International Women's Day 2019

The congregation at a service in Lambeth Palace celebrating 25 years of women’s ordination
in the Church of England. Source: ACNS (Photo Credit: Photo Credit: Lambeth Palace)

The campaign theme #BalanceforBetter for International Women's Day 2019 on Friday, 8 March is explained thus:

"Balance is not a women's issue, it's a business issue. The race is on for the gender-balanced boardroom, a gender-balanced government, gender-balanced media coverage, a gender-balance of employees, more gender-balance in wealth, gender-balanced sports coverage...Gender balance is essential for economies and communities to thrive."

If it is a business issue, the drive for gender-balance in the Church has been a complete disaster as regular attendance at Sunday services has declined to the point that after "decades of falling church attendance and dwindling religious observance" the Church of England will no longer be obliged to hold regular Sunday services.

Successfully applying their secular, gender-balance values to the Church, feminists have succeeded in their campaign for women's ordination to the priesthood and their admission to the episcopate but they have shown no concern for the many other women and men who in conscience are unable to accept the innovation on theological grounds.

Women and the Church (WATCH) oppose the appointment of men who, in common with the vast majority of Christians throughout the world, cannot accept the sacramental ministry of women. They are accused of misogyny and not believing in equality even though provision was made to maintain the twin integrities when the ordination of women was approved in Synod.

Other obstructions have followed such as frustrating worshippers by concealing the sex of the celebrant yet women's ordination is celebrated as a great success. It may be for those involved and their sympathisers but for others it has been a disaster leaving other women with no church where they can worship in conscience.

It is right that women and men have equal opportunities in the workplace but faith is not something to be compromised for political purposes.

Success for some leads to despair for others. There is no balance in that.

International Women's Day

"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.

International Women's Day 2014

Harking back to my previous entry, claims about lack of equality by same-sex couples who want to get married and women who want to be bishops wear a bit thin against genuine inequality. Converts, ex-atheists and the plain ambitious who have been building careers for themselves in the Church at the expense of others should hang their heads in shame for using the brutalisation of women around the world in their campaign for personal advancement.

The ACT NOW! campaign by Amnesty International draws attention to real injustice in Mozambique where parliament is to consider an update to its criminal code which would allow rapists to escape prosecution if they marry their victims. Anyone who truly wants to end the brutalization of women around the world can celebrate International Women's Day 2014 by doing something positive. Act now and respond to the Amnesty International appeal.