Bishop Andrew Burnham gave this homily at St John the Evangelist, New Hinksey, Oxford, at a Solemn Mass of St Andrew on Saturday 27 November 2010: Bishop Andrew Burnham’s Final Sermon as Bishop of Ebbsfleet.
Damian Thompson reprinted the sermon in The Telegraph: Anglican bishop lays his mitre and crozier at the feet of Our Lady as he leaves for Rome.
Giles Fraser writes in the Church Times about Colin Slee, fighter, RIP.
Christopher Howse in The Telegraph writes that There’s no shame in not wearing a cross. “Christianity’s trappings require no special pleading,” he suggests.
He also writes about A hatred of Turks, Jews and papists. “Luther thought he had a sound reason for his strong antipathies.”
Adam Thomas writes for the Daily Episcopalian about The pews in the north transept: a remembrance.
David Bryant writes in The Guardian about The loose ends of justice. “Meeting a murderer and rapist on a prison visit reinforced my need to believe in life after death.”
Dame Mary Tanner preached at the inaugural eucharist for the General Synod in Westminster Abbey last week. The text of her sermon is now available, courtesy of Alastair Cutting.
This week’s The Question at Comment is free belief is How should Christians think about sex? There are answers from Steve Tomkins, Roz Kaveney and John Richardson
I certainly didn’t notice anyone wearing a ‘not ashamed’ t-shirt. But then it was rather cold. Perhaps they were all under their overcoats?
When can be finally take leave of the endless reports of Anglican bishops leaving for Rome? Their statements, sermons, and activities have been so over-reported that one would think that we were reliving the Reformation in reverse. I am tired of their self-serving prattle and what seems to be the uncritical and often far too admiring reports in the church and secular press. Their meanness and narrow-mindedness, along with the self centered behaviour and sense of entitlement we see on display say nothing good about them or the Church they are so anxious to join. We seem to have ceased… Read more »
Thank you, Simon, for the link to Christopher Howse’s column about Martin Luther’s hatred of “Turks, Jews, and papists”. As a young Jew attending religious school, I once had a chance to read some of Luther’s thoughts about the Jews, and they were blood-curdling. And Mr. Howse should be praised for stating “On to its personalised hatred we cannot help projecting the unspeakable treatment of the Jews by Germans in the 20th century.” Bravo! I think a strong case can be made that the Nazi persecution and execution of Jews are a direct consequence of centuries of virulent religious anti-Semitism.,… Read more »
David Bryant’s piece was very good. Belief in ‘life-after-death’ (or something – doesn’t much matter which permutation) is absolutely necessary for anyone who asserts God’s justice, or even anyone who believes in justice as some sort of absolute. Funny how often this point eludes allegedly sophisticated people. Doesn’t make it true, of course, but it is logically necessary.
“. But I shall always remember my wife, Cathy, telling the students at St Stephen’s House on the Leavers’ Course, that it is vital to leave properly, to say your goodbyes, and move on” – Bishop Andrew Burnham – retirement sermon – If only the ACNA prelates and clergy could hear this call of the wife of a future Catholic priest – to leave the furniture and fittings behind now that they have departed TEC and the A.C.of C., there be be fewer rich lawyers, less heartache and more good will in the respective churches that share/have shared their ministries… Read more »
“Protestantism has escaped from much of the sex phobia of Catholicism, but not from the obsessive policing of private relationships, and putting sexual rules at the centre of right living.” – Steve Tomkins – Guardian C.i.F. – Sterve Tomkins’ take on “How should Christians thing about sex?” seems very apposite – in some ways, except that Protestants are more likely to use the Bible as proscriptive of any sort of sexual activity outside of the marriage of a man and a woman. The Pope would probably agree with them on this one, but probably would not exclude the ‘Song of… Read more »
Is he Mr Burnham now?
This is quite confusing …..
Christopher Howse has a sane attitude towards Lord Carey’s apparently reflexive and repeated cry of “Church in Danger!” Here in the states this is manifested in letters to the editor and editorials decrying the ‘war on Christmas,’ as exemplified by store clerks saying ‘Happy Holidays’ rather than ‘Merry Christmas,’ and battles over creche scenes on public property. If these folks would devote the same energy to helping their neighbors who are cold, or hungry, or homeles, or all three … well it would be nice, wouldn’t it?
Martin
I don’t think so. He has, it seems, resigned his see (wef the end of the month?) but not his orders. Thus, from an Anglican perspective, he remains a bishop indefinitely.
To add to Simon’s comment above the resignation is wef the end of this month. There is a notice in this week’s church press from the Archbishops’ Secretary for Appointments stating, “Following the announcement of the resignations of The Rt Revd Andrew Burnham and The Rt Revd Keith Newton, the Sees of Ebbsfleet and Richborough will fall vacant on the 31st December.”
The notice goes on to invite people to comment on the needs of the role and to propose candidates.
So there is. More precisely it says that (excuse the caps, but I’m just cutting and pasting from the advert):
Any person wishing to comment on the needs of the role or who wishes to propose candidates, should write by the 31st December to: CAROLINE BODDINGTON, ARCHBISHOPS’ SECRETARY FOR APPOINTMENTS THE WASH HOUSE, LAMBETH PALACE, LONDON SE1 7JU
Is that a ‘White’ WASH, or just the common or garden Laundry, I wonder. Such purification as makes one wonder what the bishop’s role is now becoming.
Perhaps catholic traditionalists (ie, those who reject the bizarre innovation of “flying” bishops) should write saying that there is no need at all to restaff these positions which should never have been created in the first place.
Well, these people took a good forty years to finally go to Rome, all the while threatening “I’ll leave! I really will!” Now, it’s going to be *years* of melodrama: “You’ll ALL be sorry!” “I’m so much happier now, so I’ll keep coming back to tell you how much happier I am! That’s not because I’m not happy unless you’re unhappy, but because I’m just . . . sooooo happy.” “I’m sacrificing everything, but just so long as *you’re* happy.” “STILL HAPPY! Why haven’t you noticed how happy I am?! Why are you happy?!” They keep getting coverage because you… Read more »
What Malcolm+ said (ditto MarkBrunson) — surely the Achilles Heel of Anglo-Papalism has always been uncertainty of its own legitimacy.
Let’s try to ignore the CofE drama queens, and wish those departing the same blessings which God has bestowed on those of us who took the trip across the Tiber – in the opposite direction – many years ago.
As a London colleague of mine once said,”there are horses for courses,” only in this case it seems to be the reverse of that.
But, please, go quickly, and remember that you will be welcomed home.