Bishop John Packer writes about Cathedrals, Bishops and Committees – What is a Diocese?
Although prompted by the proposals to amalgamate three Yorkshire dioceses including his own, most of what the bishop writes is applicable to dioceses in general.
In a Church Times article now available to non-subscribers Alan Billings writes They belong, but don’t believe. “Many in church at Christmas need their tentative beliefs to be nurtured.”
Deirdre Good and Julian Sheffield at the Daily Episcopalian ask Is the Kingdom of Heaven a Ponzi Scheme?
Excellent piece by Alan Billings. Interesting comments from Tim Lott, whom one would not have expected to be a regular church-goer. Contrast this reality – not the only reality but a very important one – with the dismal standard of church missioning material – Alpha, Emmaus and the rest. Our church has a house group at the moment, of which my partner and I are members, and we’ve been given a shockingly low-grade American book to use as a guide. Last meeting it fell to me to lead the discussion on Jesus’ baptism and temptation. The roof practically fell in… Read more »
From Billings, in CT: “[journalist Tim Lott] does not believe in any conventional sense, though he does “take communion”. It was, however, a certain type of church — open in its theology and rooted in its community — that made it possible for him to find a place there.” “believe in any conventional sense”? Is that ala a “4 Spiritual Laws”-type tract? “Confess your sins, and accept the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Savior” I’ve long thought that was a WAAAAAAAY too *narrow* definition of “believing”. Many aspects of faith are essentially ineffable: I think that’s fine. *Something* keeps… Read more »
I read the reader’s comments to the “Ponzi scheme” article, and at the end I thought “Wow! someone looks at this like I do!” First off it’s all well and cute to equate “talents” with talent, but that’s an accident of English. Second, two different servants make a 100% return, presumably with different investments, of which they got not a dime, they’re servants, after all. I bet that since at least the early 1900s, if anyone made a 100% return on their investment in a brief time, the authorities would come knocking on the master’s door to find out whom… Read more »
“belief is work in progress” So why do we pretend otherwise? You don’t hear many sermons on that do you? Perhaps we clergy ought to be more honest and open. Remember Harry Williams CR and the True Wilderness…perhaps we need to do the same. Thanks Alan…on the ball as always. Robert Ellis
I cannot imagine any advocate of ‘Inclusive Church’ finding themselves in disagreement with the thrust of Alan Billings’ article “They belong but don’t believe”. People’s faith is often subjective – ‘floating’ as it were with the circumstances of their lives. But is that not consistent with the catholic idea of the occasional ‘dark night of the soul’, where one’s personal belief in God seems to abandon them? After all, even Jesus – because of his taking our sins upon himself – was the victim of seeming dereliction (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) – so why should… Read more »