Andrew Brown The Guardian This latest Church of England schism has an unexpected source
“The latest challenge to Anglicanism’s stance on homosexuality comes not from a black African ‘missionary bishops’, but from a very different conservative group”
Andrew Lightbown Theore0 Small is beautiful; in praise of the ‘ordinary’ parish
Kirstin Freeman Still Striving For That Elusive Halo A Sorrowful Tale and a Lesson for Today’s Church
Giles Fraser The Guardian The rise of so-called happy funerals is no laughing matter
“There is something deeply emotionally brittle and infantile about the refusal to allow ourselves to be overcome with grief”
Giles Goddard ViaMedia.News ReNew and Reject….
Linda Woodhead Modern Church How to split up the Church of England
Giles Fraser – I attended a memorial service, held at our local Golf Club, a few days ago. I cried as Paula’s two daughters remembered their mother and told funny stories about her. I cried as her husband of 38 years told us of his beautiful young bride. And I wasn’t the only one crying. Their words were so full of love and happiness for the gift they’d been given. No one can take over a funeral and make it something it’s not. Not if there’s people there with love in their hearts.
If a network of ‘liberal/progressive’ Anglican churches in England placed themselves under the ‘authority’ of a ‘bishop’ consecrated by an overseas Anglican representative; and affirmed lesbian and gay marriage in good conscience on theological grounds; celebrated gay relationships in formal services, including the precious and fully sexual relationships of lesbian and gay priests; formally blessed trans people at the outset of their transition; and declared themselves still part of the Church of England, but under alternative oversight… …they would be exercising their conscientious belief in the same way as those conservative evangelicals involved in the ‘Credible Bishops’ initiative… …if the… Read more »
But in taking this exodus, although entitled to follow their consciences, they are not entitled to take properties entrusted to them by the authority and Church they contracted to serve. Those properties belong to the Church of England. They are a national heritage. Or… the Church – if it allows this conscience-led group to abide in them – must also allow conscience-led progressives to do exactly the same. In short, a federal arrangement of many consciences, and unity in diversity. However, this option is strongly resisted by those on the conservative evangelical fringe advocating exodus from the Church of England’s… Read more »
So those who embrace a ‘Credible Bishops’ initiative need to clearly understand the extent of their exodus, and for them it would be a new beginning outside the Church of England and its properties. And that would be fair enough, though I would find it grievous and sad. It would also, incidentally, gift the Church to more progressive members whose views they can’t accept. In allying with the Church of Nigeria, they might in effect be liberating the Church of England to flourish in its own expressions, in its own culture and communities. If they want to stay inside the… Read more »
Having looked at the six envisioned subsets of Anglicans in the CofE, the more obviously liberal ones are far too muted on the LGB and Trans advocacy. I should have thought that theme would be more front and centre.
Giles thank you for your very timely comments on ‘happy funerals’ The only people to benefit from these charades is the Funeral Director, or soon to be known as Funeral Producer. They are the ones who reap in the money, more and more; at the expense of grieving families. Yes the funeral is a time to commend the soul of the departed to the eternal care of our Creator. We have through the years a liturgy that is very fit for purpose, known as the Requiem Mass. A time to remember, a time to pray, and above all a time… Read more »
Andrew Brown sums it up. “He is intelligent, energetic, legalistic, strategic in his thinking; I have always found him personally repulsive.”
Giles Fraser’s view of the families he deals with doesn’t sit at all well with me. Part of the strength of a funeral with a good eulogy, that truly celebrates the life of the deceased, is that it tells us of the love that brings us together to mark its passing. Some of the Iona liturgies do this much better than the Victorian prayers of Common Worship. If we keep offering to people the boredom of an Anglican service that hardly speaks of the love they held for their relative or friend, it’s hardly surprising when they are leaving us… Read more »
Fraser and funerals. Surely it’s not either or, but both and. It’s perfectly possible to celebrate the life and celebrate the sadness. I like it when a family member gives the eulogy so I can concentrate on other things like pastoral matters for the family. The liturgy deals with the future so that I don’t need to other than tell everyone that they’re all destined for the coffin so it’s time to think on and look sharp. That warning has led to many appreciative remarks. The other thing that people really like is incense at the commendation and proficiscere. Knickers… Read more »
Andrew Brown’s brilliant remark – ‘It appears that the only way to be absolutely certain your bishop is doing God’s work is to be that bishop yourself.’
It says so much about our times generally.
Can Mr Brown produce any statement in which CESA praised the actions of the national government. Yes they presided at the state president’s inauguration..as they sincerely believed they were the oldest Anglican Church..which when it arrived the Cape met in the Dutch Reformed Church. Individual members of the Church ( like all denominations ) may have had less worthy views of race, but that was as true as the CPSA . I can show multi racial photographs of clergy from the 1940s , which was unthinkable in the Afrikaans Churches. Yes Reach is firmly in white leadership, but that its… Read more »