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| Barry Morgan's retirement villa on the outskirts of Cardiff |
"In an open letter, he cited evidence that Iran is one of the least hospitable countries in the world for Christians under the mullahs’ regime, even though it is supposedly tolerated by the regime. In fact, conversion from Islam to Christianity carries the death penalty."
While supporting Christians in Iran is laudable, such support is a bit rich coming from the person who probably more than anyone is responsible for wrecking the Church in Wales.
It is a pity that Morgan's new commitment to religious freedoms did not extend to Orthodox Anglicans in Wales who were quickly shown the door for not supporting his programme of secularising the Church in Wales.
Succeeding Rowan Williams as Archbishop of Wales in 2003 Barry Morgan committed himself to the ordination of women to the priesthood and the admission of women to the episcopate. He said practising homosexuals should not be barred from becoming bishops and declared: “I would ordain Britain’s first gay Bishop.”
Archbishop Morgan retired, aged 70, in 2017 having consecrated Wales' first female bishop. All three bishops in South Wales are now female. One is a cohabiting lesbian, the others being fervent LGBT supporters.
He continued to press his radical, secular agenda up to his retirement. He used his final address to the Church in Wales’ governing body to argue that Christians can change their stance on homosexuality without abandoning their commitment to the Bible, offending many while pandering to the few.
His views were widely condemned by biblical scholars.
Morgan's policy of refusing to provide episcopal oversight for orthodox Anglicans who refused to accept the 'going along to get on' approach to their faith has been continued by the bench of bishops.
Society bishops are banned from celebrating in Wales. Consequently regular church attendance has plummeted faster than it may otherwise have done.
When Barry Morgan retired he pledged that he would not interfere. He said, "I take the view that once you're gone, you're gone... you've had your period in office," he added.
Such a divisive figure should have stuck to his word.
Biblical scholar?
ReplyDeleteMorgan?
Don't make me laugh.
Oops! Thanks Exodus. I have removed the ambiguity.
DeleteHardly surprising is it?
DeleteLlys Ego looks just like something that might have been designed by the Ayatollah.
His retirement home looks more like a bunker in which you lock down rather than a pleasant dwelling place to while away your later years.
ReplyDeleteSorry. Pressed the wrong button and deleted in error. From Episkopos:
ReplyDeleteIt reminds me of something else black and square, to be found in Saudi Arabia.
The Black hole of Llandaff. Fitting place for the occupant. God help his soul.
ReplyDeleteThe O so tasteful Llys Ego is to be found in Whitchurch and not Llandaff thankfully.
DeleteYes Ruth, I know that. I was using literary licence. I'm surprised planning permission was given for the monstrosity.
DeleteHow is it that a bishop can live in his former diocese but a priest can't live in his former parish? Different rules for those who make them?
ReplyDeleteNemesis
I think that rule no longer exists . A priest has just retired from The Rectorial Bennefice of Barry and moved a few doors up from his former Rectory. As one wag said, he could have moved just using a wheelbarrow.
DeleteIt was always a convention rather than a hard-and-fast ordinance. Rather similar to the convention that, out of respect for his successor, a priest who had moved on from a former parish should sever all contacts with his previous parishioners, even if some of those ex-parishioners had become personal friends.
ReplyDelete