In her very good post titled What Are Bishops For?, Lay Anglicana discusses in a mostly serious way the role of bishops in Anglicanism today. The post is well worth a read, along with several interesting comments.
Lay Anglicana lists a number of scopes which might prove useful for bishops in their service to members of their dioceses.
Amphiscope: Looking at both sides of a questionTwo scopes came to mind as additions to the list, one of which is a bit naughty, but both I'd consider as quite useful.
Cryptoscope: Solving life’s little (and big) mysteries
Diascope: Making a window into men’s souls
Endoscope: Looking remorselessly within every file in the cupboard
Extrascope: Looking at the bits the Archdeacon isn’t telling you
Gyroscope: Measuring people’s orientation (actually, this is one of the existing job descriptions which could be dropped?)
Interscope: Reading between the lines
Megascope: Ensuring the Church does not ignore the obvious
Metascope: Keeping an eye on the life beyond
Microscope: Remembering the detail
Neoscope: Knowing how to introduce the new
Oscilloscope: Working out which way the wind is blowing
Paleoscope: Valuing the old
Periscope: Communicating with the above in order to transmit to those below
Polyscope: Wearing many hats (and not just mitres)
Prososcope: Looking onwards, pointing the way
Stethoscope: Listening out for rumblings in the Body of Christ
Telescope: Keeping a watch on the horizon
Ultrascope: Linking congregations throughout the diocese, and their diocese with others
What do you think? What are the essential attributes of a bishop which are missing from this list? (Or have I included some which have no place in the list of episcopal talents?)
Colonoscope: Detecting bullshit
Kaleidoscope: Enjoying the great diversity of God's creatures
I did not besmirch LA's comments with my suggestions, but I present then here, along with her list of useful scopes.
What I did say in the comments to the post:
Bishops are, first and foremost, to be servants, which role seems to have been been mostly swept aside in the discussions of their lesser roles.Pictured above is the giant kaleidoscope at San Diego harbor from Wikipedia.
....
Jesus said, ‘The greatest among you will be your servant.’ Of course, the words are not just for bishops; they’re for all of us.
No profound comments to make about bishops, but I lurrrrrrve kaleidoscopes. Kaleidoscopes are for everybody. So is enjoying the diversity of God's creatures :)
ReplyDeleteHave you seen Thinking Anglicans' report of the ABC's one day conference Transformations: Theology and Experience of Women’s Ministry at Lambeth? Principal speaker was Mary Gray-Reeves, Bishop of El Camino Real, who presided at the Eucharist. No word on mitres.
ReplyDeleteAnd what about my other scope, Cathy?
ReplyDeleteLapin, I read the article and wondered about the mitre, too. There's no doubt that women bishops will bring great culture change to the Church of England. I like her words:
She[Bishop Gray-Reeves] told the conference that dealing with difference by building legal walls divided the Church and prevented the healing of differences.
I presume the 'legal walls' referred to alternative bishops for those who can't abide women bishops.
I was interested, as well, in the indication that Rowan may be loosening up in old age.
ReplyDeleteI think she meant canons that open the doors to everyone or legislation that is inclusive - my experience of her is she thinks we can all just get along and we can be exclusive and inclusive at the same time OCICBW.
ReplyDeleteAs to scopes - they don't know a proctoscope as many already have their heads up there so far they see daylight. Oh my did I say that?
Lapin, don't put your hopes in Rowan loosening up so long as he is ABC. Perhaps once he is out of office, he will revert to his old self. It could happen.
ReplyDeleteAnn, at the present time, the Episcopal Church tries to be inclusive and exclusive at the same time, which is not at all possible, so I'd conclude we are not yet inclusive, and we don't all get along, surely.
I saw Gray-Reeves' comment as a thinly-veiled mini-lecture to the misogynists and those who would enable them.
And yes, you said that. ;-)
Thank-you, Grandmere Mimi, for enjoying my post about the bishops. I would just like to point out that my post appeared on the 15th, and the conference at which ++Rowan suggested reappraising the role of bishops was on the 19th. I suppose it is just possible he has started reading the comics?
ReplyDeleteThank-you for both Colonoscope and Kaleidoscope, which I will hasten to add (with Kaleidoscope being a bit more pointedly about an inclusive church, perhaps - subtlety no longer advisable?)
Mimi,
ReplyDeleteYou are encouraging Laura you know. She has a way with words and is perhaps getting read in places that she didn't expect.
The ABC could do worse than reading her blog and the forum at Layanglicana.org.
I suppose it is just possible he has started reading the comics?
ReplyDeleteLay Anglicana, could it be? Does anyone know if Rowan reads blogs?
UKViewer, I know I'm encouraging Laura. I didn't mean to, but it's not my fault. The devil made me do it.
And yes, Rowan could do a lot worse than pay attention to Laura's blog.
I can't remember for the life of me which CofE diocese that the Diocese of El Camino has a relationship with, but Bishop Gray-Reeves was mentioned several times during the "you must not wear your mitre" kerfuffle and there was actually a photo of her wearing hers while visiting England.
ReplyDeletesusan s., now you mention it, I remember the the discussion and the photo of Bp. Gray-Reeves wearing her mitre in England. I don't know the diocese, either.
ReplyDeleteGloucester.
ReplyDeleteRight, susan s. Here's the link to the photo at ENS.
ReplyDelete