Several newspapers are reporting this story:
Cathedral city prays while the rest of Britain plays
Residents of Hereford are Britain’s most devoted churchgoers
Manchester comes top of the godless league
Christmas cancelled due to lack of interest
Cities ‘shun church at Christmas’
but only the BBC links to the data on which the reports are based.
To be honest, I’m surprised that there is as much attendance at Anglican churches in general, given that there seems to be no consensus as to what Christianity, as seen by the C of E, stands for, if anything. Want to join a church whose vicar doesn’t believe in the resurrection, or virgin birth, or whatever? Come on in – plenty of vicars and no doubt bishops will accommodate you! In the endeavour to seem to be all things to all men, in some Anglican churches the faith seems to be watered down so much that it will not be… Read more »
Would be interesting to see whether this was in fact the intention – to make some correlation between ‘inclusivity’/’tolerance’ and ‘thinking’?
Ahhh, but of course Dr. Shell. All *right thinking* people realize there’s a correlation between ‘thinking” and ‘exclusivity & intolerance’, eh ? Sheesh…
I can’t see any correlations here. There are 4 possible options:
(1) Exclusive and unthinking
(2) Exclusive and thinking
(3) Inclusive and unthinking
(4) Inclusive and thinking.
The dictionary definitions of ‘thinking’ and ‘unthinking’ bear no relation to the dictionary definitions of ‘exclusive’ and ‘inclusive’.
Happy Christmas! :o)
Have your cool drink, Peter (are you in the Southern Hemisphere? In the North, a *hot* drink is more timely!) Me, however, I’ll just keep feeding on Jesus. Contrary to rumor, He’s still there for the eating at your local Episcopal (by permission, _yet_ Anglican) church. I’m sorry you seem to be wandering around in the wilderness. Maybe if you actually implanted yourself in the Body of Christ—the joys and woes of one _particular_ group of *redeemed sinners*—you’d find things a good deal less confusing? [Oh, and the latest buzz phrase *really* is “the latest buzz phrase seems to be… Read more »
“There are 4 possible options:
(1) Exclusive and unthinking
(2) Exclusive and thinking
“
Well, I’m afraid I don’t see #2 as a coherent option. Tho’ the reason is something I’m sure we’d disagree on. That being, to exclude someone for being GLBT is the same sort of thing as excluding someone for being female or of a different racial or ethnic group (i.e. bigotry, in so many words)
It’s in the nature of truth (and indeed in the nature of reality) to be not merely exclusive but extremely exclusive. Example: the atomic number of helium is 2. There is one correct answer only to this question. How many incorrect answers? An infinite number. Of course, there are many issues less straightforward than atomic numbers. But it remains the case that for every true point of view put forward, there is an infinite number of possible incorrect points of view. I’d want to reiterate the point about dictionary definitions. There’s very little connection between the concepts ‘exclusive/inclusive’ and ‘thinking/unthinking’.… Read more »
A thoughtful piece, PB, and it has elicited some interesting responses. (I think I’m the person whom you say was “seen off.” Well, I’m still around, I was quite surprised by the ferocity of some of the personal emails, so this time am using a yahoo account rather than my normal one!) Despite possible flak, as I see it, the Bible has a consistent negative stance concerning homosexuality and is explicitly condemned in Paul’s writings. (I’ll probably be called a bigot for daring to state this! For my part, those who think that it no longer matters seem to me… Read more »