Monday 28 June 2010

A storm in a teacup

This interesting little snippet caused me to raise the eyebrow: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/7857329/Row-over-historic-appointment-over-female-cleric-as-vicar-of-Westminster.html

On the face of it, it looks as if the Ole Boy Net of the C of E has again collided with the kultur gap with the modern world, misjudging badly how the great unchurched (those who ain't sure if God exists but assume that if he does, then he's C of E and it is advisable occasionally to pray to him) react to its established procedures. It looks to me as if there has been a difference of opinion over who is best suited to a particular job between 2 patrons, rather than a culture war over gender, race and all that jazz. Traditionally the parish of St Margaret's Westminster (a rather dull little tabernacle in the Abbey grounds) has been the Parish Church of the House of Commons and it's Rector ex-officio Speaker's Chaplain. It was combined with a Canonry of the Abbey and the Sub Deanery a while ago. I'm sure that my hero Hensley Henson (later Bishop of Durham) was Rector, Chaplain and Canon in Mr Asquith's day - Helena Bonham Carter's grandpa, dontcha know? Hence the patron's have split the post, the appointing his choice to St Margaret's and the Abbey, the Speaker his to the Chaplaincy - which seems rather adult and grown up really. A storm in a journalistic tea cup, written up by Barchester Towers fans!

5 comments:

  1. I do disagree with your Chinese correspondent:

    "A person's value, should see what he contributed, not what he has achieved."

    While the ends certainly do not justify the means, success in a righteous endeavour is at least as important as ernest incompetence :)

    BTW - the link is to porn!

    Oh, and I got the following links on the Torygraph article (can we now rename it the SSC at journalism?)

    Scientology Today: Why is Scientology the Fastest Growing Religion of 21st Century?

    (Because evolution is insufficiently effective at discriminating against idiocy? Or, alternatively, that the genetic contribution towards stupidity isn't as large as some people will have you believe!)

    Vestments Made In The UK: Low Prices, Exceptional Quality Traditional Fabrics & Embroidery

    (They lie - 'tis China, I tell you ...)

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  2. As you can see I have removed the blighter! Why is Scientology the fastest growing religion? Because there are a lot of gullible stoopid people out there and when you believe nothing to start with you'll believe anything eventually!

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  3. You are clearly running a blog with an amazing amount of 'yo'. As your correspondent says ..,

    "Must maintain this level of Yo, refueling!!! Look forward to your new article published in"

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  4. What??? Honestly, these Maoists!

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  5. Just to add, on the actual point rather than on the Chinese porn spam - there is probably an xBE (or xVO) at stake. Some people can get their incentives awfully confused under that sort of pressure. And Bercow is a professional git ...

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