The BBC’s Sunday radio programme has a feature on possible changes in the financing of bishops and cathedrals. Listen here with Real Audio. Those interviewed include Vivienne Faull, Colin Slee, David McClean and John Packer.
Insofar as this relates to bishops, it was of course recommended by the Mellows report on Resourcing Bishops published over two years ago, but rather oddly there was no mention of this in the programme, rather the proposals for change were attributed to the Church Commissioners themselves.
Another item discusses the appointment of a Muslim as head teacher of a church school, (listen here). This notion was opposed by George Curry of Church Society.
Predictably, Richard Ingrams supports Peter Forster in the Observer today (second item in column).
And I failed to report last Thursday that Fay Weldon commented at length about him in The Times, This is the age of love thy neighbour or the police will come and get you.
Also, I missed last Wednesday’s letter in The Times from Malcolm Johnson, Church’s pastoral problems change about the bishops’ new study guide on sexuality:
Posted by Simon Sarmiento on Sunday, 16 November 2003 at 1:19 PM GMT | TrackBackIt seems odd to me, however, that in the 358 pages of the report I can find only two short references to civil rights. Much has happened in the last decade. Soon in the pews there will be legally joined same-sex couples (report, November 10), whose position will be akin to divorced and remarried heterosexual couples. Will bishops exercise their discretion so that they too may receive a blessing?
At the hospital bedside and at funerals, the partner must be recognised and cared for, and adopted children of these couples will be brought for baptism and admittance to church schools. These pastoral issues urgently need addressing.
The Anglican Church is running a high temperature at present. Some useful pastoral advice might calm us all down.