Canterbury renews attack on Cameron’s Big Society; Bishops rebel against Church marriage policy; Pressure mounts to put off women bishops vote; David Starkey: Do gays need to call each other Mr and Mrs?; Cathedral licking tour of England; Validation partnership announced
Archbishop of Canterbury renews attack on David Cameron’s Big Society
Telegraph – The Archbishop of Canterbury has launched a fresh attack on David Cameron’s Big Society, saying it is perceived as “aspirational waffle”.
The concept is seen by the public as an attempt to hide a “deeply damaging withdrawal of the state from its responsibilities to the most vulnerable”, Dr Rowan Williams said.
The Archbishop’s criticism of the Coalition comes months before he is due to step down from his post and is contained in an as yet unpublished book.
“The big society, introduced in the run-up to the last election as a major political idea for the coming generation, has suffered from a lack of definition about the means by which such ideals can be realised,” he writes in the book, Faith in the Public Square.
He continues: “’Big society’ rhetoric is all too often heard by many therefore as aspirational waffle designed to conceal a deeply damaging withdrawal of the state from its responsibilities to the most vulnerable.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9352002/Archbishop-of-Canterbury-renews-attack-on-David-Camerons-Big-Society.html
Rowan Williams dismisses Big Society idea as ‘waffle’
BBC News – He made his comments in a book marking the end of his 10-year leadership of the Church of England. But the international development secretary has defended …
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18570664
Bishops rebel against Church marriage policy
Telegraph – Bishops rebel against Church marriage policy. Two bishops have broken ranks to speak out against the Church of England’s opposition to same-sex marriage.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9351453/Bishops-rebel-against-Church-marriage-policy.html
http://www.thinkinganglicans.org.uk/archives/005558.html
Bishops break ranks over same-sex marriage
Ekklesia – Two Church of England bishops have criticised their denomination’s official opposition to same-sex marriage. Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham and Tim Ellis, Bishop of Grantham, said that a Church of England statement strongly opposing marriage equality was issued without sufficient consultation and does not represent the views of the Church’s membership.
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16770
Pressure mounts to put off women bishops vote
Telegraph – A bishop last night called for an historic Church of England vote next month on ordaining women to the episcopacy to be put on hold amid growing acrimony …
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9350287/Pressure-mounts-to-put-off-women-bishops-vote.html
David Starkey: Do gays need to call each other Mr and Mrs?
Telegraph – Is the Church of England about to turn full circle? Founded 500 … On the other hand, gay activists mock the supposed hypocrisy of the Church. It was founded …
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9349289/David-Starkey-Do-gays-need-to-call-each-other-Mr-and-Mrs.html
Cathedral licking tour of England
The Sun – English Heritage worker Lawrence Edmonds has visited 42 of England’s Anglican cathedrals – and LICKED every one. The 13-month tour took him …
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/4392312/Lawrence-Edmonds-cathedral-licking-tour-of-England.html
Validation partnership announced
The Church of England and Durham University have announced a partnership to provide validation for the education of ministers.
http://www.churchofengland.org/media-centre/news/2012/06/validation-partnership-announced.aspx