What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Last year’s predictions – how did I do?

    The UK will begin leaving the EU on 29 March 2019. It will take 10 years to leave, 10 years for it to be evident to the whole country how stupid it was and 10 years to get back in, with none of our current special measures. (Hope this prediction doesn’t come to pass but fear it will).

    Well, we didn’t begin leaving on 29 March 2019 but the clock is ticking. Failed prediction

    The only thing to make EU-positive lefty-liberals to have pause for thought will be the EU Elections in May which will result in big gains for the so-called populist right.

    Well, the populist right did well but not that well. It wasn’t the overwhelming success many predicted. And the liberal left collapsed rather than took notice. Failed prediction.

    No progress towards same-sex marriage in the Church of England, despite much clearer calls for it to happen.

    No progress but the emergence of the Campaign for Equal Marriage in the Church of England does offer some encouragement. Prediction fulfilled.

    Significant concerns in many UK dioceses about the cost of bishops, and particularly their spouses, attending the Lambeth Conference in 2020. (Over £5000 each).

    There is undoubtedly concern about this and there’s been some online comment about through the year it but not a major press scandal yet. (Any spouse going to this is complicit in homophobia and expensive homophobia at that). Prediction fulfilled.

    Elizabeth Warren / Beto O’Rourke begin to emerge as the Democratic dream ticket.

    Beto is out, Warren is still in. No dream ticket. Failed Prediction.

    Stricter legislation in connection with drone operators.

    New regulations announced. Prediction Fulfilled.

    Steps towards legalisation of cannabis under serious consideration within SNP.

    SNP did exactly as I predicted. Prediction Fulfilled.

    No referendum on Independence.

    Prediction Fulfilled

    Cyber attacks merging with terrorist attacks.

    Difficult to prove who is behind these things but they are increasingly being regarded together by the security services. New legislation adopted in USA to try to combat it. Am claiming this one as a win. Prediction fulfilled

    One of Scotland’s daily newspapers ceases print publication.

    Not yet. Not yet. Failed prediction.

2 responses to “Synod – Overseas Committee”

  1. John Riches Avatar
    John Riches

    It’s not a straight choice between paying for theological education in Africa and in Scotland. The Overseas committee’s funds very largely come from legacies specfically given for overseas work so couldn’t be spent on training Scottish clergy. If we wanted seriously to spend more on that (an excellent idea in my book), then we would have to raise quota or find some other source of income.

    And, I think, theological education in Africa is particularly important in light of the remarkable growth of the African churches. If there is not good theological education for the leaders of the churches in Africa we will have poorly trained African church leaders which is bad for the church in Africa and can only make attempts at communion wide understanding more difficult.

    Reply
  2. kelvin Avatar
    kelvin

    Thanks John – I had forgotten about the legacies. You are right, there are two separate funding issues here.

    I agree that we need good theological education for the whole Communion.

    Reply

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