'Impotent' archbishop needs an assistant!

Mary Stallard with the Bishop of Bangor.             Source: Llanblogger blogspot

Rejecting calls that he should launch an inquiry into the running of the Llandaff diocese following allegations of bullying against bishop June Osborne, the newly elected Archbishop of Wales, Andy John said, "As Archbishop, I do not have authority over any diocese other than my own unless the see is vacant."

Nevertheless, the bishop of Bangor has felt the need for someone to share the leadership of the diocese while he serves as Archbishop of Wales.

Bishop John's choice of "one of the first women to become a priest in the Church in Wales", Mary Stallard, will go down well with the women's movement led by the discredited former archdeacon, Peggy Jackson with their distorted view of equality while others will view it as further evidence that the Church in Wales couldn't care less for those who believe that the ordination of women is not something to be decided by individual Churches wishing to do their own thing.

A leading supporter of women bishops, in 2008 when the Church in Wales rejected a Bill which would have allowed women to be ordained as bishops, Canon Mary Stallard said, "I think people respond very differently to men expressing unhappiness at doubts and upsets than women. Men have much greater access to playing on people’s heartstrings and I think we saw a really good example of that today."

Canon Jeremy Winston, the then vicar of Abergavenny, said that bishops had failed to give concrete assurance to those opposed to female bishops that they would be provided for. 

He was correct of course. The Church in Wales used every trick in the book to admit women to the episcopacy with dire consequences as evidenced by the many comments on this blog.

The bench abdicated responsibility for the legislation giving feminists free rein. A meaningless code of practice was introduced followed by archdeacon Peggy Jackson's infamous attempt to deny ordination to anyone who, on grounds conscience, was unable to accept the ordination of women.

The vote followed the rejection of proposals which could have resulted in the appointment of a male bishop to minister sacramentally and pastorally to those who could not accept the unilateral ordination of women by the Church in Wales.

Speaking of his disappointment at the time archbishop Barry Morgan said, "Had we been willing as bishops to compromise and have an assistant bishop in the constitution to look after those who in conscience were opposed to the ordination of women, the Bill would have sailed through. But I think we would have compromised our principles. I think it would have been disastrous for the Church in Wales.

Ignoring the fact that other Churches had made such provision the reverse has proved to be true with attendance falling away towards unsustainable levels.

The Archbishop strongly argued against setting a precedent for appointing different bishops to cater for people with different opinions. He said, "When you are made a diocesan bishop you become the bishop of the whole diocese and everyone in it. Some will disagree with you on theological grounds. No matter. You have to be big enough as a diocesan to care and love for all those with whom you may be in profound disagreement. Anglican ecclesiology is about unity in diversity. It’s not a club of those who hold the same views on a particular subject." 

The care and love Barry Morgan referred to has been lavished on LGBTQ+ people while faithful Anglicans who follow the path of the wider Church have been dumped with no pastoral care or sacramental provision whatsoever. 

The Church in Wales has indeed been turned into a club for the like-minded, something the new archbishop will have plenty of time to reflect on while his assistant runs his diocese. 

Postscript [29.01.2022]

Archbishop Chaplain (Internal Only)

The archbishop requires even more assistance - for him to do what?

"The essence of this role is to ensure that the Archbishop of Wales is free to exercise his ministry secure in the knowledge that robust systems and protocols are in place to ensure that he will always be well briefed whilst working to a demanding and sustainable schedule.

"Part 1 of Schedule 9 to the Equality Act 2010 applies to this appointment. This post carries an occupational requirement to be a practicing Christian and, preferably, a communicant member of the Church in Wales or a church in communion with it. The post is open to both ordained and lay applicants."

Location: Bangor , the role requires 'some travel in Wales and beyond, and occasional overnight stays'. The Salary: Grade F - £39,674 - £44,887 per annum

The mind boggles.

Holocaust Memorial Day

27 January, 2022 is Holocaust Memorial day when households around the UK are encouraged to light a candle in a stand against hate and prejudice.

You can watch the Holocaust Memorial day UK ceremony here on 27 January 2022 at 7 pm.

The bishop of St Davids surfaces again

Joanna Penberthy, the first woman Bishop to be consecrated by the
Church of Wales, with archbishop Barry Morgan. Source: WalesOnline

Joanna Penberthy, the first woman to be appointed bishop in the Church in Wales, finds herself listed among some 'Incredible female icons through the ages' for being just that, the first woman to be appointed bishop in the Church in Wales.

Passed off by archbishop Barry Morgan as 'the best person to be a bishop', the achievement was his rather than hers. 

Sandwiched between former World, Commonwealth and Olympic champion, Nicole Cooke MBE and Jess Fishlock MBE, a Welsh women's footballer who was the first Welsh player to earn 100 caps for the national team, the bishop of St Davids looks somewhat short of personal achievements by comparison with the 'incredible' female icons listed.

In response to her listing bishop Penberthy said, "God calls all of us to his ministry in a way which fits our own particular gifts and talents."

They must be hidden under a bushel!

Archbishop's impotency confirmed

Bishop of Llandaff the Rt Rev June Osborne                                                       Source: Pressreader

 

From Pressreader today quoting the Western Mail: The Archbishop of Wales  has rejected calls that he should launch an inquiry into the running of the Llandaff diocese following allegations of bullying against Bishop June Osborne. 

In the article archbishop Andy John confirms his impotence: "As Archbishop, I do not have authority over any diocese other than my own unless the see is vacant."

So there we have it. The diocese of Llandaff falls apart while the bishop of St Davids sits tight after falling into disgrace.

Was it just a coincidence that Joanna and June in particular looked more thrilled than the bishops of St Asaph and Monmouth after it was announced that Andy John had been elected archbishop or could they for some reason have felt more secure?

Now that the archbishop has confirmed his impotency, Church in Wales bishops appear free to do as they please. No-one, apparently, is able or willing to get a grip of the situation. 

Just a sinecure then!

Some welcome words

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby (left) with His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, head of Egypt's Coptic Church, at the
papal residence in Cairo. Photo: Lambeth Palace Source: Anglican Journal

Some welcome words for a change from Justin Welby, not something that can often be said of the current Archbishop of Canterbury who is noted more for his wokery than for his Christian leadership.

Calling for social care reform he said the government needed to start with the person, not financial costs. I would go along with that but what of people's spiritual health. Anglicanism is becoming increasingly secular.

How refreshing, then, to read the words of His Holiness Pope Tawadros II, head of Egypt's Coptic Church:

"In an interview broadcast by an Egyptian television station on Friday, January 7th, on the occasion of Coptic Christmas, the patriarch of the largest Christian community in the Arab countries repeated in a few sentences the reasons why the Catholic Church and all the churches of the East do not have the faculty of conferring priestly ordination to women.

"The priesthood in the Church is reserved for men only, according to the will of Christ himself, who, during his public life, as highlighted in the Gospels, chose his apostles from among men, while not even the Virgin Mary 'wanted to be a priestess'. This was emphasized by the Coptic Orthodox Patriarch Tawadros II, pointing to the source of the teaching on the priesthood that the Catholic Church shares with all Orthodox churches and the ancient churches of the East."

A timely intervention when the Catholic Church seems hell bent on following Anglicanism on a path to destruction. 

The movement for the ordination of women is part of a job lot which starts with ordaining women deacons then 'progresses', step by step, to women priests and bishops accompanied by all the gender baggage that goes with it.

The Church ends up with lesbian bishops who claim justification for their position by interpreting scripture in a way that enhances their role based on secular views of social justice.

Fateful words

The bishops of Llandaff (left) and St Davids (right) with their TEC mentor Katharine Jefferts Schori
Source: Twitter

It came as no surprise that archbishop Barry Morgan described his chosen candidate, Canon Joanna Penberthy, as 'the best person to be a bishop' after she was elected bishop of St Davids.

Subsequent events have illustrated the irony of that description.

Likewise, Morgan's successor must rue the day when he welcomed the appointment as bishop of Llandaff of 'Pioneer English woman priest', June Osborne. 

The then Church in Wales' senior bishop, John Davies said, “In June Osborne, both the Church in Wales and the Diocese of Llandaff will find themselves to be richly blessed. June’s track record admirably demonstrates her passion for Christian ministry modelled on the Gospel imperatives of love, justice, inclusivity and openness. All of these are qualities which I and my fellow bishops warmly support and welcome. She is known as a leader with clear vision, a pastoral heart and a strategic mind.”

In 2019 June Osborne's 'clear vision' led her to charter an aircraft to fly all active diocesan clergy to a clergy school in Santiago de Compostela during Christian Aid Week leaving others to get on with charitable work. Mercifully the plane did not ended up in the sea. Had it done so the diocese would have been left with a few retired clergy who could not afford to subsidise the cost of the flight or had better things to do than pay to go on one June's extravagant jollies.

June has also demonstrated her idea of love, justice, inclusivity and openness when she sacrificed faithful parishioners in another initiative. 

From the Save St Teilo's - Save Our Community petition:

"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."

I doubt that many of the St Teilo's congregation have found themselves to be richly blessed by their bishop but, then, her first love was sociology.

Featuring regularly of late in the columns of the Church Times and in the Western Mail there appears to be a never ending feud between the bishop of Llandaff and her dean which is constantly dragging the Church in Wales through the mire.

Another article in the Church Times today refers to alleged bullying and harassment by the bishop of Llandaff but, like her colleague in St Davids no doubt she will continue to regard any criticism of female behaviour as discrimination and carry on regardless. 

Postscript [08.01 22]

For a devastating assessment of the current state of the dioceses of the Church in Wales and their diocesan bishops from across the pond go to Anglican Unscripted 709 starting at position 21.10.

Church impotent

Archbishop of Wales Andy John                                                                                       Source: BBC

The impotency of the Church in Wales became a little clearer on Sunday in an interview with the new archbishop of Wales, Andy John. 

Questioned on the BBC radio programme All Things Considered the divorced father of four admitted his failure and 'messing up' as he put it.

 So concerned was he with his failure that he had considered applying for a HGV licence or taking up teaching but some 'good friends' persuaded him to use his failure as a lesson for others. It would make him a 'better priest'.

This convinced him that there had to be 'a way back', something he has clearly applied to his own ministry and that of the bishop of St Davids in his comments on Joanna Penberthy's behaviour. 

Archbishop John went on to say "that compassion has no boundaries, that compassion is a good thing. It is restoring. It is not that the Church shouldn't have proper boundaries. It should have standards and we should hold each other accountable. However, there has got to be a way back. Then if you never give people a way back into faith then you drive people into a cul-de-sac and you drive people out of the Church and that's true for people whether they have been divorced, re-married or people who are gay. Whether it is people who are trans or what-have-you. 

"If you say there is no place for you in the Church I think you've done something truly dreadful and we must remember that Jesus called each and every part of society to come and to follow Him."

Asked about his stance on 'the gay issue' the archbishop said it was a bit of a shock to him to encounter gay Christians who displayed all the signs of goodness and godliness and kindness and righteousness that he thought was impossible. It made no sense. It created a kind of crisis in his theology. Here were all the fruits of the Spirit in these lives and yet the scriptures spoke against this.

That caused him to go back and ask serious questions about the extent to which moral theology can be undertaken purely on the basis of what was revealed and understood to be appropriate. An appropriate ordering of life in the first century after our Lord's death and whether or not we need to introduce other questions as well to have us form a way of ordering our lives, managing our affairs in a way that is appropriate and good but doesn't lock us into a kind of first century lifestyle or expectations which he didn't believe could be sustained in the 21st Century.   

Challenged on what he had said Abp John acknowledged that he had had 'robust' conversations particularly with evangelicals who do not see things as he had described them but the Church had changed its position on a number of things whether it is divorce or the role of women. The arguments about that were very, very fierce indeed and we came to realise, not just because of scripture but we saw women exercising good and godly leadership and we realised that this was the clincher. This was what made sense when they saw it in action  and when the Church in relation to the same sex issues sees that there are good people who are engaged and mutually belong to each other and the sky doesn't fall down we will move on and we will no longer have an issue to wrestle with.

Question on what he could do about two dioceses where senior staff have been at odds with one another Andy John admitted it had been "Challenging". There were two things that we have to bear in mind when dealing with such difficulties. First, in the Church in Wales like many Churches, we had not been very good or accustomed to dealing with things like job descriptions, competencies, the way in which grievances, complaints and so forth are managed and tended to rely on the relational aspect of life so we just expect to get along with people and it is a rude shock when all of a sudden you don't and people complain and they have grievances and they are really quite serious. We haven't been good at providing for ourselves, a way of managing our conflicts. He thought we were now suffering the consequences of that but the mistake was to think that you could run from this.

The archbishop said he was committed to changing the culture, running towards the challenges or conflicts, not away from them. His task was to make sure that culture shift takes place within the Church, making sure we have the proper protocols, the Rules and Regs that control our life, but that the culture of the Church is one in which we are both a safe, healthy, mindful organisation where ultimately, because we do believe totally in reconciliation. If we can't get this right, if we can't learn what it means to forgive and move on it undermines our witness. He was confident that the Church in Wales does believe in those things and it just needs to bring more energy and resolve to making sure that we don't 'duck the issues' but get them right.

So, getting things right means that discipline is for underlings in 'monarchical' bishoprics while errant bishops are to be shown compassion and forgiveness. 

That the archbishop should point to women in the Church exercising good and godly leadership given the mess in St Davids and in Llandaff serves only to emphasise the impotence of the Church in Wales and its discredited leadership.

The archbishop says that compassion should be shown to those who break the rules, providing them with a 'way back' but, as the bench has hypocritically demonstrated over many years, there is no way back for Anglicans who keep the faith by sharing the beliefs of the majority of Christians in the wider Church. It is the cul-de-sac for them.

It seems to me as far as the archbishop is concerned, Nothing really matters... as zoroastrian Freddie Mercury used to sing.