That’s enough flannel about women bishops; Quakers welcome Anglican support for ecumenical accompaniers; New challenge to CofE as US Anglicans approve gay ‘marriage’ service; Quakers welcome Deputy Prime Minister’s support for same-sex marriage; Christian Beginnings by Geza Vermes – review by Abp Rowan Williams
That’s enough flannel about women bishops
Melanie McDonagh, London Evening Standard – The Church of England has agonised for 12 years about whether to ordain women as bishops and at last has come to a decision, viz, to put the whole thing off until November. Or possibly February, so the new Archbishop of Canterbury can get to grips with the question. (And you wonder why there aren’t any outstanding candidates?)
The proponents of women bishops, you see, are hugely exercised by the opt-out clause in the deal. That allows opponents of women’s ordination to call on bishops for their parishes who are not only male but have been ordained by men.
There aren’t many of these parishes: think very camp Anglo-Catholics, or evangelicals with strong views about women ordering men about. But these harmless dissidents are enough for the would-be women bishops to refuse to play. Nope. If they’re not going to be ordained on their own terms, they won’t be ordained at all. There are so many occasions when life calls out for Trollope, and this is one of them.
I’ve got no business, myself, getting involved, given that I’m a Catholic and we don’t actually believe that any of them are properly ordained. But I do get a bit restive when I hear the likes of the Rev Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, one of the many media-friendly female clerics, declaring that “the whole point of having women bishops was to say that the Church of England believes that women and men are equal and made in the image of God.
I do not want it enshrined in law that we officially do not believe that.” Hang on there. Our lot don’t have women bishops either but I’ve never had any problems on being made in the image of God, thanks all the same, Miranda.
http://www.standard.co.uk/comment/thats-enough-flannel-about-women-bishops-7932087.html
Quakers welcome Anglican support for ecumenical accompaniers
ACNS – Quakers in Britain welcome the decision yesterday by the Church of England General Synod to support the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI). The EAPPI sends human rights observers, called ecumenical accompaniers, to work with Israelis and Palestinians to bring a just peace to the region based on international law. Set up by the World Council of Churches, EAPPI advocates an end to the Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories. Quakers administer, train and support the EAs on behalf of British and Irish churches and agencies.
http://www.aco.org/acns/digest/index.cfm/2012/7/11/Quakers-welcome-Anglican-support-for-ecumenical-accompaniers
New challenge to CofE as US Anglicans approve gay ‘marriage’ service
Telegraph – The Church of England’s opposition to same-sex marriage is facing a major challenge from within after Anglicans in the US approved same-sex blessings in churches.
Bishops in the American Episcopal Church, part of the Anglican Communion, voted overwhelmingly to accept a special liturgy for what is effectively a form of homosexual wedding. See also World news today – this site.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9389926/New-challenge-to-CofE-as-US-Anglicans-approve-gay-marriage-service.html
Quakers welcome Deputy Prime Minister’s support for same-sex marriage
Ekklesia – Quakers in Britain have welcomed the personal support given by the Deputy Prime Minister for the right of same-sex couples to marry in places of worship.
In response to a letter from Quakers, Nick Clegg has written: “Marriage is an important institution based on love and commitment and I believe that it is a twenty first century human right for that choice to be available to all – gay or straight. So I am proud that this Coalition Government has now committed to introduce equal marriage and has confirmed that we will legislate by 2015.
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16810
Christian Beginnings by Geza Vermes – review by ABC
Guardian – Rowan Williams finds a beautiful and magisterial early history still leaves some puzzles unsolved
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2012/jul/11/christian-beginnings-geza-vermes-review