What is in Kelvin's Head?

  • Predictions 2022 – How did I do?

    Time to see how I did with my predictions at the start of the year.

    Boris Johnson will be replaced with a Prime Minister who is more competent, more right wing and more difficult to beat.

    Well, if we skip lightly over the horror of Liz Truss’s premiership, I’m going to claim this one as fulfilled. Left and right designations in politics mean less as the years go on. Prediction fulfilled.

    A good year for Michael Gove (who is almost invisible at the moment).

    I’m claiming this one too. He’s back in government and less invisible. If you don’t agree, you probably don’t read the Daily Telegraph. Prediction fulfilled.

    Church of Scotland General Assembly votes to allow same-sex couples to be married in church. More significantly, almost no-one leaves in a huff.

    Exactly what happened. Prediction Fulfilled.

    No progress for those seeking marriage equality in the Church of England.

    Sadly. Prediction Fulfilled

    US Republican Party do well at the November midterms.

    Gloriously, prediction unfulfilled.

    Midnight Mass will happen at St Mary’s Cathedral, Glasgow – some people will still be wearing masks but it won’t be mandatory.

    Yes, I did see a few mask wearers but we were getting back to prepandemic levels of attendence and Midnight Mass was a blast. Prediction fulfilled.

    Lots of people discover that cryptocurrency is not the sure thing that they thought. (Losses will disproportionately affect young people).

    Oh my, yes. What a mess some people have got themselves into. Prediction fulfilled.

    Nicola Sturgeon will be forced to announce a proposed date for an Independence Referendum against her better judgement.

    She announed on 23 June 2022 that it would be held on 19 October 2023. (Spoiler alert – it won’t happen on 19 October 2023). Prediction fulfilled.

    Lambeth Conference will take place but some people forced to participate virtually due to continued pandemic in developing world. (No new sanctions against pro-gay provinces).

    Well it took place but I’m not sure whether or not there were virtual participants. However, there were no new sanctions against pro-gay provinces. Prediction largely fulfilled.

    Working from home/hybrid working becomes normalised for big companies. Consequent increase in ransomware demands.

    Working from home is certainly still going on and there are many big companies that are planning for it continuing in some form. (Here’s a government report about it). And yes, ransomware has increased. (Here’s a paper on it from the Chartered Institute of IT).

    I’m guessing that one or two people might want to argue about whether I got this all as right as I think I did – particularly the first two, but not a bad year overall.

3 responses to “Postcard to Rowan”

  1. Lapinbizarre/Roger Mortimer Avatar
    Lapinbizarre/Roger Mortimer

    Right on!

    Reply
  2. Brother David Avatar
    Brother David

    Is he really that arrogant or just absolutely clueless?!?!

    That was certainly the one thing that jumped off the page when I read the interview.

    And it again shows his more lofty view of the episcopate than we have in the Americas, especially since many churches here are the children of TEC. He didn’t say meet with TEC, he said meet with the House of Bishops, the junior chamber in TEC.

    Reply
  3. Tom Wilson Avatar
    Tom Wilson

    I am surprised that ++Rowan felt that his going to America and chastising the Episcopal Church, and specifically one Diocese for the election of a openly gay bishop would even be possible. Is he that ignorant of American history and the Revolution in 1776, where the American people rebelled at being told what to do by a leader thousands of miles away. In the North American context, the Diocesan Bishop and the Synod they minister with, are the final level of governance. The presiding bishop (ECUSA) or Primate (ACC) are there as leaders, but hold no power or authority (beyond moral and/or advisory) over any of the Diocesan Bishops that make up these provinces of the Anglican Communion. Obviously a situation that ++Rowan is not familiar with in the C of E, where he can block the appointment (not even an election) of a Diocesan Bishop within his province.

    Ultimately, this is why the Anglican Covenant will fail. While we are linked by a common heritage, as well as worship style; the governance structures of each Province of the Anglican Communion around the world are very different than the C of E and each Province’s situation is unique to their local experience. No longer is the Anglican Communion just variations of the C of E through missionaries sent out from England.

    It is too bad that ++Rowan could not be engaged as a professor at an American or Canadian seminary, where he could be exposed to a much different reality than in England and perhaps gain a greater insight into the realities of the Anglican church in North America.

    Reply

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