"Women In Sheffield Mark International Women's Day With Humorous Protest At Their New Bishop." - Christian Today
Humorous? - I despair. No wonder so many have given up on the Church.
Louise Haigh, the Member of Parliament for Sheffield Heeley, wrote in an open letter to Bishop Philip North:
"As you will be more than aware, more than a third of Sheffield's clergy are women. I was born, baptised and confirmed in Sheffield, I have felt fortunate to have been Ministered to by two women priests and I am proud that the Church in Sheffield is a progressive actor not only on equality but on issues of economic injustice and poverty also."
A "proud trade unionist", Louise Haigh served as a shop steward for the Unite Union representing workers where they faced "discrimination, harassment, the threat of redundancy or unfair dismissal and organising to help bring about change in the workplace".
Clearly there is no difference between Church and workplace for some people but even if there were, discrimination, harassment and unfair dismissal are not universally applied by feminists. Ms Haigh expresses everything that is wrong with Women and the Church (WATCH) and their sympathisers. Feminists and the Church would be more more appropriate and respectful to women at large.
A commentator wrote in response to my previous entry, "The decline predates liberalisation. Liberalising was thought (by people including myself I confess) to be the answer but it is not. The real problem today is that society just does not believe in God whether explained by conservatives or liberals."
The tragedy today is that many who do still believe in God find themselves unchurched by political groups entering the Church, urging the adoption of secular standards, such as they are, in place of spirituality and worship.
If Bishop North decides against Sheffield, there is still Llandaff!
Postscript
Statement from the Bishop of Burnley, The Rt Revd Philip North
"It is with regret and sadness that I have decided that I am unable to take up the nomination as Bishop of Sheffield." Statement here.
Postscript [10.03.2017]
The fall out following Bishop Philip North's decision not to take up the nomination as Bishop of Sheffield continues. Two excellent blog entries from 'ignatius his conclave' and 'Archbishop Cranmer':
Sheffield formula and
Those who attacked +Philip North have made same-sex blessing compromise impossible
See also the BBC's Church of England at war after Bishop Philip North's U-turn and
The Conservative Woman Feminism is corrupting the heart of the Church
Emma Percy, Chair of WATCH, attempts to defend her position in a radio interview here.
Suffice to say that I and other traditionalists have long been criticised as being misogynistic and homophobic, the two main weapons in the progressives' armoury, simply because it was possible to see this coming. Progressives have used every trick in the book, complaining about persecution, harassment, lack of equality, etc, etc, etc. Women and the Church (WATCH) deserves to be banished from any further dialogue. No hope of that but any more complaints about unfairness from these women and the LGBT+ campaigners can be taken with a pinch of salt.
Postscript [10.03.2017] (2)
The Rev Mike Jones, one of the starlets of 'All One in Christ', the Changing Attitude Iris film farce commended by the bishop of St Asaph, appeared on BBC Wales Television News this evening in an item speculating on a leak from the Llandaff Electoral College.
Yet another well placed item after 'Captain Underpants' asked a question in the House of Commons pleading the cause of the Dean of St Albans who failed to secure the necessary votes to become Bishop of Llandaff.
The influence of the LGBT+ lobby appears to have no bounds but most of us have had enough of LGBT+ and WATCH turning the Church to their own advantage. The Church in Wales does not need a divisive character in Llandaff, or elsewhere. Progressives have failed the Church. It is time to begin anew.
Postscript
Statement from the Bishop of Burnley, The Rt Revd Philip North
"It is with regret and sadness that I have decided that I am unable to take up the nomination as Bishop of Sheffield." Statement here.
Postscript [10.03.2017]
The fall out following Bishop Philip North's decision not to take up the nomination as Bishop of Sheffield continues. Two excellent blog entries from 'ignatius his conclave' and 'Archbishop Cranmer':
Sheffield formula and
Those who attacked +Philip North have made same-sex blessing compromise impossible
See also the BBC's Church of England at war after Bishop Philip North's U-turn and
The Conservative Woman Feminism is corrupting the heart of the Church
Emma Percy, Chair of WATCH, attempts to defend her position in a radio interview here.
Suffice to say that I and other traditionalists have long been criticised as being misogynistic and homophobic, the two main weapons in the progressives' armoury, simply because it was possible to see this coming. Progressives have used every trick in the book, complaining about persecution, harassment, lack of equality, etc, etc, etc. Women and the Church (WATCH) deserves to be banished from any further dialogue. No hope of that but any more complaints about unfairness from these women and the LGBT+ campaigners can be taken with a pinch of salt.
Postscript [10.03.2017] (2)
The Rev Mike Jones, one of the starlets of 'All One in Christ', the Changing Attitude Iris film farce commended by the bishop of St Asaph, appeared on BBC Wales Television News this evening in an item speculating on a leak from the Llandaff Electoral College.
Yet another well placed item after 'Captain Underpants' asked a question in the House of Commons pleading the cause of the Dean of St Albans who failed to secure the necessary votes to become Bishop of Llandaff.
The influence of the LGBT+ lobby appears to have no bounds but most of us have had enough of LGBT+ and WATCH turning the Church to their own advantage. The Church in Wales does not need a divisive character in Llandaff, or elsewhere. Progressives have failed the Church. It is time to begin anew.
