From the Cole Moreton in the Guardian:
This week, and with it the Queen's visit to the General Synod, has been a chance for high-ranking Anglicans to imagine they still matter. And they have another thrill to come, playing host to the biggest royal wedding in a generation – another occasion for silk and grandeur.
But look beyond the pomp and what you actually see is a group of men clinging to the royal skirts while their institution falls to pieces. This really is the endgame for the Church of England as we know it. I don't mean the break-up of the worldwide Anglican Communion, although that too seems likely. African leaders have refused to sign up to a new covenant that was meant to prevent a cataclysmic split over homosexuality..
Ouch! I was going to comment further, and, in fact, I typed the words, but it is the First Sunday of Advent, and I want to try to keep to the spirit of the beginning of the season to make swords into ploughshares, even verbal swords, so I'll say no more.
Moreton's entire column is worth reading. In the end, he says:
However, there may yet be salvation of the Church of England in the "Big Society": if it can accept that it no longer deserves special privileges but is just another group of believers doing their best.
....
But most of all, if the bishops put away the gilded robes at last – and finally end their long love affair with royalty, with power and with pomp.
And no more need be said, except I agree.
Thanks to Cathy for the link.
I'd rather the ABC give up Lambeth Palace and the first class seats on airlines instead of the gilded robes.
ReplyDeleteI'd prefer to see the break up of the Establishment old boys' club to cutting all ties to the monarchy.
Counterlight, the pomp, pageantry, dress-up, the Establishment, and the old boys club, all of it, what does any of it have to do with the Gospel?
ReplyDeleteWell, none of it. But I can't help but feel we would be poorer rather than richer if all of those things were discarded indiscriminately.
ReplyDeleteCounterlight, my vision of the future church, when the money flowing into the church coffers is further reduced, is more like the very earliest churches in Christian history - house churches or in today's world, storefront churches. Perhaps I'm wrong, and I surely won't be around to see whether I am or not. As I recall Christian history, the church best models the Gospel when it is poor and persecuted.
ReplyDeleteBut I do love those copes -- and don't think there is anything wrong with doing our best dressing up for church -- I have cope envy today. It is not the dressing up and rich robes-- for me it is what is our goal.
ReplyDeleteI know many of you love the pageantry and dressing up, and that's fine. I have no plans to draw up a covenant with "relational consequences" for those of you who favor silk, lace, incense, etc. :-)
ReplyDeletewhew! I mean isn't dressing up why we got ordained and went through all the hoops of COM, Standing Committee, bishops, school? I mean really!!
ReplyDeleteAnn, I think now I see why you don't mind the royal family :-)
ReplyDeleteI'd no idea that salmon was a liturgical colour!
ReplyDeleteTobias, try to keep up. Salmon is the latest liturgical color added to the canon in the emergent church.
ReplyDeleteThey must've been so hissy that she outdid them in her little apricot number.
ReplyDeleteCan I split the difference and beat Williams with a ploughshare?
ReplyDeleteDP, I can only imagine the hissy fits. Plain and simple won the day for me.
ReplyDeleteMark, I've already expressed my thoughts about violence. No, you may not beat the ABC with a ploughshare. :-)