The Eve of St Valentine is always a little wearing. You can never hold a decent religious service in the evening, because every now and then the penny drops with a different bloke as to what day tomorrow is, and he legs it out the Moot House looking furtive. You hear the sound of gravel being sprayed across the drive as he belts out of the grounds, returning twenty minutes later and claiming to have been answering "a call of nature" - when we all know for a fact he's been off to Tesco at Kingston for an emergency purchase of chocolates, flowers and sparkling rosé.
So I scrapped the normal evening celebration after Filling up of Beakers, and instead we went for a showing of an old DVD of "Midsomer Murders".
It was the one where there's a series of murders in a strange, nature-loving religious community in a remote village - I realise I'm not narrowing this down much. But the result is that there's a deal of mutual suspicion about the place. Being an impressionable lot, the Beaker People have acquired the belief that someone is out to get them. Everyone's making sure they're not stabbed in the back, and they're huddling in small groups for self-protection. I tell you, sometimes I reckon I might as well be in the Church of England.
Showing posts with label Church of England. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Church of England. Show all posts
Monday, 13 February 2012
Friday, 10 February 2012
Synod member "to challenge prayers before sessions"
Already reeling from yet another gruelling few days of discussing women bishops, the Synod of the Church of England can expect another problem after one of its members said that he would challenge the use of prayers before the daily sessions of the Synod.
Mr Brian Strangely-Annoid told reporters he had been inspired by the action of Clive Bone in challenging Bideford Council. He added, "The use of worship before Church of England Synod meetings is an anachronism - and discriminatory against people who don't believe in God. When I complained, they told me I could turn up late - but it made me feel uncomfortable, wandering across the hall when everyone else has already been there for a while. I demand equality for those atheists and members of other religions who are in the Synod - and who don't want to have Christianity rammed down their throat.
An Anglican spokesperson responded, saying "We believe that the use of prayers before Synod reflects the fact that this is historically a Christian organisation. At the last census more than 50% of members of the Church of England indicated that they believed in some kind of god. We appreciate there are socially-minded people who want to be involved in the Church without actually believing anything. But if those that don't believe in God don't want to take part in worship before Synod meetings, I suggest they just do what everyone else does and go on Twitter until it's all over.
Mr Brian Strangely-Annoid told reporters he had been inspired by the action of Clive Bone in challenging Bideford Council. He added, "The use of worship before Church of England Synod meetings is an anachronism - and discriminatory against people who don't believe in God. When I complained, they told me I could turn up late - but it made me feel uncomfortable, wandering across the hall when everyone else has already been there for a while. I demand equality for those atheists and members of other religions who are in the Synod - and who don't want to have Christianity rammed down their throat.
An Anglican spokesperson responded, saying "We believe that the use of prayers before Synod reflects the fact that this is historically a Christian organisation. At the last census more than 50% of members of the Church of England indicated that they believed in some kind of god. We appreciate there are socially-minded people who want to be involved in the Church without actually believing anything. But if those that don't believe in God don't want to take part in worship before Synod meetings, I suggest they just do what everyone else does and go on Twitter until it's all over.
Wednesday, 8 February 2012
A Thought on Women Bishops
Some are saying that the Church of England should consecrate women bishops because otherwise the World Outside will see the denomination as unequal, backwards and irrelevant.
Yet the Methodists, bless them, have had full equality for women for ages and are a tiny denomination - especially in the UK. The Episcopal Church in the States has full equality for people of all genders and several sexual inclinations, and is rapidly declining. Yet the Catholic Church, which has no female deacons even, and which in the West will only allow married men to be priests if they have been pre-approved by the Anglicans, is large and still growing. Most Pentacostal churches wouldn't dream of female headship and yet as an overall movement Pentecostalism is growing rapidly.
It seems to me the logic is wrong here. The Church of England should not consecrate women bishops because it's worried what the World thinks. It should consecrate women bishops because that is the right thing to do.
Yet the Methodists, bless them, have had full equality for women for ages and are a tiny denomination - especially in the UK. The Episcopal Church in the States has full equality for people of all genders and several sexual inclinations, and is rapidly declining. Yet the Catholic Church, which has no female deacons even, and which in the West will only allow married men to be priests if they have been pre-approved by the Anglicans, is large and still growing. Most Pentacostal churches wouldn't dream of female headship and yet as an overall movement Pentecostalism is growing rapidly.
It seems to me the logic is wrong here. The Church of England should not consecrate women bishops because it's worried what the World thinks. It should consecrate women bishops because that is the right thing to do.
Sunday, 6 March 2011
Pre-Lent Round-up
A moving Remembrance of the Alamo this morning, I thought. We held a moment's silence for those that gave their lives so bravely for the Scots as they threw the English out of Mexico, especially remembering John Wayne, Mel Gibson and James Stewart [Burton, can you please check?]
But 6 March is a day full of these odd anniversaries. Who, for example would have thought, that Jonathan Creek and Rufus Hound share a birthday? That out of the hundreds of comedians that have ever existed two should actually share a birthday might actually encourage people with no statistical awareness to believe that "there's something in" astrology. Except that, obviously, it's simpering hogwash.
But in a sure sign that I'm short of inspiration today, there's a few things out there in the Wide World of Web that have caught my eye. I'm indebted to Simon Sarmiento for noting that, in an article quoted by Anglican Mainstream, the CEN's proof-editor is having a day off:
"We have come a very, very long way from ‘Clause 4’ and the ban on promoting homosexuality in schools, now that is compulsory and Christian belief is positively harmful."
Clause 4, Section 28 are, after all, very similar. The commitment to nationalisation was a founding principle of the Labour Party, until eventually abandoned under Tony Blair's party leadership. The other was introduced by the Tories and removed under.. oh. Tony Blair. OK, they have one thing in common then. I feel the sentence above could have been more carefully written in other ways as well. I take it that it's promoting homosexuality that the writer considers is now compulsory.
Clayboy's been trying his hand at metrical psalms. A cause dear to my heart, as representing the English church before the 19th Century clerical clampdown came into being and reduced the musical executive to being, as it mostly became, the schoolmistress or the vicar's wife and the children. Dear me, Tommy Hardy, how you'd rejoice to see such metrical imagination. It goes nicely to Aurelia ("The Church's One Foundation") as well.
Meanwhile, Revd Lesley has something to say about the Anglican Covenant. I've not actually been over there for a day or two - just call it a guess. I'm not quite sure exactly what she's saying, but it can probably be summarised as "no".
And finally the Ordinariate Portal has the latest round-of of people joining the Ordinariate. And while I wish those heading from Canterbury to Rome well, and hope and pray they are blessed and bless in their new roles - I can't help thinking that they're using the same technique to inflate apparent numbers as Gordon Brown would use with spending announcements. Announce someone's going to leave. Then announce their leaving. Then announce their deaconing. And then their priesting. Every little helps.
But 6 March is a day full of these odd anniversaries. Who, for example would have thought, that Jonathan Creek and Rufus Hound share a birthday? That out of the hundreds of comedians that have ever existed two should actually share a birthday might actually encourage people with no statistical awareness to believe that "there's something in" astrology. Except that, obviously, it's simpering hogwash.
But in a sure sign that I'm short of inspiration today, there's a few things out there in the Wide World of Web that have caught my eye. I'm indebted to Simon Sarmiento for noting that, in an article quoted by Anglican Mainstream, the CEN's proof-editor is having a day off:
"We have come a very, very long way from ‘Clause 4’ and the ban on promoting homosexuality in schools, now that is compulsory and Christian belief is positively harmful."
Clause 4, Section 28 are, after all, very similar. The commitment to nationalisation was a founding principle of the Labour Party, until eventually abandoned under Tony Blair's party leadership. The other was introduced by the Tories and removed under.. oh. Tony Blair. OK, they have one thing in common then. I feel the sentence above could have been more carefully written in other ways as well. I take it that it's promoting homosexuality that the writer considers is now compulsory.
Clayboy's been trying his hand at metrical psalms. A cause dear to my heart, as representing the English church before the 19th Century clerical clampdown came into being and reduced the musical executive to being, as it mostly became, the schoolmistress or the vicar's wife and the children. Dear me, Tommy Hardy, how you'd rejoice to see such metrical imagination. It goes nicely to Aurelia ("The Church's One Foundation") as well.
Meanwhile, Revd Lesley has something to say about the Anglican Covenant. I've not actually been over there for a day or two - just call it a guess. I'm not quite sure exactly what she's saying, but it can probably be summarised as "no".
And finally the Ordinariate Portal has the latest round-of of people joining the Ordinariate. And while I wish those heading from Canterbury to Rome well, and hope and pray they are blessed and bless in their new roles - I can't help thinking that they're using the same technique to inflate apparent numbers as Gordon Brown would use with spending announcements. Announce someone's going to leave. Then announce their leaving. Then announce their deaconing. And then their priesting. Every little helps.
Sunday, 2 January 2011
Environmentally Sustainable Pews
I'd had this idea before, but thought it might be in poor taste. But maybe it's slightly more appropriate now.
The great Victorian love of installing pitch pine pews - uncomfortable to keep you awake, fixed to the ground to keep you facing forward - has been in retreat for many years now. Old chapels and inner-city have closed, and some churches have received faculties, and replaced pews with trendy chairs. And they tend to get sold off.
We've never paid much attention to pews here at the Beaker Folk before. After all, they're not really our style. We like to sit people round in a circle so they have to make eye contact whether they like it or not. And some of our more meditative events can merge into a doze quite easily. So we went for bean bags.
And in any case, the pews went to the pubs. There was nothing that could give a pub a dose of instant authenticity quite so much as a few pitch pine pews. So there was a lovely ready market in our other remaining local institution from the Middle Ages - at least until the Black Death comes back.
But now it's not the churches closing, it's the pubs. 40 or 50 a week. Losing people who presumably argue to themselves that they are drinkers, but they don't see why they have to drink in a pub. I blame the smoking ban myself, others blame the supermarkets, and we all blame Drayton Parslow. He's particularly smug, thinking that a decline in public drinking in this country proves that we are steadily becoming a nation of teetotallers.
But now my guilt has been removed. Suddenly the pews are ex-pub rather than ex-church. And there's pine tables and all sorts to go with them. So I've decided: what with them being effectively endless in supply, cheap and short-term carbon. I'm installing a pew-burning stove.
Health and safety notice: varnished pews may give off carcinogens when burnt in a domestic heating apparatus, and leave your flue in a right old state. We do these things so you don't have to.
The great Victorian love of installing pitch pine pews - uncomfortable to keep you awake, fixed to the ground to keep you facing forward - has been in retreat for many years now. Old chapels and inner-city have closed, and some churches have received faculties, and replaced pews with trendy chairs. And they tend to get sold off.
We've never paid much attention to pews here at the Beaker Folk before. After all, they're not really our style. We like to sit people round in a circle so they have to make eye contact whether they like it or not. And some of our more meditative events can merge into a doze quite easily. So we went for bean bags.
And in any case, the pews went to the pubs. There was nothing that could give a pub a dose of instant authenticity quite so much as a few pitch pine pews. So there was a lovely ready market in our other remaining local institution from the Middle Ages - at least until the Black Death comes back.
But now it's not the churches closing, it's the pubs. 40 or 50 a week. Losing people who presumably argue to themselves that they are drinkers, but they don't see why they have to drink in a pub. I blame the smoking ban myself, others blame the supermarkets, and we all blame Drayton Parslow. He's particularly smug, thinking that a decline in public drinking in this country proves that we are steadily becoming a nation of teetotallers.
But now my guilt has been removed. Suddenly the pews are ex-pub rather than ex-church. And there's pine tables and all sorts to go with them. So I've decided: what with them being effectively endless in supply, cheap and short-term carbon. I'm installing a pew-burning stove.
Health and safety notice: varnished pews may give off carcinogens when burnt in a domestic heating apparatus, and leave your flue in a right old state. We do these things so you don't have to.
Saturday, 16 October 2010
Different Directions in Faith
There's been a lot of news of the Bishop of Fulham's move towards the Anglican Ordinariate. I personally didn't realise that football teams were entitled to their own bishops, although it makes sense. After all, Rushden and Diamonds, being in a lower division, are entitled only to their own Canon.
But the news always seems to be one-way. The news, that is - not necessarily the travel. We rarely hear the stories of Catholics becoming Anglicans - and they do, for I know many that have. Perhaps that is because, Anglican barriers being relatively low and its practice diverse, there's no need for an Ordinariate or any other paraphernalia. Or perhaps because, being dreadfully dreadfully English, the Church of England would see no reason to make a fuss about it.
Drayton, of course, can't see what any of the fuss is about. In the more Protestant fringes of the church, although the movement of a believer from one congregation to another might cause great personal pain - or indeed freedom - it is generally done without any great concern to the congregations as a whole or the Press. Indeed, some people can manage - without greatly changing any doctrinal views - to jump through seven or eight churches in a decade, each time happy in the belief that this time they have, indeed, truly come home.
But the news always seems to be one-way. The news, that is - not necessarily the travel. We rarely hear the stories of Catholics becoming Anglicans - and they do, for I know many that have. Perhaps that is because, Anglican barriers being relatively low and its practice diverse, there's no need for an Ordinariate or any other paraphernalia. Or perhaps because, being dreadfully dreadfully English, the Church of England would see no reason to make a fuss about it.
Drayton, of course, can't see what any of the fuss is about. In the more Protestant fringes of the church, although the movement of a believer from one congregation to another might cause great personal pain - or indeed freedom - it is generally done without any great concern to the congregations as a whole or the Press. Indeed, some people can manage - without greatly changing any doctrinal views - to jump through seven or eight churches in a decade, each time happy in the belief that this time they have, indeed, truly come home.
Thursday, 14 October 2010
The scandal of no pew scandal
I'm disgusted.
Jersey's Town Church is taking out the pews and selling them off. You can see the BBC website article on the subject, or Channel Online.
And yet no matter how hard I try I can find no evidence of anyone complaining that, by ripping pews out of a church to restore it to the condition it had for the previous 860 years, the builders/church/vicar/God are committing the ultimate sin. Nobody is writing to complain that changes to churches were only valid until 1901, when Queen Victoria died and church architecture was therefore complete.
I tell you, I'm outraged.
Where do I write to complain?
Jersey's Town Church is taking out the pews and selling them off. You can see the BBC website article on the subject, or Channel Online.
And yet no matter how hard I try I can find no evidence of anyone complaining that, by ripping pews out of a church to restore it to the condition it had for the previous 860 years, the builders/church/vicar/God are committing the ultimate sin. Nobody is writing to complain that changes to churches were only valid until 1901, when Queen Victoria died and church architecture was therefore complete.
I tell you, I'm outraged.
Where do I write to complain?
Subscribe to:
Posts
(
Atom
)