Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Thursday 24 June 2010

Ordinariates(s) continued

Following on from my piece about responses to plans for provision for Anglo-Catholics within the Church of England as opposed to the Ordinariate offered by the Pope the former Bishop of Richborough has commented further in this post The points he makes should certainly be considered by those directly affected, and tested against what the General Synod might offer. The proposals look like an Archiepiscopal response produced in something of a panic. If they has wanted to offer this as an active, positive, option they should have done so at the shambles they helped create at the York Synod two years ago. Now it looks like a spoiling move to attempt to mollify opposition without giving anything of substance - the "Third Province" - and to prevent some of those who might be tempted to move to the Ordinariate from doing so, but so as not to upset those anxious to create female "bishops".

It all looks too 'political' - the type of playing politics which led to the whole mess in the first place. That is not the way to do the Will of God, even in the Church of England - although the General Synod exists for that very political purpose. It really is decision time for Anglo-Catholics - they and their friends need courage and streadfastness at this time.

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