What is in Kelvin's Head?

10 questions arising from the misogyny of a “headship” bishop

05/12/2014
Plans were announced last night to appoint a new bishop in the Church of England who will specifically believe that women are subordinate to men to minister to, encourage and represent those in the Church of England who believe this, ie that men have been given headship over women by God, to be true. (This isn’t a joke, this is real).

This had been planned for some time and was part of the deal whereby that church agreed to open the Episcopate to candidates who happen to be female.

It rather neatly proves some of the terrible things I was saying about the Church of England earlier in the week to be true.

On this occasion, I take no pleasure in being right.

The following questions arising from the misogyny of a “headship” bishop should now be raised:
1. To Members of Parliament: Are you really comfortable with 1 million children being educated every day by an organisation with these values?
2. To candidates in the next election: Will you support the disestablishment of the Church of England because organisations which behave in this way should have no privileged place in parliament?
3. To the Archbishop of Canterbury: Do you realise that this makes you personally look like a misogynist too as suffragan appointments are always personal to the bishop involved?
4. In the General Synod of the Church of England: …. and if people ask for a bishop with racist views to represent them, will we do that too?
5. To the BBC: Why are you not covering this story as a major news item?
6. To those who serve in Church House, Westminster: Why do progressive changes to the Church of England have to go through years of debate at General Synod and regressive ones don’t?
7. To Primates around the communion: Why is this novelty and abuse of the episcopate acceptable when the appointment of a man who happened to be gay was so unacceptable?
8. To the Prime Minister at Prime Minister’s Question Time: Does the Prime Minister share the concerns of many in this country that the Church of England is institutionalising misogyny.
9. To the silent Church of England Bishops who believe themselves to be liberal: How do you sleep?
10. To the first woman to be consecrated as bishop in the Church of England: Was it worth it on these terms?
bishops, Church of England, headship, mysogyny

8 responses to “Deck the hair…”

(fabulous for an alleged evangelical) ryan

27/10/2008

Out of interest, is there a proper churchy rule or convention on the right time for Christmas trees to go up? Don’t know if the grumpiness in your post is personal or praepostorial

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Kimberly

27/10/2008

A properly churchy time for the Christmas tree to go up is at Chrismas. i.e. after the fourth Sunday of Advent and in time for the Midnight Mass.

Grumpiness about Christmas in October is natural and appropriate, surely.

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Anne

28/10/2008

On a sliding scale of grumpiness which is worse, harumph or bah humbug?[PS M and S had hot cross buns in their bakery today]

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ChickPea

29/10/2008

Ah, Kelvin…….. I wonder, is there a link between the demoralising ‘Facebook’ notices bewailed in your last post and your enticing sentiments expressed in this ?

Perhaps you need to create a little sunshine to tempt them – a little progressive development of the fly-fishing technique, the swish and flick of the wrist, the fleeting glimpse of temptation just enough in sight to, er, arouse interest……

Maybe your own bedecked seasonal tree (call it an ‘Advent Tree’ to thwart the Christmas Tree Traditionalists – thereby launching yourself as a trend-setter) – such tree selected and styled with eagerness in longing anticipation of future festivities……..

(You could call it ‘forward planning par excellence’, even, to gain bonus brownie points and thwart critics)…..

Then, perchance, the ‘Facebook Fanatics’ may clamour to, er, beat a path to your door ?

(Tho……. more to the point……. would you honestly be wanting them to ?……….is that really where Everyman finds his bosom buddies ?)

PS. Put your dazzling Advent Tree prominently in your window and WE’ll all come round so’s you’re not lonely – how’s that for a Gloom-Buster to tweak the morale, eh ?

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kelvin

29/10/2008

I think that facebook is just another meeting place and similar patterns of community seem to play out there though sometimes at a faster rate than in face to face communication. Certainly, the flirting, fighting and flummery as well as thoughtful the slow conversation that I recognise from off-line communication, is all present there too.

Would I want to entice those who would be enticed by early Christmas trees, albeit dressed up in another name.

I’d rather not.

[BTW Anne – three Harumphs certainly trump a single Bah Humbug]

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Rev Ruth

29/10/2008

I think it is just attention seeking.

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ryan

30/10/2008

Your new hair looks lovely incidently. Am sure you’re turning heads at that clergy conference.

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kelvin

30/10/2008

Ryan, your faith in my hair is almost unbearably touching. At this clergy conference, however, it was trumped by the hair of the Rector of St Margaret’s, Newlands.

He came to the conference whilst his hair did not, his having been shaved completely bald the day before.

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