Archbishop compares C of E to shouting family; Justin Welby has already signalled his faith in women’s ministry; Next bishop of Blackburn to ordain women; Proposed new diocese for West Yorkshire; Cardinal O’Brien admits sexual misconduct, but questions remain
Archbishop compares C of E to shouting family
By Gavin Drake, Church Times – The Archbishop of Canterbury has warned that he has “no magic wand”, and that there is “no silver bullet” to resolve the conflicts in the Church of England or the Anglican Communion.
Speaking to the Church Times at the “Faith in Conflict” conference at Coventry Cathedral, Archbishop Welby sought to play down the “huge expectation” that people had placed on his experience of conflict-resolution. He said that he could only “help to set the tone”.
He said that he would seek to put his past work in reconciliation to good use. Nevertheless, he continued: “Reconciliation is never ever delivered by one person or a group of people. Reconciliation is something that is done by people in the conflict with each other.
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2013/1-march/news/uk/archbishop-compares-c-of-e-to-shouting-family
Justin Welby has already signalled his faith in women’s ministry
By Miranda Threlfall-Holmes, Guardian – In appointing a female chaplain, the new archbishop of Canterbury makes clear that a priest’s gender is not an issue.
I long for the day when we don’t note that an important appointment is given to a woman. But we’re not there yet, so the news that the archbishop of Canterbury’s new chaplain is to be the Rev Dr Jo Bailey Wells is very good news indeed.
Bailey Wells has an impressive CV for the role, and it is not hard to see why she has been appointed, regardless of her sex. Her interest in conflict and reconciliation clearly overlaps with Justin Welby’s own interests. Indeed, they were both speaking this week at a conference on Faith in Conflict. Moreover, she has detailed and recent experience of the church in America and Africa, as well as in England, which will be a significant asset in this role.
So she would probably have been appointed even if she were a man. But it is certainly also possible to read this appointment as a statement of intent. Welby has been very vocal in his support for women’s ministry. He spoke strongly in favour of having women as bishops last November, when the legislation to allow that was so narrowly defeated. But actions are more revealing than statements. In this appointment, the new archbishop has put his soul where his mouth is, and shown – not just said – that he trusts women as priests.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2013/mar/02/archbishop-canterbury-faith-women-ministry
Next bishop of Blackburn to ordain women
The Ven. Julian Henderson, Archdeacon of Dorking, will be the next Bishop of Blackburn and he immediately broke from his predecessors by announcing that he will ordain women to the priesthood and is in favour of women serving as Bishops.
The Church Times reports – Unlike his two predecessors – the Rt Revd Nicholas Reade, who retired on 31 October; and the Rt Revd Alan Chesters – Archdeacon Henderson is willing to ordain women as priests. He said on Friday that he was “in favour of women serving as bishops”, although he voted against the draft women bishops Measure in November
Archdeacon Henderson said in a statement issued by Church House: “Let me be clear, I am in favour of women serving as bishops and will want to introduce a change in the current diocesan pattern by ordaining women as deacons and priests.
“But I hope my vote at General Synod last November will be a reassurance to those opposed to this development, that I want to be a figure of unity on this matter and will ensure there is an honoured place for both positions within the mainstream of the Church of England. Might Blackburn be a model for the rest of the Church of England!”
In January, more than 50 clergy from Blackburn diocese signed a letter urging the Archbishop of York, Dr Sentamu, to ensure that their next diocesan bishop would ordain women as priests
Archbishop Sentamu welcomed the appointment..
Proposed new diocese for West Yorkshire
The final version of the proposal to replace the dioceses of Bradford, Ripon & Leeds, and Wakefield by a new diocese of Leeds (or West Yorkshire and the Dales) was discussed by the three diocesan synods last weekend.
Bradford voted in favour. Voting: 90 for, 4 against, no abstentions
Ripon & Leeds voted in favour.
Voting: 70 for, 18 against, 2 abstentions
Wakefield voted against.
Voting: 40 for, 76 against, 4 abstentions
The Church of England quickly issued this press release after the votes.
Results of vote on new single diocese for West Yorkshire
Bradford and Ripon & Leeds dioceses today voted in favour of a scheme from the Dioceses Commission to reorganise Church of England structures in West Yorkshire and the Dales. Wakefield diocese rejected the scheme.
The neighbouring dioceses of Blackburn and Sheffield receiving six and two parishes respectively from the area of the proposed new single diocese also need to vote on the scheme: Sheffield gave its consent on 16 February; Blackburn votes on 13 April.
The overall proposal is to replace the existing dioceses of Bradford, Ripon & Leeds and Wakefield and create a new single one.
Now consent has not been given by at least one of the dioceses, it is up to the Archbishop of York to decide whether to allow the scheme to go forward for debate at General Synod (possibly in July). This could happen if he is satisfied either that
(a) the interest of the diocese is so small that the withholding of consent should not prevent the scheme being submitted to the General Synod; or
(b) there are wider considerations affecting the province or the Church of England as a whole which require the scheme to be submitted to the General Synod.
The Archbishop won’t be in a position to announce his decision until after Blackburn diocese’s vote is known in mid-April.
Speaking today after the votes, Chair of the Commission, Professor Michael Clarke said: ‘It is good to know that the Dioceses of Bradford and Ripon & Leeds support the Commission’s proposals. Looking at the voting in Wakefield, there is significant support there, even though the vote was lost.. The process, however, continues. Blackburn votes next month. It will then be for the Archbishop of York to decide how to take this forward.’
Cardinal O’Brien admits sexual misconduct, but questions remain
Cardinal Keith O’Brien, who was forced to resign by the pope last week, has made a dramatic admission that he was guilty of sexual misconduct throughout his career in the Roman Catholic church.
In a short but far-reaching statement issued late on Sunday, the 74-year-old stated that “there have been times that my sexual conduct has fallen below the standards expected of me as a priest, archbishop and cardinal”. The former archbishop of St Andrews and Edinburgh, and until recently the most senior Catholic in Britain, apologised and asked for forgiveness from those he had “offended” and from the entire church. … O’Brien has effectively admitted he had been breaching the church’s strict rules on celibacy and its bar on homosexuality since he became a priest – and during his 10 years as a cardinal. It was alleged that some of these incidents were “drunken fumblings”. One case reported by the Observer involved repeated sexual contact.
On Friday, there were claims that complaints had been made to the nuncio, Archbishop Antonio Mennini, by a fifth priest last year, about an alleged incident in 2001.
Announcing that he would now retire entirely from public life and from the frontline duties for the church he once led, O’Brien said: “In recent days certain allegations which have been made against me have become public. Initially, their anonymous and non-specific nature led me to contest them….”
Read it all in The Guardian – http://m.guardiannews.com/world/2013/mar/03/cardinal-keith-obrien-admits-sexual-misconduct
Damian Thompson of The Telegraph is apoplectic and calls the admission “evasive”.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100205086/hypocrite-cardinal-obrien-admits-sex-acts-in-a-vague-apology-that-will-make-things-worse/
Last week he wrote an article titled “Cardinal O’Brien gay sex scandal: this was a hit job that succeeded beyond the plotters’ wildest dreams”.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/damianthompson/100204332/cardinal-obrien-gay-sex-scandal-this-was-a-hit-job-that-succeeded-beyond-the-plotters-wildest-dreams/
But Questions Remain says Ekklesia – Church sources immediately moved to try to close down further investigations. Catherine Peppinster, editor of the Tablet newspaper, said: “It’s time to move on. Too many scandals in the Catholic church drag on and on, but this one has been dealt with speedily, and a line can be drawn.”
But such sentiments are likely to offend and distress abuse victims, and the calls for proper procedure both within the Catholic Church and beyond, alongside concrete moves towards establishing openness, are likely to increase in the coming days – particularly as it emerged that the Vatican had known about the allegations for five months and had apparently hoped that they would slip away from vision as the Cardinal retired.
Moreover, observed BBC religion correspondent Robert Piggott: “As Cardinal O’Brien’s statement is so conspicuously devoid of any detail, it seems to raise almost as many questions as it answers – particularly about the nature and timing of the occasions of that wrongdoing.”