• Last year’s predictions – how did I do (2017)

    Let’s take a quick look at how well I did at predicting 2017

    1 – Trump will become President of the USA later this month but won’t manage to survive for 4 years. (And don’t be rejoicing anyone, take a look at his VP).

    Well, Trump did but we won’t know yet whether he will survive.

    2 – No significant progressive change will be proposed by the bishops of the Church of England in relation to LGBT issues.

    I think I was right about this one too. Some might say that there are signs of hope in the C of E but I’m a glass half empty person when it comes to that part of the Communion.

    3 – A solid majority in all houses of the Scottish Episcopal Church synod in favour of opening marriage to same-sex couples. (But I’m not predicting whether or not it will be enough to pass the legislation).

    Yes – I was right about this too. Right to be cautious about whether it would be enough to pass the 2/3rds supermajority in each house. It did but only by one vote in the House of Clergy.

    4 – SNP to lead the next administration of Glasgow City Council after the elections in May but possibly in coalition with others.

    Basically got this one right too – not a coalition but a minority administration all the same.

    5 – Lib Dems will claim they’ve turned the corner after the local elections. Greens will continue to make very little progress in a political situation that seems almost designed for them to thrive. UKIP will do badly in Scotland. And is there another party?

    Lib dems claimed they had turned the corner (but hadn’t).  Greens continues to make very little progress. UKIP did badly.

    6 – #Brexit will be triggered. And we will all end up the  poorer for it. Especially those already poorer.

    It was and yes, we are poorer.

    7 – Success for the TIE campaign – I expect that they will make significant progress in getting more inclusive education in Scotland’s schools. By the end of the year I expect there will have been progress either in new Scottish Government guidelines or proposed legislation.

    The TIE campaign has had a successful year though we’ve not got new guidelines or proposed legislation yet. The heat is going to have to be applied to the SNP if it is going to happen.

    8 – Wikileaks-esque publication of details of membership of a large pornographic internet site and consequent sackings, suicides and divorces. (It is only a matter of time).

    There was such a leak. I’m surprised there have not been more.

    9 – François Fillon to win the French Presidency but Le Pen to do frighteningly well.

    Half wrong, half right. No Fillon but yes, Le Pen did frighteningly well

    10 – The end of the beard. (Oh, I know I’ve predicted this before but how long can this hirsute tyranny go on? How much longer can good looking men keep their faces covered. Come along boys, enough is enough. Lather up.)

    Alas and alack. Not yet.

     

    Overall result – not bad this year.

5 responses to “Review: Leaving Alexandria: A Memoir of Faith and Doubt – Richard Holloway”

  1. Tony Whatmough Avatar
    Tony Whatmough

    Like you, I found Richard’s book greatly moving. It reduced me to tears on many occasions. But one thing I’ve found interesting over the years, is the effect on so many priests of the Kelham training. I’ve met many over the years, with different styles of preaching, but there is something distinctive about them all. Not all of them regarded Kelham with approval: one described it as a theological Borstal, but whatever, it made an impression on them, and like Richard, it has been life long. I wonder how many other theological colleges have done that?

  2. John MacBrayne Avatar
    John MacBrayne

    Am reading it now. Not quite sure what to make of it to be honest, although thus far I have detected the age old problem of an individual confined by the strictures of an organisation….and a desire to move beyond that and back to a simpler life…not finished yet though!

  3. Elizabeth Avatar
    Elizabeth

    ‘It is a book that must come top of the list of recent books which someone seeking to understand the modern Scottish Episcopal Church needs to read.’
    What a teaser! What other titles would you place on this list?

  4. Allan Avatar
    Allan

    ‘Consummate attention seeker’, eh? Well, well……
    And it’s ‘He who’ not ‘whom’. Just saying.

    1. kelvin Avatar

      It takes one to know one.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Previous Posts

  • The Forum: Frikki Walker

    Last Sunday the speaker at our Forum meeting was Frikki Walker, St Mary’s Director of Music. His forum was a tour de force and kept the audience entranced as he educated, opined and inspired us. Together we talked about favourite music, the composer he would most like to be locked into a church with, what…

  • It’s Time

    Just watch this video – there’s people and places that you may well recognise. I’m very pleased to be one of the faces in the video above, which has been produced by the Equality Network to galvanise the last months of the campaign for equal marriage in Scotland. Political leaders, celebrities, thinkers and so-called ordinary…

  • Exodus or Exodon’t

    There was a possibly extraordinary shift in the ecclesiastical tectonic plates overnight. Exodus International is going out of business and its leader has apologised for the harm it has done. Exodus International was one of the leading groups which claimed that it was possible to re-orientate gay people – ie turn them straight. It is,…

  • Guides and God

    So, am I all up in arms about Girl Guides dropping their promise to love [their] God[s]? No, I don’t think so. I suspect God can take it. This is what the Girl Guides used to promise: I Promise that I will do my best; To love my God, To serve my Queen and my…