Scottish Episcopal Church drops bullying tribunal against Scotland's first female bishop

Bishop Dyer was suspended in August 2022.                                                                                              Source: STV News

In 2024 it ws reported that bishop Anne Dyer was to face a disciplinary tribunal after being suspended in August 2022.

In a document outlining the reasons for the decision to drop the bullying tribunal, lawyer Paul Reid KC said: "It has become apparent that the prospect of giving evidence, and in particular facing cross-examination in a public forum, is a source of anxiety for a number of potential witnesses." He added: "Given the already difficult situation in the Diocese of Aberdeen and Orkney, a public trial very materially risks, whatever its outcome, of making an already difficult situation worse."

According to Mail Plus, angry parishioners in the Scottish Episcopal Church are threatening to leave while others have vowed to remove it from their wills after bullying complaints against its first female bishop were dropped.

In 2022 the bishop of Llandaff found herself in the clear after the Dean of Llandaff withdrew his charge of bullying following an extended period of sick leave. 

The Vicar of Radyr at the time resigned saying that she could no longer, with integrity, knowing the many things she knows, serve in the diocese where she believed a 'culture of fear' exists.

Then there were two! 

Postscripts

Four Scottish bishops urge Dyer to consider her position - Church Times

(26.10.2024)

Bishop accused of bullying now on sick leave - BBC News

Reminiscent of St Davids diocese in the Church in Wales. Another 'social worker' in clerical clothing.

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.

The sinking ship

As 'Jolly June' Osborne prepares to sail off into the sunset on retirement she leaves behind a trail of discontent. There will be few tears spilt over her departure but many on the wreckage she leaves behind.

Thumbing her nose to scripture and tradition she has already set the scene for her successor by hastily installing a dean of her choice rather than letting the new bishop make the appointment. The new dean is a priest living openly in a same-sex partnership who was involved in some discontent over his involvement in the Percy affair during his time at Oxford.

He should fit in well, not only in the diocese but in the province which is foundering on the rocks of secularism following a string of political appointments.

In her long running battle with the former dean the bishop was forced to face allegations of bullying after it was decided that she had a case to answer. The allegations were subsequently withdrawn. 

Meanwhile the Revd Vicki Burrows, the Garth Ministry Area Leader, wrote of a "culture of fear" in the diocese in the Church Times (Letters, 17/24 December) and called for the suspension of the Rt Rev June Osborne, after the bishop was accused of "bullying and harassment".

The vicar resigned saying that she “can no longer minister with any sense of integrity in Llandaff”.

Bishop Osborne's response was to appoint the Rev'd Ian Yemm, "who is married to Bernhard, an NHS doctor", in what appears to be another attempt to pre-empt a decision by the Church in Wales.

No doubt the bishop of Llandaff with the again absent bishop of St Davids were influential in the appointment of the first lesbian bishop, the bishop of Monmouth, who also lives with her same sex partner giving the impression that their ministries have more to do with the promotion of homosexuality than the sanctity of Christian marriage.

What of the bishop of St Davids? The original announcement in August of Joanna Penberthy's latest sick leave  promised updates as they became available. I can no longer find that notice, perhaps because there have been no updates which is typical of the mushroom method of management in the Church in Wales.

This is what happens when sociology replaces theology.

Former giants of the Church in Wales before bishops were replaced by 'prefects'.
Five held Oxford Firsts in Theology.     Source: Anglican Misfit

But whatever the cause, the latest Church Growth Modelling is bad news for the Church in Wales as well as other denominations as wokeness replaces holiness:

"The Church in Wales contains a mixture of churchmanships, and for many years all were on the conservative side. However, in the last 25 years, it has become increasingly liberal. In common with most historic UK Christian denominations, it has steadily declined since 1960. This analysis investigates the likelihood of decline leading to denominational extinction.

"The Church in Wales is forecast to be extinct by 2038."

The author writes, "Churches do not grow by becoming like society and attracting people, but by becoming like Jesus and converting people."

Exactly.

Never, never, never trust a bishop!

Binding together                                                                                                                                            Source: FaceBook

'Never, never, never trust a Tory' was the infamous tweet from the bishop of St Davids. 

The bishop, Joanna Penberthy, issued an apology after a torrent of complaints: "On March 25th, 2021 I put out a private tweet about Conservative Party supporters which has caused offence and for which I sincerely apologise."

She later went on extended sick leave and has again been signed off. Readers will not wish the bishop ill but why did she not do the honourable thing and resign having offended just about everyone in her diocese and beyond who were not of her party political persuasion?

Archbishop Cranmer wrote in his blog, "The apology issued by the Bishop of St Davids (of the Church in Wales) in the wake of her ‘Never never never trust a Tory‘ tweet is disingenuous. It is expediently sly. In short, it is a lie."

The archbishop of Canterbury was 'deeply embarrassed,' but not Andy John, the future archbishop of Wales, who as the senior bishop issued this statement:

  “I think the question whether Bishop Joanna resigns is done and dusted”, Bishop Andy states. “She made clear that she regretted what she had to say… I think if we cannot provide a way in which people can acknowledge wrongdoing, learn from their mistakes, and come back, then it begs questions about whether we believe people can change. Whether or not we think the Christian faith is about second chances. To me, fundamentally, it’s about that. And those who are baying and frothing at the mouth seem to me to be part of what I think is quite pernicious in society: which is that we dress up in virtue – or in the language of virtue – a kind-of campaign to persecute.”

In a previous blog I wrote, "Having found 'Biblical support for church gay marriages' the divorced and re-married bishop of Bangor can no doubt justify anything he fancies."

The whole bench is committed to gay marriage. Some just cannot wait. 

The above photo has a caption from the Revd Sarah Hildreth-Osborn, leader of the chaplaincy service for the LGBTQIA+ community in the diocese of St Asaph where Gregory Cameron is bishop:

 "A huge thank you to Gregory K Cameron for conducting such a beautiful and life giving service for us at St Grwsts at lunchtime today, the blessing of our marriage. A reminder to all that it is only love that sets us free!!! Thank you so much Bishop Gregory 💕"

 As one correspondent put it, "If that isn’t mimicking a wedding, I don’t what does . . . binding with his stole and presumably saying, "Those whom God hath joined . . ."

The Rt Revd Gregory Cameron  received the Religious Leader Award 'for his leadership within the Church in Wales in bringing them to a point of enabling same-sex blessings'.

A news item issued by St Asaph diocese in December 2021 described the award as "Bishop Gregory honoured for his outstanding contribution to the lives of LGBT+ people of faith."

The bench has jumped the gun before. They could not wait to see a woman bishop celebrate the Eucharist so imported a converted Jewish, Episcopalian woman bishop from the United States before women bishops were legal in the Church in Wales.

These actions typify the current bench of bishops. 

What of others 'of faith' in the Church in Wales? They count for nothing. The Church in Wales has become obsessed with promoting just about anything LGBT+ . 

The bishop of Monmouth is the first same sex partnered bishop. The bishop of Llandaff, June Osborne appointed the first transgender priest and has recently appointed a same sex partnered dean of Llandaff, thus perpetuating their main mission as she retires. 

Osborne has long been associated with rumours of bullying tactics with a disciplinary panel finding she had a case to answer. 

The Vicar of Radyr submitted her resignation saying that she could no longer, with integrity, knowing the many things she knew, serve in the diocese where she believed a 'culture of fear' exists. A diocesan survey conducted after her initial exposure 'brought up the same results'.

Today it has been reported that the vicar of Aberporth has "quit his post after revealing a lengthy battle with mental health he says brought him to the brink of a nervous breakdown.

"In announcing his intention to leave the Anglican Church In Wales he also had harsh words for Bishop of St Davids, Joanna Penberthy."

The Rev Christopher Frost said: "Earlier this week I tendered my resignation as vicar which was accepted by the Archbishop of Wales in the absence of Bishop Joanna."

The bench does as it pleases. They have no regard for the Christian message as received and delivered by others. Instead they distort it, a pretence intended to validate their own opinions while deceiving others.

The bench has become a self perpetuating clique leading others to perdition. Honour escapes them.

 

It leads one to believe never, never, never trust an Anglican bishop in Wales.

Postscript [27.09.2022]

Leaving the Church in Wales...but not the church in Wales. A broken vicar's story. God bless him.

  

"Bishops in our Church have too much power and far too little accountability which has the tendency to make a little chaos in our diocese particularly. When the bishop is installed, who is pleasant to be with in person, but who makes very divisive and unwise decisions that bring the whole Church into disrepute while also having a catastrophic effect on clergy morale is a problem being keenly felt in our diocese today. Also over the past five years or so, the teaching of the Church in Wales has been pulled very hard into what I consider to be a wildly liberal theological direction, one that no longer really represents truly the teachings of Jesus Christ on a number of key moral issues that are facing our society today. So the banner of the Church in Wales, the Anglican Church in Wales, is becoming one which is becoming just a bit too difficult for me in good conscience to work under any more." - Rev Christopher Frost in a video posted to YouTube.

Dean of Llandaff withdraws bullying complaint

Dean of Llandaff, Gerwyn Capon, with the Archbishop Barry Morgan                Source: Welsh Icons

In 2014 the then Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, installed his former chaplain as Dean of Llandaff in front of a packed congregation at Llandaff Cathedral.

Subject to claims and counter-claims of bullying and more, Dean Capon's tenure has not been a happy one. 

Following complaints against him, a Disciplinary Tribunal cleared the Dean of any wrongdoing. It found that he had no case to answer.

By contrast, while it had 'reservations' about the Dean’s allegations of bullying, a Church in Wales preliminary inquiry decided that the Bishop, the Rt Rev June Osborne, had a case to answer.

The Dean was not alone in his allegations against the bishop resulting in the resignation of a Ministry Area Leader who said that she "can no longer minister with any sense of integrity in Llandaff".

According to a statement from the Church in Wales, "Disciplinary action against the Bishop of Llandaff has come to an end following the withdrawal of a complaint against her."

The Bishop of Llandaff was due to appear before the Church in Wales Disciplinary Tribunal following a complaint by the Dean of Llandaff, but has "voluntarily and unconditionally withdrawn his complaint and as a result the case has been dismissed by the President of the Disciplinary Tribunal" on the grounds that "there was 'insufficient evidence to satisfy the burden of proof' to the required standard."

Postscript [17.05.2022]

 The Very Reverend Gerwyn Capon, Dean of Llandaff, announces his resignation.

Rowan Williams condemns bullying in the Church

 

 During Holy Week Archbishop Rowan Williams is preaching at All Saints, Margaret Street, London. 

In his Wednesday sermon Rowan compares the power of Pontius Pilate with that of Jesus Christ. 

Towards the end of his sermon (position 12.30) Rowan questions how we live out the power that belongs to Jesus: 

"If I say patchily, that is a polite understatement because there is our own kind of gravitational power as well. The gravitational power of egos and fear which draws us back again and again to Pilate's world and Pilate's power. We all ought to be heartbroken when we see how readily that happens. 

"How often, at the moment, are we reading about problems of bullying in the Church? The misuse of authority at one level or another.

"Every preacher ought to be aware that whenever they stand in the pulpit there will be some members of the congregation who have experienced Pilate's power at work in the Church and who are aware of their own danger in sitting where they sit. And how it ought to break our hearts when we see on the other side of Europe, a Church invested in the power of the state, not merely the power of the state to control but the power of the state to invade and slaughter."

That should have some ears burning!

'Impotent' archbishop needs an assistant!

Mary Stallard with the Bishop of Bangor.             Source: Llanblogger blogspot

Rejecting calls that he should launch an inquiry into the running of the Llandaff diocese following allegations of bullying against bishop June Osborne, the newly elected Archbishop of Wales, Andy John said, "As Archbishop, I do not have authority over any diocese other than my own unless the see is vacant."

Nevertheless, the bishop of Bangor has felt the need for someone to share the leadership of the diocese while he serves as Archbishop of Wales.

Bishop John's choice of "one of the first women to become a priest in the Church in Wales", Mary Stallard, will go down well with the women's movement led by the discredited former archdeacon, Peggy Jackson with their distorted view of equality while others will view it as further evidence that the Church in Wales couldn't care less for those who believe that the ordination of women is not something to be decided by individual Churches wishing to do their own thing.

A leading supporter of women bishops, in 2008 when the Church in Wales rejected a Bill which would have allowed women to be ordained as bishops, Canon Mary Stallard said, "I think people respond very differently to men expressing unhappiness at doubts and upsets than women. Men have much greater access to playing on people’s heartstrings and I think we saw a really good example of that today."

Canon Jeremy Winston, the then vicar of Abergavenny, said that bishops had failed to give concrete assurance to those opposed to female bishops that they would be provided for. 

He was correct of course. The Church in Wales used every trick in the book to admit women to the episcopacy with dire consequences as evidenced by the many comments on this blog.

The bench abdicated responsibility for the legislation giving feminists free rein. A meaningless code of practice was introduced followed by archdeacon Peggy Jackson's infamous attempt to deny ordination to anyone who, on grounds conscience, was unable to accept the ordination of women.

The vote followed the rejection of proposals which could have resulted in the appointment of a male bishop to minister sacramentally and pastorally to those who could not accept the unilateral ordination of women by the Church in Wales.

Speaking of his disappointment at the time archbishop Barry Morgan said, "Had we been willing as bishops to compromise and have an assistant bishop in the constitution to look after those who in conscience were opposed to the ordination of women, the Bill would have sailed through. But I think we would have compromised our principles. I think it would have been disastrous for the Church in Wales.

Ignoring the fact that other Churches had made such provision the reverse has proved to be true with attendance falling away towards unsustainable levels.

The Archbishop strongly argued against setting a precedent for appointing different bishops to cater for people with different opinions. He said, "When you are made a diocesan bishop you become the bishop of the whole diocese and everyone in it. Some will disagree with you on theological grounds. No matter. You have to be big enough as a diocesan to care and love for all those with whom you may be in profound disagreement. Anglican ecclesiology is about unity in diversity. It’s not a club of those who hold the same views on a particular subject." 

The care and love Barry Morgan referred to has been lavished on LGBTQ+ people while faithful Anglicans who follow the path of the wider Church have been dumped with no pastoral care or sacramental provision whatsoever. 

The Church in Wales has indeed been turned into a club for the like-minded, something the new archbishop will have plenty of time to reflect on while his assistant runs his diocese. 

Postscript [29.01.2022]

Archbishop Chaplain (Internal Only)

The archbishop requires even more assistance - for him to do what?

"The essence of this role is to ensure that the Archbishop of Wales is free to exercise his ministry secure in the knowledge that robust systems and protocols are in place to ensure that he will always be well briefed whilst working to a demanding and sustainable schedule.

"Part 1 of Schedule 9 to the Equality Act 2010 applies to this appointment. This post carries an occupational requirement to be a practicing Christian and, preferably, a communicant member of the Church in Wales or a church in communion with it. The post is open to both ordained and lay applicants."

Location: Bangor , the role requires 'some travel in Wales and beyond, and occasional overnight stays'. The Salary: Grade F - £39,674 - £44,887 per annum

The mind boggles.

Archbishop's impotency confirmed

Bishop of Llandaff the Rt Rev June Osborne                                                       Source: Pressreader

 

From Pressreader today quoting the Western Mail: The Archbishop of Wales  has rejected calls that he should launch an inquiry into the running of the Llandaff diocese following allegations of bullying against Bishop June Osborne. 

In the article archbishop Andy John confirms his impotence: "As Archbishop, I do not have authority over any diocese other than my own unless the see is vacant."

So there we have it. The diocese of Llandaff falls apart while the bishop of St Davids sits tight after falling into disgrace.

Was it just a coincidence that Joanna and June in particular looked more thrilled than the bishops of St Asaph and Monmouth after it was announced that Andy John had been elected archbishop or could they for some reason have felt more secure?

Now that the archbishop has confirmed his impotency, Church in Wales bishops appear free to do as they please. No-one, apparently, is able or willing to get a grip of the situation. 

Just a sinecure then!

Fateful words

The bishops of Llandaff (left) and St Davids (right) with their TEC mentor Katharine Jefferts Schori
Source: Twitter

It came as no surprise that archbishop Barry Morgan described his chosen candidate, Canon Joanna Penberthy, as 'the best person to be a bishop' after she was elected bishop of St Davids.

Subsequent events have illustrated the irony of that description.

Likewise, Morgan's successor must rue the day when he welcomed the appointment as bishop of Llandaff of 'Pioneer English woman priest', June Osborne. 

The then Church in Wales' senior bishop, John Davies said, “In June Osborne, both the Church in Wales and the Diocese of Llandaff will find themselves to be richly blessed. June’s track record admirably demonstrates her passion for Christian ministry modelled on the Gospel imperatives of love, justice, inclusivity and openness. All of these are qualities which I and my fellow bishops warmly support and welcome. She is known as a leader with clear vision, a pastoral heart and a strategic mind.”

In 2019 June Osborne's 'clear vision' led her to charter an aircraft to fly all active diocesan clergy to a clergy school in Santiago de Compostela during Christian Aid Week leaving others to get on with charitable work. Mercifully the plane did not ended up in the sea. Had it done so the diocese would have been left with a few retired clergy who could not afford to subsidise the cost of the flight or had better things to do than pay to go on one June's extravagant jollies.

June has also demonstrated her idea of love, justice, inclusivity and openness when she sacrificed faithful parishioners in another initiative. 

From the Save St Teilo's - Save Our Community petition:

"In March 2019 the members of St Teilo’s church have been informed that a decision has been made by the Bishop of Llandaff, June Osborne, to give their church away to an evangelical church called Holy Trinity Brompton. The decision was made with no consultation with the clergy or members of the congregation and wider community and she says the decision is final."

I doubt that many of the St Teilo's congregation have found themselves to be richly blessed by their bishop but, then, her first love was sociology.

Featuring regularly of late in the columns of the Church Times and in the Western Mail there appears to be a never ending feud between the bishop of Llandaff and her dean which is constantly dragging the Church in Wales through the mire.

Another article in the Church Times today refers to alleged bullying and harassment by the bishop of Llandaff but, like her colleague in St Davids no doubt she will continue to regard any criticism of female behaviour as discrimination and carry on regardless. 

Postscript [08.01 22]

For a devastating assessment of the current state of the dioceses of the Church in Wales and their diocesan bishops from across the pond go to Anglican Unscripted 709 starting at position 21.10.

Dean of Llandaff returns fire on "bullying" bishop

Clergy school impression of Bp June with Peggy 'the pilot', Barry's enforcer               Dean Capon welcomed by Abp Barry Morgan Source: Welsh Icons News

 

Press Reader report of Western Mail article by Martin Shipton, Political editor at large:

"THE Dean of Llandaff has made a formal complaint of bullying against his Bishop, accusing her of wanting to force him out of his post.

It is understood that while it has reservations about the Dean’s allegations, a Church in Wales preliminary inquiry has decided that the Bishop, Rt Rev June Osborne, has a case to answer.

The Very Rev Gerwyn Capon, who was appointed Dean in 2014 by the current Bishop’s predecessor, Dr Barry Morgan, submitted a 31-page complaint about Bishop Osborne to the Church last year.

In it, the Dean alleges that after Bishop Osborne took up her post in 2017, she quickly made it clear that she had no confidence in him, stating that she believed allegations relating to the running of an organ appeal.

These allegations had been investigated by the then Archbishop of Wales, Dr Barry Morgan, in conjunction with the Charity Commission shortly before Dr Capon had been appointed Dean. The conclusion of the inquiry was that the allegations were unfounded. Dr Capon subsequently reviewed the allegations and came to the same conclusion.

Earlier this month we reported how the Chapter [ruling body] of Llandaff Cathedral had just published on its website claims that the Dean had misspent more than £30,000. The allegations were included in Llandaff Cathedral’s annual report and financial statements for the year 2020. In fact an earlier inquiry which reported in October 2020 had concluded that the Dean was innocent of such allegations.

In a statement, the Dean alleged: “I had been in post for a number of years before the new Bishop arrived in 2017 since when she subjected me to an atmosphere which has felt increasingly unsafe and threatening.”

He went on to claim that by April 2020 he was exhibiting signs of stress and had subsequently been diagnosed with clinical depression.

The Dean alleged: “Immediately upon being diagnosed with work-related stress in May 2020, the Bishop took the opportunity to visit me whilst on sick leave to threaten me further into resignation.

'It was then that I decided to invoke the complaints procedure set out in the Constitution of the Church in Wales, through which appeal may be made to the Archbishop.

'Once I submitted my complaint against Bishop June Osborne for bullying me, the then Archbishop of Wales referred the matter to the Provincial Disciplinary Tribunal.

'No sooner had the Archbishop acknowledged receipt of my complaint than I received notice that I myself was being referred by the Bishop of Llandaff to the Disciplinary Panel following a complaint she had received from the Cathedral Chapter.

'This concerned questions they raised which related to expenditure at the Cathedral.'

The Dean stated that while still on sick leave, he was required to appear before the Committee of the Disciplinary Tribunal to respond to the allegations.

He said: 'The Tribunal Committee found I had no case to answer and exonerated me.

'I have tithed my stipend back to the Cathedral since my arrival in post – between 2016 and 2019, I have, with gift aid, given the Cathedral over £19,000.

'Painting me therefore as a thief is personally wounding and untrue.

'Yet despite the decision of the tribunal committee, I soon afterward received documentary evidence that a member of the Chapter, disappointed by the result, wrote to the Bishop to say that there is ‘more than one way to skin a cat'.'

The expression appears in an email sent by the then Archdeacon of Llandaff, the Venerable Peggy Jackson. She retired in July this year.

Prior to publication we put the contents of that email to the Church in Wales and the Bishop, but we have not received a response.

The Dean said that in October 2020 he was invited to submit details of his complaint against the Bishop of Llandaff.

The preliminary adjudication confirmed in May 2021 that, on the balance of probability, Bishop June Osborne has a case to answer.

It went on to recommend mediation between the Bishop and the Dean, but he claimed that had not proven fruitful, alleging: 'Rather, it seems clear to me that my refusal to drop my complaint has now led to the Cathedral Chapter rehearsing allegations that have already been dealt with and where I have been found to have no case to answer.'

The Dean said he was calling on the Church authorities to abide by their anti-bullying and harassment stance and address what he described as “unacceptable leadership behaviours”.

It is understood the Dean’s formal complaint against the Bishop was assessed by James Davenport, the diocesan registrar for Swansea and Brecon, who determined the Dean’s complaint should be examined at a full hearing.

Neither the Church in Wales nor the Bishop of Llandaff wished to comment."

What a sorry state the Church in Wales finds itself in with their secular leaning bishops. 

The bishop of St Davids is carrying on in disgrace hoping all will be forgotten. The bishop of Monmouth along with the bishops of St Davids and Llandaff actively promote their LGBT agendas. The bishop St Asaph leads his flock astray with his own 'contextualized' interpretation of the Bible while the divorced and re-married bishop of Bangor sits back awaiting his Buggins' turn elevation to archbishop because there is no obvious spiritual merit among the bench of bishops on which to judge the suitability of any one of them.

Postscript [26.11.2021]

Bishop Osborne has ‘case to answer’ over Dean of Llandaff, panel finds  

"A DISCIPLINARY committee of the Church in Wales has found a case to answer over allegations of bullying and harassment brought against the Bishop of Llandaff, the Rt Revd June Osborne, by the Dean, the Very Revd Gerwyn Capon."

Same-sex marriages and transgender madness

From: Coalition for Marriage (C4M)

European Court orders all EU countries to recognise same-sex marriages

Dear marriage supporter,

The Court of Justice of the European Union has ordered all EU countries to recognise same-sex marriages, even if they are illegal under national law.

In a ruling last week the Court ordered Romania to grant residency to an American man who married a Romanian man in Belgium. This is despite Romania’s laws only recognising marriage between a man and a woman.

Eight EU member states support real marriage through their laws, including Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and Croatia. They now face being forced to recognise extra-territorial same-sex marriages in their immigration and welfare systems despite there being no democratic mandate to do so.

Across the world, same-sex marriage has been brought in through the back door without a popular mandate.

In the United Kingdom (aside from Northern Ireland) it was introduced by David Cameron’s government despite not being in his party’s election manifesto.

In America it was forced on all states by the judiciary of the Supreme Court.

And now across the European Union member states will be forced by this court judgment to recognise marriages in other states which would be illegal under their own national law.

There is cause to take heart in all of this: despite what we are often told, same-sex marriage is not universally accepted or approved. If it were, there would be no need for such underhand tactics the world over in making it legal.

Doctor dropped by DWP for asserting biological reality

A senior doctor who was set for a role as a disability assessor at the Department for Work and Pensions has been dropped due to his belief in the biological basis of gender.

Dr David Mackereth has worked as an NHS doctor for 26 years. He told his instructor that as a Christian his faith would not allow him to use a person’s preferred gender when writing reports if that gender was not their biological one. His contract was subsequently terminated.

It says something for the bullying and bigotry of the transgender zealots in government that a man with a quarter of a century of public service behind him can be treated in such a disgraceful way.

Yours sincerely,

(Signed) Thomas Pascoe

Campaign Director
Coalition for Marriage (C4M)

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A cabbage by any other name...

A rose?                                                                                  Source: Wikipedia

"A rose by any other name would smell as sweet" wrote William Shakespeare but 'love' as used by progressives in the Church is stinking to high heaven.

No matter how crazy the idea, stamp 'love' on it and anyone disapproving is labeled a bigot.

"Love"                                                             Source: Reuters/Christian Today

The people of Australia are the latest to be persuaded that marriage can be redefined to mean other than joining one man and one women by using 'love' as an umbrella. As their  Prime Minister said "they voted yes for love". Who wouldn't? But that is not the question.

The Catholic Archbishop of Sydney, Anthony Fisher, said he was 'deeply disappointed that the likely result will be legislation to further deconstruct marriage and family in Australia'.

Not so with most of our Anglican bishops in Great Britain who take a more secular view.

Jesus asked Peter three times, "Do you love me?"

That will be all Greek to the bishops so they should know that Éros was not what Christ had in mind when he pressed Peter to understand what tending His flock would entail.

In their latest jaunt into secularism the bishops of the Church of England have issued transphobic bullying guidance. In their logic, bullying must be tackled head on, gender difference can give rise to bullying, therefore "Primary schoolchildren should be free to dress up in a tiara or superhero cloak without comment from teachers or pupils". 

No wonder Stonewall, a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights group, said the guidance gave "clear advice" to teachers on recognising and combating bullying in Church schools.

 The number of children who underwent transgender treatment in the UK's National Health Service jumped by 1,000 percent in the five years to 2016. One would have thought that would cause the bishops some concern. Instead they use this tragic upsurge to bolster their secular agenda.

A question I often hear asked is What has happened to the church? I suspect many readers will know clergy who changed their minds over the ordination of women when they saw which way the wind was blowing. A convenient career choice which put them in the ascendancy to the detriment of those who fought to keep the faith. The Anglican church has gone downhill ever since. Faith and logic no longer apply.

Bullying is back on the Agenda

Photo: Church in Wales

Bullying, or 'alleged' bullying, rears its ugly head at the forthcoming meeting of the Governing Body of the Church in Wales.

In Question time (Item 16) on Day 2 the Archdeacon of Llandaff continues her campaigning. She demands to know:
 "What steps have been taken by the Standing Committee and dioceses to
circulate the (Todd) “Report on the Representation of Women in the
Church in Wales 2015” to deaneries and parishes, and what actions have
been taken in response to the recommendations?"

This late entrant to the Church seems more intent on advancing the role of women in the Church regardless of merit than proclaiming the Gospel message as received.

The Todd Report was debated at GB last April. Here is a flavour.

Dr Gill Todd (Swansea & Brecon):
 "The proposals in the report, she said, were designed to "achieve change and embed gender equality unequivocally in the Church in Wales for ever; and, secondly, to make the Church in Wales recognise the joy that comes from men and women working together in God's name; and the pain that comes from continued discrimination and bullying. A failure to recognise the gifts, calling, and vocation of others is a failure to demonstrate Christlike behaviour."

The Archdeacon also adds her name along the Rev Jan Gould of Llandaff to the question:

 "In the light of the final communiqué from the Primates of the Anglican

Communion after their meeting in January, can the Bishops outline how

they propose to respond now to continuing calls by the LGBT members of

the Church in Wales and their supporters for full and equal inclusion and

acceptance?

That anyone from Llandaff could add their names to such a question seems ridiculous from what I hear and read about Llandaff. Granted some commentators complain of not being accepted although no evidence has been produced and I do not know anyone who has experienced it. The question alleges that there is not "full and equal inclusion and acceptance" in which one has to ask, how do all the gay clergy manage to perform their ministry?

On a practical level, if the questioners have the laity in mind, what do they propose? Stewards and welcomers asking, "Excuse me, are you gay?" so that they can give them an affirming hug? When it comes to worship a person's sexuality is irrelevant so why would anyone see the need to flag it?

Such questions are bullying in themselves. They present statements as factual then demand action regardless of proof but it is this statement by Dr Todd which takes the prize for double standards:

 "Bullying also played a part in persuading women to leave the Church, she said. Many victims "vote with their feet, and leave the organisation. Unfortunately, they also leave the bully to make the next person's life a misery." [My emphasis -Ed.]

Considering how many worshippers have left the Church, including many devout women, over the ordination of women and the bullying which took place at all levels in order to secure the vote, such statements would be laughable if they were not so pathetic, especially when the prime bully continues to pursue his agenda against the real victims when it is he who is out of step with the teaching of the wider Church.