Fear....

So the Revision Committee on women in the Episcopate (or at least that portion of the Committee that cannot accept Catholic Faith and Order) has published its Report.

Of course, there has been consultation. However, we all know that in all likelihood, that consultation exercise like all others is but a milksop to disguise the fact that those in the positions of influence have already made their minds up.

Now we have to acknowledge that within the Church of England Traditionalists are in a minority and that the majority (the Progressives) want this innovation to be introduced and want it to succeed. What I cannot understand though is why the Progressives would want to be rid of Christians with whom they disagree on what the Progressives themselves keep telling us is 'a second degree issue.' If indeed it is a 'second degree issue' why can there not be a compromise that keeps Traditionalists within the Church of England?

Why also are 'certain elements' determined to portray Traditionalists as being akin to racists or anti-Semite's? The simplistic thinking behind such unintelligent remarks is that Traditionalists are anti-women and therefore misogynists - but how come the ladies in the priesthood who complain about their treatment at the hands of men all work with men who are supposedly in favour of their 'ministry?' For the past 16 years traditionalist parishes have not been persecuting women as, by and large, they have kept themselves to themselves - so who is mistreating them? At a meeting of Area/Rural Deans and Lay Chairs of Deanery Synods following the debacle that was the General Synod of July 2008 there was complaint after complaint about traditionalists and their parishes and yet the Area Dean and Lay Chair here in Milton Keynes did not recognise what they were talking about as their experience of Traditionalist Parishes and Clergy was nothing like what they were hearing. In virtually every case those complaints were from Area Deans and Lay Chairs who did not have a Traditionalist Parish within their Deaneries. Which tells us a lot about being labelled and vilified. If women are being mistreated - then at whose hands are they being mistreated? Could it be at the hands and through the mouths of those who, while publicly advocating their cause, cannot cope with the strain of having to do so in the vain hope of preferment?

If the Progressives are so convinced of their arguments why are they so afraid of a minority of Christians in the Church of England? If we are forced out, that is unChurched, who will they then blame when the ladies complain of being mistreated. Will the next minority please look out!

If the General Synod passes the Revision Committees Report without significant amendment/s that will maintain Traditionalist Parishes and Clergy within the Church of England then the consequences are dire, and not only for the Traditionalists.