The bishops' strife

Well, I just almost don’t know what to say: it seems three sitting and two retired Anglican bishops are jumping ship because the Church of England has decided to move ahead with ordaining women priests and consecrating women bishops.

Evidently Pope Benedict XVI is happy to welcome them, married though they be, into the fold. After all, he’s been having a bit of pother over the failed cover-up of pedophile priests. Probably five white middle-aged guys who’ve managed monogamy are looking pretty good about now.

According to the Telegraph, the Right Reverend Andrew Burnham, Bishop of Ebbsfleet, compared the CoE to a chain of “failing coffeeshops” that doesn’t maintain consistent product offerings across its franchises.

“The Church of England has decided that it can make its own mind up about what it can do. There are signs it is forgetting and losing a sense of where it came from,” Burnham is quoted as averring.

According to a statement released by the Fab Five, this range of ecclesiastic products, including new approaches to women, gays & who knows what-all, “is incompatible with the historic vocation of Anglicanism and the tradition of the church for nearly 2,000 years.”

Now, I only know what I read in the papers, & I’m certainly not a theologian, but I find it just choice that leaders of a sect established to satisfy the sexual & dynastic appetites (and fill the coffers) of Henry VIII should suddenly be shocked, utterly shocked, that the church has the unmitigated gall to move into the 21st Century.

These are leaders who recognize the reigning monarch of Britain as the head of their church as God’s representative, & have conveniently neglected to mention that this particular tradition only goes back 500 years.

As near as I can tell, they don’t like the way the match has gone, so they’re picking up their balls & going home.

Or, as the Brits would say, tossing their toys out of the pram.

I don’t know which is sadder: them for being in such a snit or Benedict for being so grateful to have them.