercilious little [you fill in your chosen adjective] with some evidence she had garnered that proved his dissembling and idleness. He was so outraged that anyone should dare challenge his version of reality that he hot-footed it to his GP to get signed off with stress.
ReplyDeleteHe's probably hit the buffers and this is the long-awaited opportunity to get shut of him. That someone of his compromised integrity should have been considered worthy of succeeding the principled Janet Henderson who refused to collude with Barry the Golfer's nefarious ruses and cover-ups is beyond belief. The question is this: how much of a stink will he try to create in an attempt to salvage his own tattered reputation? I hear tell he has few supporters among his fellow clergy; but seems unable to accept that going quietly would be the best of all outcomes.
By the way, it was good to read David Carter's comment above. For those of us along the Taff, it had a very familiar ring.
Gerwhine was never considered worthy but following the Organ Appeal, Cathedral Choir and Janet Henderson debacles he was the only mug Darth --Insidious could find to put in the Llandaff Deanery to keep the skeletons locked away in the cupboards and even that has only met with limited success.
DeleteAssuming that Iolo is correct that the scales have finally fallen from the eyes of the Bishopette concerning the dud in the Deanery, can one hope for a similar Damascene conversion in respect of those she has previously falsely accused on the say-so of the dud?
DeleteIsn't it deliciously wicked that two bullies are having a fit of handbags but in the game of clerical Chess Bishop always defeats Pawn.
DeleteWho was it said "how these Christians love one another"?
ReplyDeleteQuintus Septimius Florens Tertullianus, c. 155 – c. 240? AD, Christian polemicist at Carthage. He attributed it to pagan observers who, with no sense of irony, apparently seriously meant it.
DeleteIt was a line from one of the great Cecil's films. Possibly Ben Hur?
ReplyDelete