Christmas message from Primus; Archbishop welcomes next Chief Rabbi; House of Bishops summary of decisions published; Women Bishops – Reform reaction; Bishop beds down in stable for charity; Media review
Christmas message from Primus
The Most Rev David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld & Dunblane and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church says:
“A walk down the High Street tells a story. The sales that never seem to end and the empty shops are only the most obvious sign of our present economic difficulties. Behind that lies the human distress of worry and uncertainty, of unemployment and anxiety about pensions, health and old age.
“Our Christmas celebration of the birth of Jesus in a stable at Bethlehem often feels like a welcome relief from the pressures and difficulties of the everyday. It is a great time for families, for friendship and for giving time to relationships. But Christmas isn’t just a ‘break’ in the everyday. Christians believe that the birth of the innocent child Jesus into a situation of homelessness and uncertainty in itself is God’s response to a world in trouble.
“Christmas promises peace, joy and hope. May that be our prayer for a troubled world and for all who are experiencing this as a time of difficulty and challenge in their lives.”
Archbishop welcomes next Chief Rabbi
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, has welcomed the appointment of Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis as the next Chief Rabbi.
The Chief Rabbinate Trust has confirmed the appointment of Rabbi Ephraim Mirvis as the 11th Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the UK and the Commonwealth. He will assume office when Chief Rabbi Lord Sacks steps down in September 2013.
The Archbishop’s greeting follows:
“Dear Rabbi Mirvis,
“I would like to extend my warm congratulations to you on your appointment as the new Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the UK and Commonwealth. I am sorry to be writing this just as I am leaving Lambeth Palace, but I want to assure you of my prayers as you prepare to move into your new role.
“The close relationship that I have enjoyed over the last ten or so years with Lord Sacks has been a continuation and development of the particular relationship between Lambeth Palace and the office of the Chief Rabbi over many years. That relationship led to the founding of the Council of Christians and Jews seventy years ago and I believe that it continues to be vitally important for both of our communities today. With warmest good wishes”
House of Bishops summary of decisions published
1. A meeting of the C of E House of Bishops was held at Lambeth Palace on 10-11 December 2012. Those matters reported below reflect the items discussed and decisions agreed upon.
2. The House considered the consequences of the 20 November General Synod vote on the draft Bishops and Priests (Consecration and Ordination of Women) Measure. The House recognised and felt the profound and widespread sense of anger, grief and disappointment experienced by so many in the Church of England and beyond. The House considered that the present situation was unsustainable for all, whatever their convictions, and affirmed that the Church of England now had to resolve the issue through its own processes as a matter of great urgency. It was agreed that a statement from the House of Bishops on this issue would be released as soon as possible after the conclusion of the meeting.
3. The House expressed its gratitude and appreciation for the ministry of ordained women in the Church of England, and its sadness that recent events had left so many feeling undermined and undervalued.
4. The House had the benefit of four senior female members of General Synod participating in their discussion. The House agreed to hold an event in early 2013 to which lay and ordained women will be invited, to discuss how the culture of its processes and discussions might be changed and a more regular contribution from women secured.
5. The House also set up a working group drawn from all three Houses of Synod (the membership to be determined by the Archbishops and announced before Christmas), to arrange facilitated discussion with a wide range of people of a variety of views in the week of 4 February and to advise the House so that it can decide in May what fresh legislative proposals to bring before the next meeting of the General Synod in July.
Women Bishops – Reform reaction
Following the announcement of the formation of a House of Bishops Working Group on 19th December, Reform chairman Rod Thomas has written to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. The letter reaffirms Reform’s commitment to the process of seeking a new way forward on women bishops legislation, but says that the membership of the working group leaves it feeling ‘apprehensive’.
Prebendary Rod Thomas said he was ‘nonplussed as to why the membership of the working group does not contain anybody who shares our convictions about male headship – despite the fact that this was a key concern underlying the vote on 20th November.
We very much wish to contribute to fresh proposals that will command broader agreement in the General Synod than was achieved last month. Achieving such an outcome depends on hearing clearly the needs of those who were both for and against the draft Measure. Our fear is that the constitution of the working group might make this more difficult. Nevertheless we will seek to contribute positively during the discussions that are planned for next February.’
Bishop beds down in stable for charity
The Bishop of Lincoln will be spending a cold and uncomfortable night in a stable for charity
MEDIA REVIEW
Financial Times – focuses on Bishop Justin Welby, “future Archbishop of Canterbury”, and “the Banking Commission’s most intriguing member”. Other newspapers focus on feedback the Parliamentary Commission into Banking Standards will give to the Chancellor today, mentioning in passing that Bishop Justin Welby is a member of the Commission.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/2cfffc5a-4acb-11e2-9650-00144feab49a.html#axzz2FftcM76e
Guardian – Simon Jenkins writes, “After a year of bad news, spare a thought at Christmas for one of the last threads binding our communities together,” noting that in many communities “the only ‘leader’ left in residence is the priest”.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/belief/2012/dec/21/atheist-prayer-churches
Telegraph – Report that “traders have been accused of ‘airbrushing’ Christianity out of Christmas” following research conducted by the Bible Society.
Financial Times – Reports that “the divorce rate in England and Wales has reached its second-lowest point since 1976”.
http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/9d6bf374-4aa1-11e2-9650-00144feab49a.html
Surge in divorces among the over-60 ’silver separators’ despite drop in overall rate of couples splitting up
Steve Doughty, Mailonline – The number of older people whose marriages collapse when they reach their 60s has risen sharply, official figures have revealed.
Even though divorce overall has become less common, the rate of break-ups among the ‘silver separators’ has soared in the past ten years, figures from the Office for National Statistics show.
The proportion of couples splitting up in their 60s is up by 58 per cent on last year, and is likely to keep rising. The overall rate fell to 10.8 divorces per 1,000 people last year – down from 14 per 1,000 in 2004.
In 2001, only 3,693 women aged 60 or over got divorced. Last year that number had risen by 58 per cent to a record 5,836.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2063430/The-growth-silver-separations-Divorce-rate-60s-surges.html