Driven to distraction by the men in robes

Whilst running this evening, I was reflecting on the fact in spite of my desire to extend (still don't know if that is the right verb - advice please) my hinterland, all my blogs so far this year have been firmly in my heartland. So I decided that I would write about the moon. Why not? I love it. Its beautiful and fascinating. So why isn't this post about the moon? Because of the Church of England, that's why.

Not for the first time the CoE has driven me to distraction. Today it was the revelation that the House of Bishops, one of the three houses of the General Synod, has agreed to allow gay clergy to become bishops. "Now Tanya," I hear you ask, "you're an equality freak, surely you support this?" Well, I wish I could. But this isn't about equality. The Bishops are just perpetuating inequality. For let us remember that only gay men who agree to remain celibate are allowed to take the cloth. They have even gone as far as countenancing gay men who are in civil partnerships becoming priests as long as that partnership is not sexual. What we learnt today is that the Bishops are cool with allowing celibate gay priests start wearing purple robes. A fudge if ever I saw one. And of course as recently as November the General Synod blocked women from becoming bishops. So as long as you are a straight man you are welcome to carry a crook but if you are a non-celibate gay priest or a women forget it.

I acknowledge that it was not the House of Bishops that put the mockers on female bishops and I suspect the Bishops are not trying to be obstructive when it comes to gay bishops. No I think they are desperately trying to stop the Church being rent asunder by the opposing forces that can't agree whether it should join the 21st century. So they are trying to sneak reform through, centimetre by centimetre, rather than drive forward real change. I can't see this strategy working. The CoE needs a new one. I appreciate that is easier said than done. I recognise that the Anglican Communion in Africa, Latin America and parts of the USA is socially very conservative but hey, I am not insisting they adopt my liberal positions. I am just suggesting that the new Archbishop of Canterbury gets a grip. He must make some tough choices about he wants what the Church to be and who he wants to include amongst his flock. He needs to be a leader.