A Rapid Reading Review of the media – short reports and web links – including : St Paul’s invites police to evict Occupy; Urgent questions for St Paul’s; Education cash for historic sites; ‘Even outstanding women struggle to rise in the CofE’; The women who oppose female bishops
St Paul’s invites police to evict Occupy from Cathedral steps
Ekklesia – St Paul’s Cathedral actively abetted the forcible eviction of the Occupy camp early yesterday morning (28 February 2012), inviting the police onto church property to remove protesters. Afterwards, Christians praying on the Cathedral steps were violently pushed and kicked by police, they say, when the police were invited by St Paul’s to “clear the steps”.
It appears that a Trespass Order was granted, though this was definitely not part of the High Court judgement against the encampment rather than demonstrators, and has greatly angered Occupy supporters. “Shame on you, St Paul’s!”, one tweeted.
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16340
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9110221/Occupy-London-eviction-live-coverage.html
Urgent questions for St Paul’s Cathedral
Ekkleia – Symon Hill is profoundly shocked to have been dragged from his knees as he prayed about economic injustice on the steps of St Paul’s Cathedral. What is even more alarming, he says, is that this seems to have been done with the support and approval of the cathedral authorities. Hill poses the questions that now need to be asked of them.
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/16345
Archbishop Blanch Memorial Lecture
An annual lecture to celebrate the life and work of Stuart Blanch, Bishop of Liverpool (1966 – 1975) and Archbishop of York (1975 – 1983) in association with the Diocese of Liverpool and Liverpool Hope University The 2012 lecture The Plain meaning of Scripture will be given by Canon Angela Tilby on Tuesday 9 October 2012 at 7.00 pm in the Chapel at the Hope Park Campus of Liverpool Hope University. The lecture is free and open to all, but booking is essential. Please contact Lifelong Learning Department on either lifelonglearning@liverpool.anglican.org or 0151 705 2120.
http://www.blanchlecture.org.uk/
‘Even outstanding women struggle to rise in the CofE’
The Independent – Women priests are treated as second-class Christians, suffering from institutionalised sexism and racism within the Church of England, female clergy claim. Women priests are treated as second-class Christians, suffering from institutionalised sexism and racism within the Church of England, female clergy claim.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/even-outstanding-women-struggle-to-rise-in-the-cofe-7440944.html
The women who oppose female bishops
The Guardian – The Church of England is, in its own confounding and impenetrable way, preparing to welcome women as bishops. At the meeting of its general assembly earlier this month there was much debate about what should be done for Anglicans who do not accept …
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/27/women-oppose-women-bishops
Education cash for historic sites
BBC – English historical sites are to receive £2.7m in funding from the Department of Education to encourage local schoolchildren to learn about them.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/education-17172091
Trusting God in the absence of work
Christian Today – A total of 8,4% of the UK population is now unemployed – the highest rate since 1995 – and last November the jobless total among 16 to 24-year-olds surpassed 1 million, accounting for 21.9 per cent of the workforce in that age group.
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/trusting.god.in.the.absence.of.work/29394.htm