Church rift over women bishops ‘may last years’; yes2women bishops: another new website; Just half of 15-year-olds live with both parents; Scotland celebrates 100th EcoCongregation Award; Gay Catholics pained by Cardinals bigot award; St Pauls marble up for auction
Church rift over women bishops ‘may last years’
Telegraph – The Church of England is facing the prospect of years of acrimony amid signs that a long-awaited final vote to approve women bishops could be lost.
Individual dioceses have already voted overwhelmingly in favour of the plan, but it still needs to be approved at a special sitting of the Church’s General Synod in London this month.
The Synod vote had been due to take place in July, but was postponed after a last-minute row over wording.
A compromise was later agreed, granting traditionalists — who believe that female leadership in the Church goes against the Bible’s teaching — the right to have an alternative male bishop chosen “in a manner which respects” their theological convictions.
However, a small but well-organised coalition of traditionalist Anglo-Catholics and evangelicals has joined forces, claiming that the compromise is “not fit for purpose” because it still does not provide enough assurances for them. They believe they could have secured enough votes in at least one part of the Synod to deny the measure the full two thirds approval it requires to be passed.
If they succeed, although averting the prospect of some opponents of the change leaving the Church of England, it could anger a much larger strand within the Church, a prospect that has caused alarm among senior leadership. More at:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9652592/Church-rift-over-women-bishops-may-last-years.html
yes2women bishops: another new website
An unofficial website promoting a YES vote in favour of women bishops in the November 2012 meeting of the General Synod of the Church of England
It describes itself thus:
This site was created by The Church Mouse. It is completely independent of the Church of England, and all organisations within it. Whilst it is supportive of Rowan Williams’s “Enough Waiting” campaign, it is entirely separate.
Yes 2 Women Bishops is not an organisation, and has no leadership or members. It is simply a place for Church members to make their voice heard on this crucial issue.
http://yes2womenbishops.blogspot.co.uk/
Just half of 15-year-olds live with both parents
Mail- Little more than half of British children still live with both their birth parents by the time they are 15, according to shocking statistics on the breakdown of family life.
Eight out ten babies are born to couples living together, but that figure falls to just 55 per cent as they grow up.
The figures were released as Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith announced plans to pay private firms and charities to help keep Britain’s 120,000 problem families together.
He said the Government would change the way it measures the success of social programmes for the poor, to make preventing the breakdown of family life the key yardstick.
Rather than simply recording how much money is thrown at the schemes, officials will have to log how they promote family stability, combat worklessness and whether children in the families affected perform as well their peers in other families. More at:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2225747/Iain-Duncan-Smith-Children-grow-step-parents-monitored-ministers.html
Scotland celebrates 100th EcoCongregation Award
St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church in Clarkston is set to become Scotland’s 100th Eco-Congregation Award recipient.
The church will receive its award during an ecumenical celebration today.
Local school children and church members will take part in the celebration.
Around 280 churches have registered as eco-congregations across Scotland. Awards are given to congregations that have demonstrated their long-term commitment to promoting sustainability and witnessing to creation care.
The awards are run by Eco-Congregation Scotland, a charity set up to encourage and equip churches to integrate environmental issues into their life and mission in an enjoyable and stimulating way. More at:
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/3/scotland.celebrates.100th.ecocongregation.award/30961.h
Gay Catholics pained by Cardinals bigot award
A nationwide spiritual support network for people with same-sex attraction has condemned gay lobby group Stonewall for naming a Scottish cardinal ‘Bigot of the Year’.
EnCourage, which is made up mainly of Catholics, said it felt “profound sorrow” over Stonewall’s annual award, which took place on Thursday.
Leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland and an outspoken gay marriage opponent, Cardinal Keith O’Brien, was named as ‘Bigot of the Year’. More at:
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/3/gay.catholics.pained.by.cardinals.bigot.of.the.year.award/30964.htm
St Pauls marble up for auction
An exquisite set of marble panels from St Paul’s Cathedral are to go under the hammer at Bonhams this month.
The 19th century panels are adorned with beautifully carved cherubim and once formed part of the magnificent altar and its surroundings.
They were designed for St Paul’s by George Frederick Bodley as key elements of the “Bodley Reredos” and were heralded as the most important work of its kind in the Italian style to be erected in England. More at :
http://www.christiantoday.com/article/3/st.pauls.marble.up.for.auction/30963.htm