A report this morning, and not for the first time, that Her Majesty the Queen is "appalled" at the current direction of the Church of England.Inasmuch as most people with functional cerebral cortexes are appalled at the current direction of the Church of England (downwards in a death spiral), this should be a suprise to no-one.
However, it remains to be seen whether Her Majesty will exert her considerable personal influence over the Church in order to halt said spiral.
We recommend the apocryphal words of the first Elizabeth, to the bishop of Ely:
Proud Prelate, you know what you were before I made you what you are. Comply with my request, or I'll unfrock you, by God!
Cross posted at Kiwi Examiner.
Absolutely love the quote!
ReplyDeleteGood for Her Majesty!
ReplyDeleteThe Anglican Church began its decent when it caved into higher criticism and chucked biblical innerrancy. Vicarettes, homosexual bishops and marriages, interfaith ecumenicity, etc are just the fruit of that decision. What is needed is a return to the robustly biblical 39 Articles and to get serious about church discipline. Fortunately, the African Anglicans never adopted the Liberalism of Britain and are holding the current leadership's feet to the fire. In a strange twist of irony, it won't be long before they are sending missionaries to re-evangelize post-Christian England.
I would think it would be better for all concerned if HM was equally 'apalled' at the democratic deficiency that faces her subjects in England.
ReplyDeleteShe sits on the English throne, is known as the Queen of England, but appears to favour her Scottish subjects as does her eldest son.
Keeping the CofE is going to be problematic in an English Republic and without some indication by the monarch that she has some basic understanding of the frustrations of the English that is becoming an increasingly possible outcome.
Hear! Hear!Junius!
ReplyDeleteEnglish-Speaking Peoples round the world are praying that HRH can fulfill her honorific, "Defender of the Faith."
ReplyDeleteAs an Anglican myself, I do appreciate the Church of England's more liberal views, which is refreshing after seeing so many narrow-minded, bigoted and hateful Christian fanatics like the Westboro Bapist Church!
ReplyDeleteHowever, a Church must always have a streak of conservatism, to maintain tradition and continuity with the past. I have no trouble with homosexual bishops, for I understand that priests are still human, and I do not begrudge them human flaws. Nor do I have trouble with interfaith ecumenicity. Whether Catholic or any of the many variants of Protestantism, we are all Christian, and there should be a sense of unity between us.
It seems to me that the problems assailing the Church of England these days are the same that are troubling Christian denominations across the world. That being bigoted criticism from the largely atheist intellectual elite (which always seems to pick on Christianity, never Judaism, Islam, Hinduism or any of the other major religions), and declining church attendance rates, not to mention the median age of congregations getting older and older.
C'est la vie, as the French might say. In the end, all we can do about this is continue to be good, faithful Christians.
Gladstone: It seems dishonest to present the only alternative to liberalism an insane Calvinist micro-sect. Before there were mad Baptists or liberals, there were Christians who upheld Sacred Tradition for centuries.
ReplyDeleteMy personal view on faiths is that they should be glacial in their progress. Glaciers move slowly, but quite surely, and never go backwards.
ReplyDeleteIt is this slow pace of change that often frustrates the various critics of the Church (especially the Catholic Church, with which I am in communion), as it means that their fads get royally ignored. Attention seekers always hate to be ignored, and so they carp on against the Church, beating old arguments into the ground.
But I take heart, as should we all. Christianity, in one form or another, has lasted for 2000 years, and it will last another 2000 years, since it could not have lasted so long against so many threats if it was nothing but a sham/conspiracy/hypocrisy/whatever other criticism you could ever find.
As an Orthodox Christian, I long for the day when our Bishops can recieve the same Eucharist together.
ReplyDelete