The New Bishop!

 

As you might have noticed, we in the Diocese of Embra have been electificating a new Bishop.  Confidentiality and all that means I can't  give a blow by blow account of the process ("No Canon's egos were harmed in the making of this new bishop" and other such disclaimers may be issued elsewhere) but I am personally well chuffed that the Dean, the Very Rev Dr John Armes of St John's Princes Street (that weel kent site for leftist graffiti and Choral Mattins), was elected.  His style has enabled good and creative dialogue to be held with disparate viewpoints both within the Anglican internal context and in Interfaith and political concerns.  And he has been clear about his unease with the whole Anglican Covenant thing and solidly supportive of LGBT people and clergy and in favour of Same Sex relationships being normalised within the Church.  In other words a decent middle of the road Anglican Churchman with sensibly liberal views on some sensitive matters.  And nice and pastoral man (who vaguely resembles the late Vladimir Lenin minus the taste for gulags!)

I prepared for all this electing by going to see "Avenue Q" at the Playhouse the night before but resisted the temptation to go from Electing a Bishop to viewing the new Muppet Movie! Good stuff (like Sesame Street but with refs to porn and being gay and Everyone being a little bit racist!).

Good Holmes and new Bishops.

 

It has been brought to my attention (during the lunch break at the Electoral Synod - and no no new bishop yet as this is the "hustings"  meeting, we actually vote next week) that I've been blathering on about saints a lot recently.  True indeed.  The nearest thing to sort of social life I have had recently was an outing to the pictures with Rachel to watch "Sherlock Holmes 2"  Good fun it was too.  having never gone to see one, I was pleasantly surprised by Robert Downey Jr as Holmes, rather impressed by Jude Law as Watson and quietly freaked by Jared Harris as Moriarty.  Actually I was more freaked by a moment when suddenly he was the living, breathing spit of his father, the late, great Richard Harris.  (That's the original Dumbledore to the young and Cromwell opposite Alec Guinness's King Charles I for the film buffs).  I still adore the Jeremy Brett TV series best of all and quite enjoy Benedict Cumberbatch's efforts in Sherlock.  And of course the books are sublime!

The electing of a bishop is an essentially quite humdrum process to anyone who's ever been in politics.  3 candidates, 3 presentations to say why we should pick X or Y, 1/2 an hour to create some questions.  Then lunch and the candidates respond to the questions (4 composite queries were submitted).  Personally I'd rather have had unedited questions from the floor  a la General Synod and none of the "redacted by the primus" queries which really didn't give us much of a chance to get a feel for the candidates style under fire.  However, the process was efficiently done and simply confirmed me in my reaction when Bishop Brian retired.  I was asked who I thought might be a good bishop, I named a certain priest who is one of the 3 shortlisted and after today's hustings, I felt his vision and manner were what I think the diocese needs just now.  which I did a year ago.  No surprises there then.  At least I'm consistent.

A new Bishop

I can observe the election of a new Bishop of Glasgow with a certain degree of interested neutrality, not having to live with the results (so to speak). Of the unsuccessful candidates (NOT failed as the Press described it!), I know nothing of the English candidate, but was partially responsible for Alison Peden being appointed Chaplain to Forth Valley College's Stirling campus (I was the chaplain at Falkirk campus and was asked if I knew of anyone suitable to be my equivalent in Stirling - I did and have liaised with her on Chaplaincy matters and can attest to both her excellence and ability). Gregor Duncan conducted my deaconing retreat at Cumbrae Cathedral and preached at my deaconing. I will never forget him describing the choosing and ordaining of the candidates as akin to a local event at the annual town gala in Largs (where he was Rector at the time) know as the "Crowning of the Brisbane Queen"!! Funnily enough, Fr Callaghan's side of the church didn't get the the joke and just looked puzzled. My side was in mild hysterics! Well, Donald Reid and Beverly MacFarlane were virtually horizontal with laughter in the clergy stalls after I caught their eyes and raised my eyebrow suggestively! Gregor also succeeded my training Rector Douglas Reid as Rector of St Ninian's Glasgow. Following a priest as long serving and well loved as Douglas was, was no easy task and Gregor has managed that - and very well indeed. He is a fine preacher, a very capable theologian and a well regarded pastor. OK, he's a bit of a stickler for things being done the right way and in accordance with the rules and I really never did understand why he re-introduced the maniple (or indeed why he still does the conjoined fingers thing after the words of institution - "bunny ears" Douglas Reid called it because that's what it looks like when you celebrate eastwards). So I think FWIW the Glasgow electors have chosen wisely and well and think some of the drool on other sites I've read about "injustice and sexism" winning is simply partisan, ignorant and contemptible.

In a sense, a home grown candidate starts with the advantage/handicap of being known in the Diocese. In Glasgow, due to recent history, that is, broadly speaking, an advantage. What you might call "The Derek Rawcliffe Experience" left them highly unlikely to appoint externally. A nice man +Derek and he had some fine gifts I'm sure, but some of his appointments were dreadful, favouring charismatics who disrupted congregations terribly (Mosspark was the one I knew most about, as the disgruntled and displaced headed for St Ninian's) or the madder sort of English Anglo-Catholic who caused just as much mayhem (Gourock and Coatbridge being prime examples). He also treated his gay clergy appallingly (which, in fairness, he later admitted and apologised for) which was rather unsurprising, given that he was both gay and married (later widowed). He did (after retiring) "come out", but his treatment of gay clergy left a very bitter taste in the mouth of many people. Since then, every time Glasgow has had to elect a Bishop, they have always appointed from within the diocese - John Taylor from Dumfries (who ordained me), Idris Jones from Ayr and now Gregor.

I sincerely hope Gregor does well as Bishop and proves to be both an inspired and inspiring leader. He will be in my prayers in the days ahead.