Scottish Episcopal Church bishop Anne Dyer to face a disciplinary tribunal

Bishop Dyer  has a month to enter her plea ahead
 of the hearing in Edinburgh in September. Source: Mail Online

From Mail Online: "Scotland's first female bishop has been accused of bullying but claims she's actually a victim of sexism. As the Right Reverend Anne Dyer faces a church court... just what is the 'conduct unbecoming of the clergy' that could see her axed?" Full report here.

In a previous entry (2018)  I commented on a statement by the new Episcopalian Bishop of Aberdeen and Orkney in which she made it clear she was not interested in restricting herself to "prayers, pews and parochial parish life". She would be focused on "fighting for social justice, sexual equality".

Clearly she would have been better employed as a social worker than pretending to be a man of God. 

Postscript (14.06.2024)

From BBC News: "Members of the Scottish Episcopal Church who raised concerns about the behaviour of Scotland's first female bishop are urging its senior leader to address what they have described are "baseless accusations" of homophobia and misogyny." Details here.

From Wikipedia: "In February 2021, Dyer was accused of bullying by a number of clergy, laypeople and church employees in The Times.[15] In March 2021, the College of Bishops commissioned Iain Torrance to lead an Independent Review into "difficulties" in the Diocese following a series of allegations regarding the Bishop.[16] In August 2021 the College of Bishops announced their intention to defer publication of the report and move to a second stage of reviewing." Details here.

He/She?

Transgender couple who expect to welcome their baby soon,                               Source: BBC News 

She wants to be 'he'. He wants to be 'she'. He and she want a baby but 'she' doesn't have a womb so he ('she') has to carry the baby.

One would have thought the pickle the Scottish First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, found herself in before deciding that a female prison wasn't the ideal location for a transgender rapist would have put the breaks on accepting individual whims. 

Not in Wales. The Welsh government has unveiled new proposals to follow Scotland and make it simpler for someone legally to change their gender.

The chaos is set to continue as Church of England bishops announce that they are launching a major 'project on gendered language' so that God could be referred to in 'non-gendered' terms in Church of England services, for example, 'Our non-gendered parent who art in heaven', the sort of language favoured by feminists in Women and the Church (WATCH) who have welcomed the start of "another project in the Church of England to look at the development of more inclusive language in our authorised liturgy."

Also back in the ring is patron of Humanists UK, Sandy Toksvig, who says, "I can't let the Church of England hurt LGBT people". She told the BBC: "Here's the thing about 'equality', it is not a word that you qualify, you either have it or you don't have it."

Whilst it is understandable that feminists in the Church will seek to bend scripture and twist theology for their own ends, non-believers such as humanists who have no interest in theology or the Church should mind their own business. 

Bishops of the Church must stand firm as doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving themselves.

A sense of proportion

Most of the 32 gay MPs and peers managed to get to the IoS photocall Teri Pengilley/Independent

In February 2016 the Independent published this picture of 28 MPs and peers. It was reported to be the largest number of publicly out parliamentarians photographed together at one time.

On the BBC Breakfast show this morning [advance to 2:13:00] it was reported that there are now 45 LGBT MPs (7%), an increase of 40% since 2015. A record 208 women MPs were elected but they "still make up only 32% of the total number of MPs", the implication being that well short of parity, the latest buzz for women clergy, women are under represented

The Office for National Statistics' bulletin: 'Sexual identity, UK: 2015' shows that in 2015, 1.7% of the UK population identified themselves as lesbian, gay or bisexual (LGB) so similarly LGB people are over represented.

The Church of England (CofE) LGBTI network Changing attitude estimates that about 10% of clergy are LGBT, almost six times the national average, indicating a level of influence which has resulted in the CofE softening its stance on LGBT issues.

In 2015 the Telegraph reported that the House of Commons had more gay MPs than any other parliament in the world, up to 32 from 26 in the previous parliament indicating from the latest figure that the trend is upwards. In the CofE there is growing acceptance of same sex marriage with the possibility that the CofE will follow the lead of the Scottish Episcopal Church. In Wales the bench of bishops came out strongly in favour of same sex marriage but were defeated. The two new women bishops are strong LGBT advocates.

As an indication of how little the Bible informs CofE thinking, 'Gay rock star' Vicky Beeching has been given the Thomas Cranmer Award for Worship by the Archbishop of Canterbury. Compare that with the number of former worshippers who have been deprived of the opportunity to worship because their church has left them.

Archbishop Justin Welby has also been 'honoured' in joining Muslims breaking their daily Ramadan fast. No doubt his halal experience will have been convivial. He tweeted: "@JustinWelby at @AlKhoei for a Big Iftar with friends of various faiths. Through hosting an #iftar we find out more we have in common. 10:14 PM - 12 Jun 2017".

There is nothing in common with the orthodox faith of Christians especially in Muslim countries where homosexuals are killed and Christians are slaughtered in countries such as Egypt simply for not being Muslims.

Small wonder that the GAFCON Primates have asked the Anglican Church in North America to take on the task of providing a missionary bishop for Scotland. Long overdue in Wales and now increasingly likely in England on current trends.

Leaping into the unknown?

The Union flag, drained of the blue blood of Scotland leaving only the red and white of St George and St Patrick, in nursing terms, a sign of death!

So what is on offer from Alex Salmond, leader of the Scottish Nationalist Party and his opportunist accomplice, Nicola Sturgeon? Basically self interested with promises that can have no guarantee of delivery. Every note of caution, be it business, economic, political or whatever is cast aside as scaremongering. Scathing of  'Team Westminster', Mr Salmond has now quietly forgotten the Tory links which helped him to power.

In holding on to the monarchy, the pound and any other 'last resort' this has every appearance of a cherry picking exercise with the begging bowl in reserve if it goes horribly wrong.

This is an utter disaster for the Union. It is dividing Scotland in Biblical proportions, brother against brother, children against their own parents, etc.  There can be no winners in a 50/50 split. And for what? A giant leap into the unknown. 

With Highland blood running through my veins along with ancient Irish, Welsh and English blood I am proud of my ancient heritage but also proud to be British. However, unlike English people living in Scotland I have no say in the matter!

Better together, pray that those who can will vote NO!