Colin Coward Unadulterated Love A tale of two bishops
David Pocklington Law & Religion UK Lenten tips for choristers
Michael Perham Ash Wednesday Sermon 2017 Salisbury Cathedral
The diocese of Salisbury has this accompanying news item: A Moving Lenten Message: Bishop Michael Perham preaches final Ash Wednesday sermon at Salisbury Cathedral
Mark Tanner (the Church of England’s Northernmost Bishop) I’ve crafted myself a more comfortable cross…
Two quick thoughts about a couple of comments below the line on Bishop Tanner’s blog. A churchwarden from Belford (within sight of Holy Isle) expresses indignation about the manner in which the Newcastle diocese seems to ignore parishes at the top end of the county, and an incumbent from near Tamworth protests about the want of recruits outside the more affluent parts of the south-east. Re the churchwarden. I have found it quite common that certain dioceses will place the greatest degree of attention upon particular areas – generally the more thickly populated and affluent areas. This results in some… Read more »
Wow – thank you for an excellent selection today. Colin Coward – spot on. Michael Perham – a gift. Mark Tanner with such good quotes that are memorable and challenging. And then a bit of fun re the choristers! Thank you.
Colin Coward is right to identify a variety of opinions among the bishops about human sexuality. Whatever the ‘collegiate’ unanimity presented, it belies opposition among some bishops which has gone unexpressed in public. Setting aside the already known opposition to the Bishops’ Report expressed by the Bishops of Buckingham and Bradwell (whose views are not among the ones I’ve detailed below), I have written to 50 other bishops so far about the concept of Unity in Diversity, and the case for diverse consciences to be allowed to operate (and be respected) within the Church of England. Although I said in… Read more »
Mark Tanner is right about a non-coercive God. Being a Christian is distinctly uncomfortable, wherever we are. Yesterday, I read one of John Henry Newman’s sermons about Lent – “Christ’s Privations a Meditation for Christians” – and earlier this week I read a Lent message on this site about being joyful at Lent. I agree with both. I must say, though, that Newman’s sermon is one I’ve returned to again…and again.
Church “establishment” have come to misunderstand the nature of establishment, seeing it simply as the “closed loop system” about which Colin Coward writes. It often is just that, but establishment has a secondary dimension in that church doctrine cannot move too far from societal views on morality and justice. When the tide moves strongly on an issue, an established church must move with that tide or cease to be established. It is, I think, a somewhat frightening dynamic to those who believe in untrammeled episcopal authority. Establishment gives bishops greater moral authority over a nation than bishops in other churches,… Read more »