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Daily Archives: July 17, 2023

The Reverend Canon Lee Batson appointed as next Dean of Newcastle

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Kendall Harmon

Commenting on his appointment Lee said:

“I am humbled and delighted to have been appointed as the next Dean of Newcastle, and am looking forward to working with Bishop Helen-Ann, Cathedral Chapter, Bishop’s Staff Team and colleagues in Newcastle Cathedral and Diocese as we seek to further God’s mission in our communities – not least by becoming ever more outward facing, younger and more diverse.

“This is an exciting time to be joining the Cathedral and Diocese. The Cathedral has recently completed its own refurbishment, which has already opened up new opportunities for it to engage with the City and beyond.

“Whilst I am new to the North East, I already feel a sense of connection with the core values of the Cathedral as a place of radical welcome which, through offering inspiring worship and other activities, seeks to empower worth. I look forward to playing my part in building on all that has already been done to make these values a reality – particularly through the Lantern Initiative and partnership with the Oswin Project.

“I give thanks to God for all the blessings I have received as a priest in the Diocese of Chelmsford, and am grateful to God for the call to continue my ministry in the Diocese of Newcastle.”

Read it all.

Posted in Church of England, Ministry of the Ordained, Parish Ministry

(Economist) Subsidies and protection for manufacturing will harm the world economy

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Kendall Harmon

An industrial arms race is under way. America welcomes it, saying the world needs green technologies and a diversified supply of chips. It is true that an ocean of public money is bound to accelerate the green transition and reshape supply chains in ways that should increase the security of democracies. Alas, the accompanying economic benefits being promised are an illusion. As we report this week, governments that subsidise and protect manufacturing are more likely to harm their economies than help them.

In ideal conditions, promoting manufacturing can add to innovation and growth. Towards the end of the 20th century South Korea and Taiwan caught up with the West thanks to the careful promotion of manufacturing exports. In industries like planemaking the enormous costs of entry and uncertain future demand can justify support for new firms, as when Europe backed Airbus in the 1970s. Likewise, targeted help can boost national security.

But today’s schemes are likely either to fail or to prove needlessly costly. Countries subsidising chips and batteries are not pursuing catch-up growth but fighting over cutting-edge technology. The market for electric vehicles and batteries is unlikely to become an Airbus-Boeing style duopoly. In the 1980s protectionists argued that Japan would dominate the strategically vital semiconductor industry, owing to its subsidised mastery of memory-chip making. It did not turn out that way.

Read it all (registration or subscription).

Posted in * Economics, Politics, Corporations/Corporate Life, Economy, Globalization, Labor/Labor Unions/Labor Market, Politics in General

(Psephizo) Ian Paul–Fractures and fractiousness at General Synod

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Kendall Harmon

Meg Munn criticises the Council, not for pulling the plug on the ISB, but for not doing it soon enough. She singles out Justin Welby as the one who has undermined her role and not been robust enough with the other two members—something confirmed by Justin’s extraordinary distancing himself from the Council’s decision during Questions, giving the clear impression that he was throwing the rest of the Council under the bus in the face of negative publicity. Her comments about Steve and Jas are damning:

Although they initially welcomed my appointment, the two existing Board members routinely ignored emails, failed to respond to reasonable requests and declined to have meetings. I was staggered at this unprofessional behaviour, particularly when concerned with such an important issue as safeguarding in the Church. Their stated reason was that being Chair of the ISB was a conflict of interest with my chairing of the NSP, a role they knew I was due to finish in the summer. As a paper, endorsed by last year’s Synod, set out that the NSP and ISB would work closely together on phase 2, there never was a conflict of interest.

The comments from Maggie Atkinson are even more scathing:

This document refutes persistent misrepresentation bordering on defamation, threats to my professional reputation & personal wellbeing, through the publication and promotion of false or partial accounts by Jasvinder Sanghera (JS) and Steve Reeves (SR.)…

The July 9th suspension of a vital session of Synod to permit speeches by JS and SR, accompanied by s good deal of ridiculous behaviour and noise as witnessed on the TV coverage, turned a serious and vital session of the C of E’s legislative body into a farce resembling a political Party or Trade Union rally. Quite who it satisfied, and given Synod was not in session but suspended for an “informal” short period quite what it could seek to achieve, remain mysteries. Good theatre, but to what end? The un-Christian treatment of Meg Munn that afternoon, had it been meted out to me, would have made me do as she did: walk out. That she has now walked not only out, but away, sad as it is and dismaying as it will be to many, is richly deserved.

The Council has committed to initiating an independent review of all that has happened—and I have no doubt that, when all the facts are on the table, it will vindicate the perspectives of Meg and Maggie.

Where does that all leave us? It seems to me that the Church of England, in its leadership, is suffering from a lack of credibility and competence, and that there is a severe deficit of trust on all sides—not because people simply choose not to trust, but because, at so many levels, there appears to be little reason to trust. This is not only damaging credibility and undermining ministry, it is creating serious fractures across the Church at every level.

And it is becoming increasingly clear that these problems of leadership go all the way to the top.

Read it all.

Posted in - Anglican: Analysis, --Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, Church of England (CoE), CoE Bishops

(The State) Charleston SC ranks as the Third Best City in the USA for Air Qyality

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Kendall Harmon

Forbes Health recently compiled a study that analyzed various factors to find the U.S. cities where it’s easiest and hardest to breathe.

In the U.S. alone, 40% of the population lives in areas with poor air quality, according to the 2022 State of the Air report from the American Lung Association. So, which South Carolina city made the cut as one of the most breathable in the U.S.? Charleston earned the ranking of third easiest U.S. city to breathe in, the study shows.

The factors that helped Charleston obtain its ranking include: Ranked 13th in number of vehicle miles driven, Ranked 6th in elevation, and Ranked 28th in population density.

Read it all.

Posted in * South Carolina, Energy, Natural Resources, Urban/City Life and Issues

A Prayer for the Feast Day of William White

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Kendall Harmon

O Lord, who in a time of turmoil and confusion didst raise up thy servant William White, and didst endow him with wisdom, patience, and a reconciling temper, that he might lead thy Church into ways of stability and peace: Hear our prayer, we beseech thee, and give us wise and faithful leaders, that through their ministry thy people may be blessed and thy will be done; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.

Posted in Church History, Spirituality/Prayer

A Prayer to begin the day from Henry Alford

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Kendall Harmon

O God, who hast called us out of the bondage of sin into the perfect freedom of thy children: Grant us grace that we may yield ourselves unto thee as alive from the dead, and our bodily members as servants of righteousness; that we may have our fruit unto holiness, and in the end everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Posted in Spirituality/Prayer

From the Daily Bible Readings

Posted on July 17, 2023 by Kendall Harmon

To thee, O Lord, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in thee I trust,
let me not be put to shame;
let not my enemies exult over me.
Yea, let none that wait for thee be put to shame;
let them be ashamed who are wantonly treacherous.

Make me to know thy ways, O Lord;
teach me thy paths.
Lead me in thy truth, and teach me,
for thou art the God of my salvation;
for thee I wait all the day long.

–Psalm 25:1-4

Posted in Theology: Scripture