What a short kept promise. I promised no blog during the holiday and here I am writing one in the first 24 hours of it. This was triggered by a contribution in today's Telegraph.(http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2023072/Church-of-England-faces-exodus-over-women-bishop-reforms.html)
Allowing for sensationalism this is still a very worrying presentation of facts. To start with we are guided by bishops who leak what seemed to be a confidential meeting. The bishops are set in a position of trust, but one or maybe more have leaked this to the press. Why? That is a far cry from the integrity shown by the bishop of Manchester. The culprit should be exposed and he must give reasons for his actions. But as I said this is just the starter.
Last Monday, buried as it was with the voting going on in Parliament, I read the satement by Affirming catholicism on the Manchester report. No surprise there. They want what we all know they want and are kind enough to decide what is best for us while ignoring what we are saying. The word patronising comes to mind. I was however very surprised to read in the Telegraph what the House of Bishops are proposing and how very similar it is to the Affirming statement. It is evident that the majority in the house of bishops (we do not know how close is the close mentioned by the Telegraph) are siding with this pressure group which exists to promote this innovation and now also to impose it on those who are faithful to Christ and his Church.
Some of you will rejoice reading these statements as you think that people like me should not have space in the Church of England. Others may feel disheartened and at pain, hurt by those who were appointed to be your shepherds and guardians of the faith. Others still, and I hope most of you, like me, will feel encouraged by these sad events. The innovators may try and try, they may even succeed but they shall never win! The beloved told us that the gates of hell shall not prevail, and having it from him we know it won't. These words and events will encourage us to put our case to the Church of England, it encourages us to be prophetic, stand and be counted and say the Truth. We do this because it goes against the virtue of justice to be forced out of one's Church. We do this, because we love the Church of Englan and it would be the poorer without us. These events and statements encourage us to come together and work harder. These events lead us to prayer, hope and trust in God. So if you are not already, think about joining Forward in Faith, this is the only organisation, whatever you think of it, that brings us together and enable us to plan together our pilgrimage of faith http://www.forwardinfaith.com/
I look forward to see many of you tomorrow in Walsingham!
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