No laughing matter

Archbishop Barry Morgan with Joanna Penberthy at her consecration.                                                                                               Source: ITV/Church in Wales

From ITV 21 January 2017 

Fateful words:

"This is an historic occasion for the Church in Wales, as well as a being hugely significant moment for Canon Joanna. It is marvellous that it is possible for us to appoint women, as well as men, to all three Orders of ministry and to regard that as now being the norm. What matters is not gender, but suitability, character, gifts - and that was why Joanna was elected as Bishop."
Dr Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales

"Suitability, character, gifts - that was why Joanna was elected as Bishop."

Those words must be ringing in the ears of anyone who really cares about the Church in Wales as their spiritual home. It is no longer a laughing matter. 

Once again the 'mushroom method' of management is being employed by the bench. Consequently worshippers remain in the dark regarding events in St Davids diocese as they were in the diocese of Monmouth which led to the departure of bishop Richard Pain. 

In St Davids diocese the bishop should have resigned in June after her position became untenable but there is no indication of an acceptable resolution for those she has offended, just extended sick notes.

In June senior clerics in St Davids diocese issued a statement: "Bishop Joanna is unwell and, on the advice of her doctor, will be away from work for the next month." The period of sick leave has been gradually extended. This time beyond the dates of the diocesan conference. On the advice of her doctor, bishop Joanna Penberthy will be away from work until the middle of October. 

The September 2021 edition of Pobl Dewi has been published without a prayer for the bishop. Perhaps that says something in itself!

A comment on a previous entry indicates that congregations and giving in the diocese are shrinking as a result of bishop Penberthy's tweets which caused offense to so many.

There is now a wider problem for the Church in Wales. In a statement reported in Christian Today, the Evangelical Fellowship in the Church in Wales (EFCW) claimed that there have been and will be "resignations from clergy, lay readers, worship leaders, church wardens, Sunday school teachers and parishioners. A number have withdrawn their regular giving to their churches." 

The EFCW had been consulting their members and were calling for the appointment of a bishop to "give voice" to those who believe in the traditional Christian teaching on marriage and sexual morality. 

Some hope given the treatment of traditionalists who were left with no pastoral or sacramental oversight after archbishop Morgan achieved his revisionist goals.

Offending worshippers appears to be all that the bench of bishops is capable of. 

They have treated loyal worshippers like pew fodder as they rail-rolled their zeitgeist legislation through Governing Body, the latest of which is to permit same-sex blessings.

The consequences are already looking dire.

A wedding in all but name

"A prayer for our new service of blessing for same-sex partnerships which launches online today, for use from October 1"        Source: Twitter/CinW

  

Extracts from Church in Wales (CinW) Liturgy for the Blessing of a Same-sex Civil Marriage or Civil Partnership: Text authorised for use from 1 October 2021 -

Introduction

Beloved in Christ, we come together in the presence of God to celebrate the union of N. and N. and to ask his blessing on their future together.

Act of Commitment

N. and N. you have already committed yourselves to each other at your Wedding / Civil Partnership when, [in the presence of your family and friends] you made solemn promises to establish a covenant of love and faithfulness between you for the rest of your life together.

I now invite you, to renew your commitment to one another before God and the Church.

N. and N. is it your desire to proclaim afresh your love and commitment to one another [before your family and friends and] in the presence of God?

Couple: It is.

There follows The Blessing of the Rings (optional), The Exchange of Rings or Gifts or Lighting of a Symbolic Candle and The Blessing of the Couple.

It is no coincidence that in 'celebrating love' the CinW liturgy mirrors the marriage service which is described as the lifelong, faithful union between a man and a woman.  CinW bishops make no secret of the fact that their goal is to permit the marriage of same sex couples in church.

Love manifests itself in many ways. Pink News, for example, reveals that "Evangelical candidates for upcoming Church of England elections are being encouraged to discuss threesomes when asked about diversity and LGBT+ inclusion."

Why stop at threesomes? Based on the bishops' interpretation of love there could be many other forms of partnerships to consider, often very loving.

A 'leading evangelical' vicar explains the situation here in an interview with Coalition For Marriage (C4M).

The CinW appears content to lose many faithful worshippers to satisfy a minority of folk who reinterpret the bible in a way that satisfies their own desires.

The floundering Episcopal Church in the US made the same mistakes. The Church of England is following the same 'popularity' path to destruction despite throwing money at dwindling numbers while gay rights activists seek to take more control.

Ironically, if current downward trends continue, there will be no Anglican churches left in which to conduct marriage services.

Postscript [26.09.2021]

Christian Today "After the Church in Wales' same-sex vote, what options are open to evangelicals?"
 An interview with the Rev Peter Jones, Chairman of the Evangelical Fellowship in the Church in Wales (EFCW).

Fallout

Katharine Jefferts Schori, former presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church (TEC) acting as mentor 
 to bishop June and bishop Joanna. Source: Twitter

How did (s)he get to be a bishop is a question that has been in many people's minds lately. 

The answer may be found in the death at age 90 of bishop John Shelby Spong, a  'maverick author' and  key leader on the left of The Episcopal Church (TEC) which has moved in a 'liberal/progressive direction'.

Anglican Ink reports that Spong led his followers to embrace emerging social movements and not to trust the Bible: "He never could quite grasp that Christians could believe the Bible. According to Spong the gospels were fabricated."

That will be familiar to the mainly former members of Church in Wales which has moved in the same direction. 

In their latest move to bless same-sex civil partnerships and marriages the bishops have now alienated evangelicals. As Christian Today put it, "This is good news for liberals and progressives who dominate the Church in Wales, but not good news for evangelicals and others who continue to represent the majority Christian position found among most Anglicans, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox and others."

Even clerics who have gone along with change in the hope of getting on have seen their hopes dashed as the bench prefers to look to England for like minded liberal progressives to fill vacancies as if there were no talent in Wales.

Archbishop Barry Morgan bears much responsibility for the sorry state of the Church in Wales. He lauded TEC's presiding bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori despite her dreadful unchristian record. She was subsequently to mentor June Osborne, bishop of Llandaff and Joanna Penberthy, bishop of St Davids, neither of whom has brought any credit to the Church - see Dysfunctional Church.

The fallout from treading Spong's path is also strongly in evidence in the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) which has already leapt ahead of Wales in the same-sex marriage stakes. 

In appointing  Canon Anne Dyer to the post of bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney, the Scottish House of bishops ignored the conservative profile of the diocese and appointed another of their own thinking, a female gay marriage supporter who focused on fighting for social justice and sexual equality. Sounds familiar!

The bishops have become badly unstuck with allegations of bullying leading to a review by Prof Ian Torrance, a former moderator of the Church of Scotland. He found that the bishop's management style led to a culture of "systemic dysfunction".

Concluding his Report Prof Torrance posed the question: "Does the bishop have the personal capacity to bring about healing and reconciliation in the diocese?"

He said it was 'a matter of trust and confidence' in recommending that, for the good of the diocese, the bishop be granted a period of sabbatical leave and step back permanently from the diocese. 

One commentator responded, "If this woman had any sense of the office that she bears, she would have stepped aside for the good of the Church."

Another parallel with the Church in Wales.

Postscript [18.09.2021]

'Heartbroken' Welsh evangelicals reach out to Gafcon - Christian Today

Episcopal pride

"Lust, envy, anger, greed, gluttony and sloth are all bad, the sages say, but pride is the deadliest of all, the root of all evil, and the beginning of sin." - The Seven Deadly Sins - NPR

Reading their constant stream of LGBTQ+ tweets, Llandaff diocese looks anxious to be regarded as the gay ghetto of the Church in Wales. 

In addition to promoting LGBTQ+ propaganda in the above video, this Llandaff tweet refers to bishop June's speech in which she shamelessly outed a recently departed archdeacon when seconding the motion to allow same-sex blessings.

Shameful behaviour in the diocese of Llandaff is not new. Drawing a comparison with the campaign for the ordination of women, one commentator referred under the previous entry to the 'vile abuse' to which a former Bishop of Llandaff was subjected. It became 'increasingly vitriolic' until he caved in under the pressure and 'changed his mind'.

The nastiness continued long after enough votes were secured to accept the ordination of women with clear evidence of attempts to drive out of the Church as a punishment anyone who had opposed the innovation.

Reading some of the puerile comments received in response to the previous entry, a similar mindset is evident in supporters of same-sex blessings who view those who attempt to uphold the sanctity of marriage as homophobic.

Bishop Gregory told the Governing Body that "he did not wish to deny anyone their convictions or faithful discipleship". 

We have heard that before!

The bishops words fell on deaf ears. Some of the comments received illustrate scathing contempt and disregard by some gay and lesbian people for other people's faith yet these are the people bishop Gregory seeks to succour. 

Same sex marriage supporters in the Church of England have lost no time in welcoming the decision. "Church in Wales gives ‘gospel-inspired lead’ to C of E, says Bishop of Liverpool.

No doubt the bench of bishops will pride themselves on taking the lead. Next on their agenda a gay bishop for Swansea and Brecon?

 It was Pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels. - St. Augustine

The big lie.

Church in Wales Governing Body Meeting 06 Sept 2021 discussing same-sex blessings                         Source: BBC News

                    

On his own admission the bishop of St Asaph prefers queers to evangelicals. That was his conclusion as bishop Gregory responded to the debate on same-sex blessings.

Sounding like a Taliban spokesman claiming every deed to be the will of Allah the bishop said, "I will not betray them, not for any price in this world or the next because I believe it is the will of Christ."

Others in the Church in Wales believe the opposite but the Bill passed when laity and clergy secured the necessary 2/3rds majority. Unsurprisingly the 4 bishops present voted for the Bill in one mind, that of the bishop of St Asaph.

Misinterpreting Galatians 3:28, the bishop of Llandaff, June Osborne, seconded the Motion. She invoked memories of the departed to help bolster support for the Bill. Ignoring the Chair's intervention as she over-ran her allotted time bishop June ploughed on. She just wanted to "honour the memory of archdeacon Sue Pinnington who tragically died at the end of July." 

Bishop Osborne suggested that the speech archdeacon Sue would have made would have put the proposed liturgy in the context of mission to which she had 'dedicated her life':

"It may well be that she would have spoken about her sense of God's blessing on her long and godly same-sex life partnership." - The first of a number of archdeacons who would tick the box.

A disproportionate procession of gay clergy from vicars to archdeacons came to the rostrum to support the Bill illustrating that their sexuality had been no hindrance to their careers.

There were claims of suffering among gay and lesbian people as though they have a monopoly on suffering but they still have a church to attend unlike others who have been rejected and left to pray at home.

A prominent supporter of same-sex blessings interviewed on BBC News with her same-sex partner was trainee priest Ruth Eleri James. Clearly she had not been properly briefed. 

On BBCRadioWales (37 Mins in) she told the reporter of the "real love and welcome they have experienced in their local churches." 

Replying to the debate bishop Gregory said his 'heart went out' to archdeacon Stephen and others who had been brave enough to 'open their hearts' in the debate. Brave enough to tell GB of the pain and the cost of what it is to live as a gay or lesbian Christian within our Church because of the unconscious bias and oppression that we unknowingly inflict upon them.

No evidence was presented to support bishop Gregory's assertion. Quite the contrary given the number of gay bishops, archdeacons and others who have made successful careers despite alleged bias and oppression.   

Speaking after the debate the senior bishop Andy John urged the church to 'respond to new challenges'. He warned that organisations failing to adapt to changes ran the risk of "fossilization", ignoring the fact that Anglican provinces that had done most to conform to the world had rapidly declining attendance.

The 'church' bishop John refers to is not the Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church. The Church rejects same-sex blessings along with the ordination of women but Wales is a minor province governed by bishops intent on moulding a compliant Governing Body to their will, leading their flock into darkness.

Going their own way by allowing same-sex blessings the Church in Wales has again put itself at odds not only with the vast majority of Christians but with most of the 80 million Anglicans worldwide, risking suspension from the Anglican Communion.

The Covid-19 pandemic has interrupted the annual update of regular church attendance figures but based on previous trends less than 0.8% of the population of Wales would regularly attend Anglican Sunday services.

In his keynote address as President of the Church’s Governing Body, its senior bishop Andy John urged the Church to look for God in the changing world and respond to new challenges. He warned that organisations failing to adapt to changes ran the risk of “fossilization”.

Speaking after the vote bishop Andy said that despite all the evidence to the contrary  'the Church' recognised it had "demonised and persecuted" gay and lesbian people. They were reaching out to a constituency that felt abandoned.

It has not bothered the bench one jot that another constituency, so-called traditionalists, have been abandoned despite the promise of twin integrities in the Church in Wales in its Code of Practice.

They may now be joined by evangelicals forced to "find accommodation as best they can" as a former LGBT+ supporting archdeacon of Llandaff directed.

The approval of same-sex blessings is based on the falsehood that gay and lesbian people have been demonised in the Church. Allowing same-sex blessings as a half measure to accepting same-sex marriage in church as an act of repentance. 

No doubt some examples of hurt can be documented but in well over 100 years of combined church attendance neither my wife nor I can recall a single example of such rejection, only of welcome as described by Ruth Eleri James and her partner.

The fact is that claiming persecution is part of a strategy based upon "deceptions and half‑truths":

• Exploit the “victim” status;
• Use the sympathetic media;
• Confuse and neutralize the churches;
• Slander and stereotype Christians;
• Bait and switch (hide their true nature); and
• Intimidation.

The vote to accept same-sex blessings is based on a lie. Shame on the Church in Wales.

Postscripts

[08.09.2021]

How it looks from outside the Church in Wales. 

Anglican Unscripted 684 starting at position 10.15. A devastating critique.

[11.09.2021]

CHURCH IN WALES BACKS THE BLESSING OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGES - C4M

[18.09.2021]

"It may not be an accident that this endorsing of the secular view of the priority and importance of sex and romantic relationships takes place in association with a culture which also attacked the core beliefs of Christianity." - What should we make of the Church in Wales' gay marriage blessings? Gavin Ashenden in Christian Today.

[21.09.2021]

"My experience of "synodality" in  Anglicanism  is that it was a ham fisted PR exercise in which the liberal elite imposed their will but made it look like their novelties were the will of the people." - Fr. Dwight Longenecker @dlongenecker1

[28.09.2021]

Reflections of an Anglican theologian: "The reason I want to comment is because what Cameron said at the meeting of the Governing Body provides a classic example of the weakness of the case for blessing same-sex relationships, and thus shows both why the Welsh church should not have voted to permit such blessings, and why the Church of England should not follow the Welsh example."

The reckoning

The Rt Rev Jonathan Goodall (left), Bishop of Ebbsfleet and Tantur International Advisory Board Member, with the Anglican delegation for the canonization
  of  Oscar Romero, led by Archbishop Emeritus of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, fourth from left.                           Photo  Anglican Communion News Service.

The well connected Bishop of Ebbsfleet is stepping down in order to be received into full communion with the Roman Catholic Church

Anglican bishop of Ebbsfleet resigns to join Roman Catholic church announced the Guardian before adding: "An Anglican bishop opposed to the ordination of women has resigned to join the Roman Catholic church" as if opposition to the ordination of women is somehow reprehensible.

The secular press is not interested in theological explanations. Why should it be? Many Anglican provinces are no longer interested in theology and differ little from secular organisations but the reckoning is nigh. 

THE COUNTERFEIT "GOSPEL" OF AFFIRMING CATHOLICISM By David W. Virtue, DD, says it as it is. A story of betrayal: "It has been slowly dawning on me that Satan's real work of destroying and deconstructing the Christian Faith in the Anglican Communion is not the obvious or bald-faced lie. Christians can easily spot it and mercifully reject it. Tens of millions of Anglicans, mostly from Africa, Asia and South America have seen through the lie of homosexuality. But what Satan is masterful at is the half-truth, the counterfeit lie and "Did God say"?

ANGLICAN PRELATE FLEES GAY GHETTO FOR ROME shouts Church Militant: "A prominent Anglican bishop is quitting the Anglo-Catholic wing of the Church of England, which is dominated by homosexual clergy, to embrace the Roman Catholic Church." Out of the frying pan into the fire?

Of course there are homosexual clergy. The difference for Anglicans in the West is that the Church is desperate to make it normal, particularly in the Church in Wales where homosexuals are especially welcome while those who keep the faith are rejected.

Clergy unable to accept the ordination of women on theological grounds have been forced to travel to England for the Chrism Mass because the mean-minded bench of bishops would not allow Provincial Episcopal Visitors to celebrate in Wales. 

There was an exception in 2017. The Requiem Mass for Bishop David Thomas. The Principal Celebrant was the Right Reverend Jonathan Goodall, Bishop of Ebbsfleet.

Bishop Thomas was Wales' first and last Provincial Assistant Bishop, an office scrapped by archbishop Barry Morgan, despite promises to the contrary, as soon as the opportunity presented itself.

The venue for the Requiem Mass was St Mary’s Priory Church where Bishop David held most of his Ordination Services and Chrism Mass. 

Bishop Jonathan was denied the opportunity of continuing that tradition. I am sure readers will join me in wishing him well.