Thinking Anglicans

St Paul's Cathedral: Monday morning media reports

See preceding article for Guardian reports. But the front page picture of the Dean of St Paul’s is here.

Telegraph
Victoria Ward Bishop of London branded hypocrite as he backs St Paul’s protest… and eviction

And by way of historical background, Boris Johnson writes about Mellitus, the saint who retook London from barbarians.

Independent
Paul Calahan Bishop comes face to face with protesters – but won’t back down

…A spokesman said the Dean and the cathedral are considering “all options”.

As well as a scaled-down tented protest, it is understood St Paul’s is open to the idea of having a tent inside the cathedral “for as long as necessary”.

All sides agree any eviction would only follow months of legal wrangling. Meanwhile, protesters remain adamant they will not be moving.

Yesterday, one protester, Tammy Semede, told the Bishop, Dean and assembled crowd the Church’s stance had caused her doubts about her faith.

“I went for Communion [in the cathedral] and didn’t feel I was able. The Church’s behaviour has affected my faith,” she said.

One piece of good news for St Paul’s was the decision by a cathedral canon to stay. Canon Mark Oakley was said to be considering resigning but yesterday used Twitter to confirm he will not…

From Twitter: @CanonOakley: For clarity – I’m not resigning. I’d like to play my part for the future of St P’s work and witness.

Mail An olive branch for St Paul’s protesters: Using force to clear site is not inevitable, says Bishop

New York Times John F Burns ‘Occupy’ Protest at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London Divides Church

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Richard Ashby
Richard Ashby
12 years ago
Simon Sarmiento
12 years ago

Yes, but I linked to that yesterday 🙂

peter kettle
peter kettle
12 years ago

On 12 November the Dean will perform the traditional ceremony of blessing the incoming Lord Mayor on the steps of St Paul’s, just by the protest camp, during the annual Lord Mayor’s Show procession. That will also be a perfect media photo opportunity; and however much the church protests that it blesses everything from budgies to battleships (if not gay relatonships), it will not make for comfortable viewing from the Cathedral’s point of view. Also, recalling the length of time a protest camp has been in Parliament Square, they may be in for a very long haul in terms of… Read more »

Daniel Berry, NYC
Daniel Berry, NYC
12 years ago

Isn’t that nice? The Bishop of London told the protestors, “If you do what we tell you we won’t have the cops come in and beat the cr*p out of you.”

As I’ve said many times, capitalism is inherently violent. And having that instrument available to him evidently suits the bishop of London just fine.

evensongjunkie
evensongjunkie
12 years ago

I just love the pictures of Dean Knowles in his tailored Watts & Co. pipped cassock addressing the happy campers. And you all thought we Americans didn’t understand irony.

Lapinbizarre
Lapinbizarre
12 years ago

So the 12th Nov “Blessing of the Lord Mayor” may be the reason for the push to clear out the protestors? Perfect media opportunity indeed. The gold coach and all the fancy dress, civil & ecclesiastical, will make for a quite a contrast with the protestors frightening the horses in the open street.

Nat
Nat
12 years ago

I just love the pictures of Dean Knowles in his tailored Watts & Co. pipped cassock addressing the happy campers. And you all thought we Americans didn’t understand irony. I have to cry Unfair! While deeply sympathetic to the Occupy forces – and an American not wholly unaware of irony – I do not see what a man’s tailoring has to do with anything; surely the dean of a nationally important cathedral should be well dressed? In fact, I know a rural vicar, hardly wealthy or an enemy of the poor, who scrimps and saves to wear a Watts and… Read more »

John Roch
John Roch
12 years ago

And he is a bishop

evensongjunkie
evensongjunkie
12 years ago

Unfair my better end. I have a wonderful Watts & Co. cathedral surplice and I wouldn’t think of wearing it for a minute if I were trying to meet people that I had to genuinely communicate to. You don’t go into a meeting with the intent of distancing yourself, that is unless that is your intent to begin with….that’s truly petty, and you see the results. There are following photographs, and they’re worth a million quid, watching the protestors behind his Very Reverend…very telling. Wake up and smell the coffee (or tea!).

david rowett
12 years ago

Only a quick response about dress (and I too have a Watts lace cotta, and a lace alb, etc etc) – but the Church in Wales’ reputation suffered badly when the then bishop of ?Llandaff turned up in full canonicals at the Aberfan disaster. Not appropriate.

That said, I wear a cassock a lot of the time around the patch, and regard it as ‘overall’s (and even describe it as such).

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