Theology today

Source: Church in Wales Diocesan press releases

News from Monmouth: "Bishop Cherry, in consultation with Dean Ian, has appointed the Revd Dr Manon Ceridwen James as Honorary Canon Theologian at St Woolos’ Cathedral." Bishop Cherry is 'delighted' that Manon has accepted this invitation. No surprise there!

Theology in the Church in Wales today is not what it was. Today, verses in the Bible are twisted to suit secular circumstances or ignored altogether so it is not difficult to understand that the same sex partnered bishop is delighted with her new appointment. 

 Two previous blog entries, Misogyny, repression and stigmatisation and Par for the course drew attention to Canon James' book on Welsh feminist theology Women, Identity and Religion in Wales.

It claimed to offer "significant and original insights into women, Welsh identity and religion":

"Women, Identity and Religion in Wales by Manon Ceridwen James, a Canon at the Cathedral, is the first comprehensive study of its kind from a present-day perspective. At the heart of the book are conversations with thirteen women whose lives and experiences reveal how women facing misogyny, repression and stigmatisation are able to respond with resilience and humour." 

A regular critic of this blog commented under my previous entry that bishop Cherry is  a "focus for unity and you [another commentator] would do well to apply the 'by their fruits' axiom in regards to assessing her ministry."

The previous paragraph of the biblical text was conveniently ignored: "Beware of false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves."

The bizarre world of the Church in Wales

When Canon Jeremy Winston was appointed Dean of Monmouth transferring his many undoubted talents to the Cathedral Church of St Woolos in Newport, many people in Wales and beyond were heartened that one of their brightest stars had, at last, received belated recognition, perhaps even opening a new chapter in the life of the Church in Wales. That joy was to be short-lived. Fr Jeremy's untimely death was a cruel blow. With the appointment of the new Dean, announced yesterday, comes another severe blow while it will be music to the ears of their Archbishop. Perhaps the Bishop of Monmouth is making amends for previously appointing a traditionalist to one of the top positions in the Church in Wales when preferment of those who do not toe the line is out of the question!

The official announcement looks straight forward enough - ignoring the implication in the Bishop's comments that former Deans may not have been up to scratch ("I was conscious that people were asking for a Dean who would make the Cathedral a place of prayer, welcome and pilgrimage so that it is truly the Mother Church of the Diocese") - but the Bishop's delight in welcoming to his diocese "someone with Fr Lister’s gifts and personality" may not be shared by the very people who were delighted by Fr Jeremy's appointment.

Following a link provided in the LNYD blog, at first there appeared to be an error but reading on,  two comments under the blog entry were made abundantly clear when I read the following from he who is to be the new Dean of Monmouth: 

"But, having voted for the Archbishops' disastrous compromise (torpedoeing) ammendment, be aware that the Synod is likely to throw out any Code of Practice which undermines the episcopal integrity and authority of women which you and your male colleagues enjoy.
The game is up for those who would seek to stay and at the same time wreck the forward movement of the Church of England. Their bluff has been called by Rome. It now needs to be called by Canterbury.

Posted by: Lister Tonge on Wednesday, 14 July 2010 at 10:39pm BST"

With such credentials one wonders why the dear leader of the Church in Wales hadn't already spotted him. His uncompromising comments epitomise the sentiments I questioned in an earlier entry. Meanwhile in the Church of England the Archbishops are "keen to ensure the Church of England remains a broad church 'in which conscientious difference of theological judgement is fully respected' and 'do not want would-be priests to be discriminated against if they oppose the ordination of women'." How bizarre then that the Church in Wales continues policies contrary to those of its sister church across the border with whom clergy are inter-changeable as witnessed by the new appointment.