Unfortunately some evangelical leadership up until this point has been characterised by what might be called the 'Sergeant Wilson' approach -- a kind of languid diffidence which seeks to fulfil the New Testament injunction to 'contend earnestly for the faith' (Jude 1v3) with an approach that seems to say, 'Well, really, you know this is all terribly difficult isn't it, and you know, if things aren't sorted out doctrinally, and brought into line, I mean really there may have to be some kind of
Read moreAlas, the course of true reputation management never did run smooth. The survivors' support fund was agreed under the name Pilot Interim Survivors Support, until someone pointed out the unfortunate acronym. It was also announced before there were any mechanisms or criteria for claiming -- and before any actual funds were available to draw on.
Read morePenduck is a West Midlands vicar who is also the Chair of Fulcrum and a prolific blogger on recent church history -- he's currently writing a series on different evangelical 'tribes' in the Church of England. In this piece in CEN his arguments for evangelicals to 'stay in' briefly analyse the contemporary scene before turning to a historical example not well known by English evangelical Anglicans.
Read moreSome hope, I fear.
So -- our primates (Canterbury, York, Wales, Armagh and the Scottish Church) have now put pen to paper to give the government and other Parliamentarians a good telling off over a Bill that is passing through Parliament currently. This letter was naturally published in the media, rather than keeping it within Parliament.
Read more"In calling for the enquiry, through a letter to the then Home Secretary Theresa May in 2014, I was aware that although it would be something that survivors had demanded it would also be a deeply painful process to tell their stories. I am very grateful to them for their courage. We cannot and will not make excuses and I must again offer my sincere apologies to those to have been abused, and to their families, friends and colleagues.
Read moreThe Church now had a system of safeguarding professionals in place, he said. IICSA's essential recommendation was to "transfer the authority for opening the investigation, sharing the information with statutory authorities, detailing what steps should be taken at each stage of an investigation, to that professional".
Read moreBoth have the power to heal serious divisions within a Cathedral community - and beyond it.
It is also within their power to commission another investigation into 'mistaken identity'. 'Carol' was clearly abused when she was 8 years old -- and she should be fully believed and supported -- but there is now clear evidence her abuser was not Bishop Bell.
Yours sincerely
Read moreDespite the two posts not mentioning her employer, and having been published under her maiden name (so quite untraceable to her school), the Headteacher, Matthew Evans, instructed Kristie Higgs' 'friend' to trawl through her Facebook account to find more 'offensive' material.
Read moreHe said churches have played a vital role serving their communities and bringing hope through the gospel. But the Church itself will, he said, emerge changed.
"We do not know what kind of Church of England will emerge from this time except that it will be different," he said.
"It will be changed by the reality that for the first time all churches have closed -- first time in 800 years. It will be changed because for the first time we have worshipped virtually."
Read moreOver eighty minutes the importance of a common humanity was stressed in the face of identity politics. This was urged from the perspective of all major faiths. The forum is intended to strengthen participants' resolve against the forces of division.
Tensions
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