Synod and the spirit of the age
By Mark Vernon on Wednesday, November 21 2012, 19:18 - In the news - Permalink
It worries me when the Prime Minister says the church should just 'get on with it', and when the Archbishop of Canterbury observes that the synod may seem 'wilfully blind to some of the trends and priorities in... wider society.'
My perception is that conservative evangelicals and anglo-catholics alike regard such a stance as somewhat heroic, as if the right course is typically against the spirit of the age. They may read such remarks as endorsing their position.
Someone should be quoting Luke 16:8. 'For the children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light.' That is surely the point.
Comments
Personally, I find it hard to comprehend how having hurdled the chasm to ordain women vicars, the Church of England can fall at the fence for Bishops. Presumably, those that voted against would also have liked to undo the 1992 decision, but this wasn't an option, so all they could do was 'stem the tide'. But I also don't see this as a big deal, as I can't see it failing next time around, and religious reform is just about the slowest form of human co-operation.
All the best!
Chris.
I think you are right on all counts Chris! The hope in 1992 was that seeing women priests in action would change the minds of most opponents, as indeed it has. Unfortunately the antis made sure that in their corners of the church there were no women priests to be seen.