What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • News from around the Scottish Episcopal Church – March 2015

    United Lent Appeal

    The College of Bishops has launched a Lent Appeal to raise funds for the Scottish Episcopal Institute, the new body that is the successor to the troubled Theological Institute of the Scottish Episcopal Church. The Lent Appeal is to raise funds to enable full-time training for younger ordinands.

    The following prayer has been published by the bishops to go along with the appeal:

    Almighty God, giver of all good things,
    you showed your love for us by giving us your only Son:
    help us to show our love for you.
    Grant us this Lent
    the vision to see where you are at work in the world,
    the courage to join in that mission
    and the desire to give
    in support of those seeking to train
    within the Scottish Episcopal Institute.
    In the power of the Spirit
    we make our prayer
    through Jesus Christ
    our Lord.

    There are no details yet as to how full-time ordinands will be funded for in subsequent years if this appeal is successful.

    Visit of the Bishop of Zanzibar

    bish_zanz_2

    The Bishop of Zanzibar, the Rt Rev Michael Hafisd has been visiting the Diocese of Argyll and The Isles. Details of his visit are available on the diocesan website. There are more detailed reports and pictures in the Diocesan Newsletter.

    New Diocesan Council in Brechin

    The Diocese of Brechin is to consider proposals to establish a new Diocesan Council which would replace their current Administration Board and Mission and Ministry Board. Full details are available in their Diocesan Synod Papers.

    Lectured by the Rev Anne Dyer – forward notice

    The Rev Anne Dyer is giving four lectures looking at the use of the female form to depict and carry ideals of virtue and vice in the Christian tradition. Dates – 28 May, 4 June, 18 June, 25 June. Time – 2 – 4 pm. Location – Royal Overseas League, Princes Street, Edinburgh.

    Scottish Episcopal Church Provincial Youth Week

    The Glenalmond week this year will be 2 August 2015 to 8 August 2015

    Details here: http://www.scotland.anglican.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/glen15form.pdf

    The Buzz

    Earth Hour

    This year’s Earth Hour where people are asked to dim lights and use less power to highlight climate change issues takes place on 28 March 2015. Details of how churches can get involved are available from the Eco Congregation Website.

    People

    • The Rev Canon John Lindsay retires as Rector of St Adrian’s Gullane and St Baldred’s, North Berwick on 1 March 2015
    • The Rev Chucks Iwuagu has moved from St Mary’s Cathedral in Glasgow to take up a post in Haslemere near Guildford. (Farewell sermon here)

    Vacancies

     

     

     

     

     

9 responses to “Biobank – an ethical question”

  1. Rev Ruth Avatar
    Rev Ruth

    I’ve been asked too. And I got so excited – you know how I love all things medical. My mind had already raced off into the realms of them finding that I had some mysterious disease… But now that you put it like that, I guess I’d better give it some more thought.

    Reply
  2. Raspberry Rabbit Avatar
    Raspberry Rabbit

    I haven’t been asked. Radical foreign clerics must not be on the list.

    I’d be hesitant to do it anyway. Too much information is being stored about us in anticipation of the day when it might prove useful. Best to keep your head down.

    RR

    Reply
  3. Tim Avatar
    Tim

    Eeek. I saw the phrase “Do you want to do something good today? Not just for yourself, but for our children and our children’s children?” near the top of the page and instantly the thought occurred, “what’s the potential cost? Where are the privacy controls?” Not as though anyone’s asked me anyway, but that sort of thing worries me from the outset too.

    A little more investigation shows http://www.ukbiobank.ac.uk/faqs/confidentiality.php , particularly #5 etc; it seems too vague, just a gloss to placate the masses. I don’t want `computers unconnected to the internet’; I’d want a guarantee that they never will be, that no floppy disks or other methods will result in data coming off them, and that they’re well secured in a bunker somewhere.

    Reply
  4. chris Avatar
    chris

    We’re involved. My sister-in-law first; she asked my husband; we discussed it and decided the potential for knowledge and research into – for example – the hereditary factor in clinical depression – made it something we wanted to do. Our sons have also expressed a willingness to participate. I personally don’t care about what happens to my DNA (other than its continuation in my family!) and if some good can come out of it then that’s just fine. I trust scientists every bit as much (or as little) as I trust anyone else.

    Reply
  5. asphodeline Avatar
    asphodeline

    Have you seen Heroes???? Sounds like a sneaky plot to find more 🙂

    Reply
  6. kelvin Avatar
    kelvin

    I have not seen Heroes. Is it about eugenics?

    Reply
  7. asphodeline Avatar
    asphodeline

    Ah. It has a hint of eugenics. Part of the plotline involves some form of research into the DNA of people with supernatural powers!

    Reply
  8. kelvin Avatar
    kelvin

    Ah, I see why you associated it with me.

    Reply
  9. Andrew Avatar
    Andrew

    My wife I also each received one of the so called invitations today, my first reaction was anger over the wording of the invitation which by telling me I have a “provisional appointment” assuming I am gullible enough to fall for the use of false authority syndrome.

    I am really concerned a lot of less literate people will not fully understand the “invitation” and assume it something they have to do.

    What really makes my blood boil is the that even if you don’t want to take part you have to reply to get your name removed from the records, this raises real civil liberties issues.

    The thing is if I had been asked to participate in I a nice way I would have been very keen to do so, however the whole tone of the letter stinks of authoritarianism and reminds me of the kind of thing the Nazis were doing in the mid 1930s.

    If you get one of these invitation say no and tell them why — or better still rip it up.

    Reply

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