Andrew Brown asks How can faith bodies provide welfare when their own cupboards are bare?
Andrew Goddard writes for the Church of England Newspaper about The legacy of Rowan Williams to the Church of England.
Christopher Howse writes in his Sacred Mysteries column in The Telegraph about When ravens beat their black image.
“Simon Barrow of Ekklesia, who argues that churches are being used to conceal and collaborate with the government’s attacks on the poor and vulnerable. Churches should not just be working to relieve suffering, but to promote justice…” This is a discussion we have frequently in our Outreach Committee meetings at our parish. To do “acts of charity” vs. addressing the root causes of injustice and advocating for the poor. A priest or bishop in Central or South America said “When I feed the hungry they call me a saint; when I ask why they’re hungry, they call me a socialist.… Read more »
I disagree with Andrew Goddard that Rowan prevented splits in the Anglican Communion. To me it seemed that for him, “unity” meant going along with human rights abuses in Uganda. I don’t care what he said about that, what matters is that he was isolating us in TEC to pressure us to be in alignment with that mentality. For Americans, that horse left the barn, decades ago for women, and a decade ago on LGBT persons. The idea that TEC (and Canada, and others) were supposed to throw their people under a bus to appease human rights abusers is the… Read more »
[Disclaimer: Yank insider remarks follow! JCF]
“When ravens beat their black image”
Speaking as a faithful of the City of St Francis, I can think one *particular* set of Ravens which, next Sunday, are again getting BEAT—GO NINERS! ;-D
Saint Oswald, King of Northumbria did, of course, have a pet raven as his constant companion.
Let us all hope that the wing-clipped ravens never leave the Tower of London – otherwise England, along with its Established Church would fall.
Poor Rowan. He inherited a mess,and with all the goodwill in the world, made it worse. We wish him God speed, but many of us in TEC will remember how he treated us; and many of us who are LGBT Christians will remember that he withheld comfort and hope in the name of Anglican unity, and seemed to go along with all the dreadful things said and moved against us without a word of protest.
Unity without justice or hope is worthless.
But go in peace.
@ Cynthia, “The idea that TEC (and Canada, and others) were supposed to throw their people under a bus to appease human rights abusers is the legacy of Rowan in my mind. Given his shabby treatment of our PB +Schori and +Gene Robinson, I think that mark is absolutely indelible.” Cynthia is on the money. +Williams reminds me of a an automotive engineer who never learned to navigate cross town traffic. The ABC, from a Canadian perspective, is a figure head with “moral” authority. The new kid on the block will have to work hard to get some of that… Read more »
The Anglican Communion is a family of independent churches. Nothing more.
Dr. Williams wanted it to be more. That was a major strategic mistake.
I think he wanted to get all his “sheep” in the same doctrinal fold, in order to facilitate ecumenism.
He seems to have regarded other, independent churches within the Communion as problems to be solved, or as means to a larger end.
Now that we have the amazing & heartening spectacle of Mr Rupert Murdoch apologising, may we also hope that Lord Williams will apologise publicly to the gay Anglicans whose lives he put at risk in Africa?
“When ravens beat their black image” and also beat the San Francisco 49ers in the Superbowl Sunday night …..
Could the 49ers win? Quoth the Raven, “Nevermore”.
As to Rowan, he failed in his position as ABC by trying to appease all, and above all, failing to lead at all, for better or ill. The wrong man for the job. Enabler of bigotry.