The senior bishop of the Church in Wales, Andy John, introduces the Archdeacon of Wrexham, John Lomas, who has been chosen as the 10th Bishop of Swansea and Brecon.
From Church in Wales Provincial news: Archdeacon John’s appointment is to be confirmed at Sacred Synod on the 22nd November 2021at St Giles’ Church, Wrexham. His consecration as Bishop is likely to take place at the Archbishop's Cathedral. The date of consecration and the location of the event will be confirmed when a new Archbishop has been elected.
Question, will there be an exodus of evangelical clergy to S&B now?
ReplyDeleteWHAMAB
@ WHAMAB:
ReplyDeleteThat sort of thing certainly can happen. I moved from Wales to Cheshire in the mid-'80s, not long after Michael Baughen, formerly rector of 'the BBC church', All Souls Langham Place in London - perhaps the 'cathedral' of C of E conservative evangelicalism at the time - had been consecrated bishop of Chester.
That diocese was for a while positively awash with eager young conservative evangelical clergymen from all over England who sought to serve under him!
Can't be that evangelical if he will ordiain women and allow gay blessings...
ReplyDeleteHole in one.
DeleteYou can make a case from scripture for both sides of the ordination of women debate, but not for same sex relationships. I hope John will have the courage and integrity of some bishops over the pond, such as William Love, who refused to allow same sex marriage in their dioceses, even though it meant them being removed from their posts.
DeleteMr. E.
I'm preapred to accept I may be missing something significant here, but listening to this gives me no reason to suppose that John Lomas is a Conservative Evangelical - and certainly not in the tribal and politicised way that some C of E bishops have become (Henderson of Blackburn and Thomas of Maidstone spring to mind). I'm curious as to why people think this is the case.
ReplyDeleteI was thinking much the same as AR Having had a beer with him at a Village Fete a few years back (!) I didn't come away with any sense that he was a Conservative Evangelical, or any sort of "party" man.
ReplyDeleteHe is mission-minded, concerned for evangelism, and he values parish ministry. Sounds like a pretty good appointment to me.
Only concern might be age ? At the most 7 years in Swan & Brec, but long episcopates aren't always a good thing.
Chaplain
The way things are going, he'll likely outlive the Church in Wales.
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