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.

7 responses to “Remember the Anglican Covenant?”

  1. chris Avatar
    chris

    A timely post, with diocesan synod coming up. May well print out. (There is virtually no signal for online devices to be used usefully in the Highland Gathering Halls in Oban. Who knew?)

    Reply
  2. Thinking Anglicans

    Anglican Covenant: reports and reactions…

    The Church Times reports this week on the progress of voting in English dioceses on the Anglican Covenant: Covenant tastes defeat in diocesan voting. ALMOST a quarter of C of E dioceses have now voted against the Anglican Covenant. It……

    Reply
  3. Susan Sheppard Hedges Avatar
    Susan Sheppard Hedges

    “. . .if there is any truth in that thesis, its days are numbered. . .”
    As we say in my home state, ‘your lips to God’s ears.’

    Reply
  4. Jonathan Clatworthy Avatar
    Jonathan Clatworthy

    Excellent post Kelvin.
    If the Covenant does get rejected in England, we’ll certainly need a period of time asking ourselves what really went wrong and how we could do things better. And Scotland will be well placed to set the ball rolling.

    Reply
    1. kelvin Avatar
      kelvin

      Thanks Jonathan – and thanks for your article on alternatives to the Covenant which we are looking at next week at our Diocesan Synod next week to balance the stuff from the Anglican Communion Office.

      Reply
  5. Paul Bagshaw Avatar
    Paul Bagshaw

    “Some have worried that we might be the first province to declare ourselves out of sorts with the Anglican Covenant.”

    They need not worry. The Philippines have already voted against it.

    It also seems probable that New Zealand will vote against.

    The Irish voted for it but with the caveat that it would not supplant the existing governing documents – though it’s not clear whether they would be able to sustain this.

    Source: http://noanglicancovenant.org/background.html#cofe

    Reply
  6. Alan T Perry Avatar
    Alan T Perry

    Thanks for this, Kelvin!

    What really amazes me is that the Covenant has done so well with virtually no attempt to put forward an argument (with reference to the actual text) as to why it is an unalloyed Good Thing. Proponents claim it will save the Communion without explaining just how it will do that. Those voting for it are voting for a black box.

    Reply

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