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Thursday, 15 December 2022

Defender of the Faith

King Charles III signs an oath to uphold the security of the Church in Scotland during the Accession Council at St James’s Palace, London,
where King Charles III is formally proclaimed monarch.   Source: Premier Christianity/PA Images /Alamy Stock Photo

The Tablet reports that King Charles III recently heard testimony of a Catholic priest who escaped 'abduction and death threats' in his native Nigeria from where there are regular reports of abduction and killings. 

Googling 'abduction and death threats in Nigeria' immediately delivers Christian Student Running from Death Threats in Nigeria. There are links to other stories of persecution, particularly of Christians. Muslim militants who perpetrate these atrocities are often referred to as ‘bandits’, much like those found guilty of the sexual exploitation of 1400 children in the Rotherham from 1997 to 2013 were described as of Asian or Pakistani origin.

It is surprising, therefore, to read again that whilst King Charles III is due to inherit the title ‘Defender of the Faith’, a clause will be added to his coronation oath in order to recognise that he serves all religious faiths and not just the Church of England.

No purpose can be served by inserting a clause to ‘reflect modern, multicultural Britain’ if it embraces an ideology that is capable of creating so much misery for so many.

Charles has already sworn an oath as Defender of the Faith when he was formally proclaimed King Charles III in September.

Despite the confusion spread by woke bishops the faith of the Church of England is the Christian faith which teaches that there is only one way to the Father.

Either we believe that or we do not.

37 comments:

  1. Ears to The Green15 December 2022 at 15:18

    As titular head of the Church of England, Charles III will soon receive an oath of loyalty from the former Dean of Llandaff who has been appointed Vicar of Thaxted in Essex. One wonders what the poor parishioners have done to deserve this. I am reliably informed that the antiques trade is vibrant in that part of the world, so he may have landed on his feet. But, unless (let's call them) 'issues' related to his somewhat instable personality have been effectively resolved since his resignation from the Deanery of Llandaff, one rather fears that this could be another of those ecclesiastical appointments resembling a fatal road traffic incident in the making.

    Talking of car crashes, I see the new incumbent of the See of Kensington has been announced. Not exactly an enviable track record of stability in previous jobs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. One suspects the people of Thaxted might also have made the cardinal sin of asking their Bishop to appoint "a family man".
      Does the Thaxted vicarage already benefit from a new Aga?

      Delete
    2. Sounds like an opening for a new blog by Ancient Thaxted Anglo-Saxon. 😂

      Delete
    3. There must be a large group of hard core subversive little old ladies and widows that need sorting out in Thaxted!

      Delete
    4. https://www.ttsrh.org/news

      Confirmation of the appointment here and the Capon has already started writing letters.
      How long will it take him to appoint Mr Toad as the new Head Verger and general factotum?

      Delete
    5. https://www.ttsrh.org/a-message-from-revd-gerwyn

      Another fine example of deluded drivel.
      Left many friends behind in Llandaff? Does that include the members of the Chapter who caught him with his hands in the till? Who gave him a reference, Caiaphas?

      Delete
    6. I thought I'd misread his letter as describing him as the new Rectum of Thaxted.
      Then I realised I hadn't.
      🤣

      Delete
    7. His Darkness, bully boy --Bazza still pulling strings for his golf caddy perhaps?
      Any reference from the RB must surely have included details of over two years sick leave in the last three, as well as multiple disciplinary investigations and poison pen letters?

      Delete
    8. How long before Thaxted Parish stops publishing its communicant numbers and Quinquennial reports?

      Delete
    9. @Laughing Gas 17:39
      That has a bit of a ring to it... 🛎

      Delete
  2. https://www.grimsbytelegraph.co.uk/news/grimsby-news/former-grimsby-minister-terry-atkinson-7934928

    Former Church of England Vicar found guilty of multiple counts of child abuse and is behind bars tonight.
    Refused bail before sentencing next week.

    ReplyDelete
  3. @Ancient Briton dear chap ...

    I know nothing about Thaxted. Never been there. But I have travelled the world; eastwards, westwards, North-South equator crossing. My office desk was in central London but I often thought I worked out of Terminal Four Heathrow Airport. Decades of it. And here, AB my trusted Scribe, I have to disagree with you. God, an Anglican God, having monopoly over all within the Planet Earth. Codswollop. I retain the friendship of a Native-American lady living in Radnor DC who is a Jewess. No one will know a woman so 'godly' in her daily worship, her charity and 'love'. She's in her 90's now, but still works tirelessly in her faith. Moslems of the Gulf States (not the ISIS/ISIL Taliban sort); get to live and know them and you can't but wish that you were part of their faith 'gang'. Their generosity in the name of Allah in support of the poor, the hungry, the education of their children puts our C-in-W flock to shame. They don't whinge. Their Allah is our God. Yep, business travelled too to places like Assam, Nepal, the upper mountain areas of Peru and to D.Singh of recent blogging, months and months of hospitality in Hindu and Sikh communities with again insight into their devotions to their 'God/s'. And yes, in most areas of poverty where the 'church' would best function, there was almost always the 'who cares who you worship' non-affiliated Salvation Army presence. True 'believers' in whatever faith country they serve.

    HM Charles is also well-travelled and has the benefit of discussing in-depth inter-faith matters with religious worldwide leaders in far greater detail that me - or you AB. Give him the credit for following his instincts, developing his 'all-faiths' vision is so important and his honesty in wishing to become a Modern Monarch empathetic with all is inspiring the youth if antagonising the lavender-smelling 'blue rinse brigade' in the rear pews. Yours after all, AB, is a blogsite which banners-up the maxim: If you stand for nothing, you'll fall for anything ....

    Well HM Charles does stand for something so let's not try and make him a fall-guy for our own bigoted, holier-than-thou, primary school thinking that no other faith matters. Hitler, I think, had this view about his vision to rid the world of all other than the true Germanic blondie. To be honest, if in my old global travels, I met a man who believed in the 'God Brussels Sprouts' and followed the resolve and goodness and giving of all decent, 'believing' people I'd respect him.

    Speaking of crunchy Sprouts, happy Christmas AB. (But I still don't agree with you on this one. Far too 'Ancient Briton' parochial.

    Ad Clerum

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ad Clerum at 18:01

      'Their Allah is our God.'

      That is the heresey of pantheism.

      Is Islam the religion of peace?

      No.

      Why?

      If one reads the Koran, it can be understood that in its early chapters Mo meets little resistance to his message so all is 'love, dove and smiles all round.'

      In the later chapters, when he does meet resistance to his message his general order is: 'Chop 'em up.'

      Moslem lawyers now have a problem: how to reconcile two conflicting notions, 'the message of peace' with 'the command to commit violence.'

      Their solution?

      To apply the doctrine of precedent: the latter shall overule the earlier.

      No wonder the municipal authorities in Tehran are finding thousands of Korans in the sewers.

      Delete
  4. https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2022/16-december/news/uk/bishops-tight-lipped-on-church-s-next-steps-for-same-sex-relationships
    The bishops risk "being irrelevant" says Bishop who is irrelevant to the vast majority of the population.
    The ground is being prepared for the predetermined outcome of the Living in Lust and Filth charade to be announced in February.
    The swamp will continue to spread and the Church will continue to wither.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Why can the Bishops not see that by following the same-sex trend we see in society they impoverish their message, make themselves less - not more - relevant, and empty the pews?

    LW

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The cretins can't see because they're not looking.
      They couldn't care less about the message, the Church or God.
      What is so difficult to understand about such heretics?

      Delete
  6. Is it worth remembering that, under the existing rubric of "Defender of the Faith", the monarch is not upholding "Christianity" in general but the Church of England (and Scotland - don't know about Wales or NI!)

    But there are also Catholics, Orthodox, Methodists, Baptists, Pentecostals and lots more who presumably aren't included under the monarch's "umbrella"?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rubbish.
      Henry VIII was awarded the FD by the Pope before the Church of England had even been thought of, much less existed.

      Delete
    2. Well, it isn’t really rubbish. Although the origin of the title Defender of the Faith has nothing to do with the C of E, the coronation oath is specifically to uphold the reformed Protestant religion established by law, which means the (presbyterian) Church of Scotland and the Church of England.
      RB

      Delete
    3. Henry initially got his FD title for writing a defence of the seven sacraments against Martin Luther,

      Delete
    4. Quite right Fred.
      It was Henry's FD and no one else's really.
      Bewildered

      Delete
  7. LW at 11:19

    Fascinating question.

    Well? Why can't the bishops see?

    First, many of them have become ensnared by homosexuality.

    Second, they believe that in order to attract the zeitgeist of the young 'God is love' must be reversed to 'Love is god.'

    The result is that the young believe that the Church is teaching a god all too human (in compliance with Freud's projection thesis).

    The young conclude: why bother going to church to meet another human when 'lurve' can be found through Tinder?

    Give them a pastor who would dare to preach on the three questions they are asking:

    1. Who am I?
    2. Where do I come from?
    3. Where am I going?

    And you shall hear the sound of a dove's feather hit the packed church floor.



    ReplyDelete
  8. @ D Singh

    I refer back to my earlier, world travels, magnificent people I've met, flavours of other faiths I've admired. Rather than hark back to the bowels of time and to challenge your bigoted 'Our Allah is your God' denial, One quick example of how the Moslem sees our God as His God too; the only difference being the in translation from Arabic to English, Islam even gives reverence to Jesus and to His mother, Mary.

    I was lucky enough to meet and then come to know (very well and over a period of 10 years or so) a devout Palestinian Moslem living then in Abu Dhabi although he had homes in London and New York too. His name: Jaweed Al Ghussain. He's there somewhere on internet as former finance minister to the old (political rather than military wing) PLP in days of Yassar Araffat. He was - as his family remains - a very, very wealthy man.

    At that time, it concerned Jaweed greatly that the influx of domestic and lesser-paid immigrants entering the UAE and mainly, then, from pre-Islamic Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand etc., had no where to pray. No Christian church in Abu Dhabi. So what did he do? He funded one. Not a Nissan hut with a cross nailed to the door, but a magnificent 'cathedral' edifice. Its still there. Then he directed his major construction company, Cordoba, to build it working under architects who understood how 'Christian' churches should look and what to include within them. Millions of pounds of his own money ... to allow impoverished immigrant labour from Catholic countries to worship 'God'. Their God. His God. Same thing but with some differences over whether Jesus Christ or Mohammed was the son of God. Do any of us seriously know? Cut out the names and simply worship either as 'Son of God'. I bet they both share the same e.mail address.

    Now, its a tough call. But I can't think of any CHRISTIAN no matter how wealthy who would ever contemplate underwriting the cost of erecting and furnishing a megga £/$ Islamic Mosque. Too many D.Singh's of selfish, bigoted 'them and us' narrow thinking. So gerroff it Singh. Get out and about more often. Meet people.

    Oh, and Jaweed Al Ghussain? I used to be invited to his Knightsbridge residence in London, furnished as if in the Middle East, but immaculate. The gentleman on the door who was his 'house-man' was a jovial West Indian called Mr. Christmas! Mr Christmas was a member of a West London Methodist Church. So much for the Holy Koran floating down the sewers of the River Thames.

    Your contributions to AB are becoming tiresome Mr. Singh. Learn. Inwardly digest ... if your bile allows you to.

    Ad Clerum

    ReplyDelete
    Replies

    1. Islam doesn't revere Christ at all but reduces the Son of God to a mere prophet, along with their own slaving raping war lord who liked marrying girls of 9 years of age.
      If that's reverence then you need a new dictionary AC.

      Delete
    2. Not to mention the Islamic terrorists running riot around various parts of the globe murdering anyone that doesn't believe in THEIR imaginary invisible friend.

      Delete
  9. Bit like the good God-fearing Roman Catholics of the IRA then Dai. Murdering the old, women, children regardless of faith ... then off to Mass; often celebrated by 'Christian' Catholic priests aiding and abetting them. Or even the disgraceful role of the Vatican from WWII Pope downwards in the 'Christian' church's aiding of the Final Solution against the Jews and then to grant Vatican City diplomatic cover for the fleeing to South America of some of the world's most trecherous mass murderers. Is this the Christian church you're holding up as shining example against all other Faiths Dai? Oh, Zebedee and your prosecution of Moslems abusing children???

    How many adults survive today from the abominable 'orphanages' of the 1950's, 60's and 70's supposedly run by 'Christian' priests and nuns. We're talking thousands you idiot!

    Old Bill

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Which part of the word druid suggests to you that I hold up any faction of Christianity?
      Idiot yourself, moron!

      Delete
  10. @ Dai the druid

    Replying only because I'm bored. However no such assertion was made against you if you read it correctly, and 'idiocy' was directed at Zebedee and his bias against Moslem.

    But on subject, I'm delighted that one or two druids are still about. My old history knowledge seems to recall the majority of your great-great-great ancestors were wiped out in horrendous massacres by the Christian-converted Romans on Ynys Mon.

    But what-ho. In this season of festive merriment I hope you have a thoroughly enjoyable Winter solstice in a couple of days time.

    Old Bill





    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. "Is this the Christian church you're holding up as [a - sic] shining example against all other faiths Dai?"

      Latin wasn't your only failure at O level was it Bill?

      Delete
  11. Yet another C in W Archdeacon installed today at Brecon cathedral. Archdeacon for Ministry Areas. Do the other, overworked, Archdeacons not look after Ministry Areas? Sounds like jobs for the boys. No money for Parish Priests though.
    Unison Off

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    Replies
    1. You're lucky it's a boy in Brecon, in Monmouth all you get nowadays is lesbians.

      Delete
    2. But the lesbians are often more butch than the "boys".
      Rod in Llandaff is a wet girl's blouse.

      Delete
    3. Bring on the lesbos is what I say - adding a bit of colour where it is often most needed.

      LesbosRus

      Delete
  12. Monmouth Diocese as far as I am concerned is a Vacant Diocese. There is no way I would recognise the “authority “ of someone who defilies the teachings of the Bible I also cannot accept someone who has been Consecrated to the Office of Bishop who practices in their personal life every thing the Bible abhors.

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    Replies
    1. There's a shame, Quill. However you see it, the Diocese is very much occupied and the Bishop has brought healing where there was something of an utter mess and division. She's a focus for unity and you would do well to apply the 'by their fruits' axiom in regards to assessing her ministry.

      DD

      Delete
  13. Dai the druid.

    I did rather well at school-taught Latin actually Dai. 'Qui scribit bis legit' coming to mind in regard to you and your failures to correctly read various AB blogs, or perhaps in your particular case: 'semel insnivimus omnes'. And actually - if your learning of history is any cop - the 'Romans' of Britannicus and Mona didn't routinely speak Latin. Even Emperor Magnus Maximus (AD 380) - of whose 'loins' was born the lineage of Eliseg, Rhodri Fawr, Hywel Da, Llywelyn the Last etc - was a local man made-good.

    Typically, all you've attempted to do is to divert attention from the weaknesses of your own original argument. Stick to the point, or as with the Latin 'legit' - Leg-it.

    Don't respond. Old Bill has shut shop until after New Year. Have a good one.


    Vale. Vade in pace
    Old Bill

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