The nature of the debate on women bishops at the General Synod meeting last November has “finally shocked most bishops into the realisation that conservative demands can never be met”, a report of “a series of confidential conversations” with bishops by the gay-rights group Changing Attitude (CA) suggests.
The group has already met nine bishops that are “affirming” of their stance, and will meet another eight shortly.
“The absolute confidentiality we guarantee means that bishops have been very open and trusting,” the director of CA, the Revd Colin Coward, said, in an interim report of the conversations, A Vision of the Future, that was distributed to supporters this week. “We have learnt much from the conversations. With each new encounter the narrative has evolved.”
Thank goodness for GAFCON to deal with these faithless bishops in the CofE.
He, he – what a tease.
Talks about “most bishops” – has met with nine.
Talks about absolute confidentiality – whips out press release and Report.
What is perhaps significant in this is that it is the first time I am aware of that the proponents of women bishops and the proponents of gay marriage have directly linked the two and not only admitted, but seem to be proclaiming, the connection between the two. Of course, to any casual observer, this was perfectly obvious from the first suggestion of women bishops, since virtually all the potential women candidates are revisionists on record.
Driver, at last count, how many of the bishops in the CoE who have publicly declared themselves in favor of gay marriage have been in any way disciplined by the HoB? When was the last time a heretic bishop was called out as a heretic by one of their fellow bishops? With RW and Co. appointing 5 revisionist diocesans for each conservative suffagan appointed over the last 10 years, I would not be at all surprised if Coward is not correct. (and I use the word “conservative” advisedly, as an Anglo Catholic, I believe there have been very, very few traditional bishops appointed in the last decade)
#1- PM- have you joined the FCA camp? Strikes me that if Gafcon primates remain consistent (and I think they will), the CoE is one gay bishop away from having an ACNA-equivalent on their doorstep. And the CoE HoB has pretty much guaranteed a, errr… “gay bishop in a (wink) celibate civil partnership” at their earliest convenience.
#4 TJ – I have not signed the Jerusalem Declaration.