The cost of justice

The ongoing dispute between the Diocese of the Murray and its Bishop , Ross Davies, (here) has taken another step towards resolution. Though, I guess this his been going on for nearly half a decade.

The toll on the Diocese seems astronomical and warns us about the enormous, potentially paralysing, cost of an hierarchical system.

That is, a system where one person or office can virtually hold the whole structure to ransom.

It would be inappropriate to comment on the Murray case, given that the case is now in session; save to say

that if part of a structure is found to be dysfunctional, or that other parts of the structure can't cooperate with it then obviously it is good to be able to stand that aside for the time it takes to work it out.

The trouble with a hierarchy which has a one-person pinnacle is that if that pinnacle is the problem you can't replace it until it's found it needs to be replaced. We don't even have a way of placing a temporary stand-in in place.

It is something that needs to be looked at, as there seems to be an increasing number of possibilities for dysfunctionality

Put your left leg in!

In a curious acricle in the UK Daily Telegraph (here) a leaked report tells us that English Bishops think many, maybe most. clergy are not up to the job.
Well, I could have told them that! Most Bishops, in particular, aren't either!
One Bishop repotedly says of clergy “Truthfully, it is deeply depressing. Egotism rules. Contemporary worship is feeble, 'sweet’, and leads no one to the Majesty of God.”
Now I don't deny an elephant of truth, but that Bishop also needs a mirror.
Clergy are to be encouraged by the release of a book (God help us!) about preaching "with humnanity". Seems like a good idea, some of the advice:

In giving advice on learning to use the diaphragm consciously, it advises: "Go down on your hands and knees and pant, rapidly with short breaths."

It's partly right, you do need to get down on your knees to preach well, but panting is not the main thing you need to be focussing on!
Clergy are indeed not up to the 'job', the sooner Bishops (and others) stop thinking about it as 'a job' the better in my opinion....grrr!

History in the making

Today Kay Goldsworthy will be consecrated a bishop in Perth.(here)
Non-Anglicans will think this non-remarkable, some Anglicans will be cross, others of us will just praise the Lord. As I do!
The ordained ministry of women is not flawless, but then neither is that of men.
I am still of the belief that an ordered ministry that is not discriminated on the basis of gender is better for the Church and, so far as I can discern, more in accord with God's design.
There are those who say that the ordered ministry is not the possession of the Anglican Church but of the church universal. They have a point. They would conclude that therefore we are not at liberty to do anything with the practice of Order that is not in accord with the worldwide Church, particularly in its Roman Catholic and various Orthodox manifestations.
To my mind that just does not hold water, throughout history from the earliest days of moving beyond the original group of nominees (apostles) that Christ personally chose, the community has had to develop and grow.
If you read Acts 1 this momentous decision was made by tossing a dice.."And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was added to the eleven apostles"
Since then, we've wised up and realised that the Holy Spirit might be available to guide us.
Bishops have not been perfect throughout history. We could mention one word...Borgia...and that argument is sealed.
The Church has had to grow, change and correct. Some times dragging and screaming!
Hopefully more postively than just growing out of evil and excess.
I give unashamed and unabashed thanks that this move looks Spirit-filled and in accord with the movement of God.
Hallelujah!

Coming into their own

What ever you may think about the Acting Prime Minister (yes that's right, for 60 hours until Kev gets back from Bali .....half his luck) isn't it good when you see people coming into their own?
Despite her and my good fortune of having red hair (you brownies, blondies and blackies just don't get it!), and her nasal voice. Don't you like the way she just ploughs on?
In yesterday's paper the Vox Pops asked the question of whether a woman would be a good PM...the resounding response was yes. And the reason? Because they see things differently.
This is (for those who could care less) one of the reasons why we need women bishop's too. Most bishops I have known (all men) have a side of them which is blinded by their own glory; some cope with this better than others. For the rest it can be disastrous.
Women don't seem to be so easily deceived. (I don't imagine a woman Pope would have dreamt up the doctrine of papal infallibility). So often women are some what more confident of themselves and don't need to be constantly worshipped and adored, like we frail creatures who need our Mummy!
So I am finding Ms Gillard's growth in stature, character and stateswomanly behaviour wonderful to observe.

Women at the pointy end

In a split but definitive judgment of the Anglican Church's Appellate Tribunal, a majority (4-3) judgment was handed down last week that there is no objection to women being ordained as bishops.
In the way that we love legal things, it is all a bit too tricky to go into here ( I will be happy to point you in the right direction...like here). Friends outside the church will find it laughable. Might I say that much of it is because we are too sensitive to people's alleged sensibilities and so we slow everything down to try and accomodate absolutely everybody. This doesn't seem to work, and does allow bizarre obstructionism which can go on for years.
Well perhaps now it is over.
The ABC's Religion Report had very good interview with two leading Australian Church Women, Colleen O'Reilly from Melbourne and Kay Goldsworthy in Perth. O'Reilly makes a number of very good points. She exposes how those opposed to women's ordination are a little precious in their claim that their opposition is 'biblically based', as if some how those of us who support the ordination of women are not.
I, in fact, (and O'Reilly makes the same point) would hold that the notion of the radical equality of women is a key scriptural principle...just as much as the equality of black and white.
Moving on from this she then makes the point that if 'alternative episcopal oversight' is going to be sought in Dioceses where women minister for people who can't tolerate it, then equally well alternative episcopal oversight should be being provided in Sydney, The Murray and Armidale for people who (like me) are deeply affronted that women's ordination is denied.
These streets need to run both ways!!