THE ORIGINAL CHURCH NEWSPAPER. ESTABLISHED IN 1828 Archbishop’s apology Why is THE everyone to Black Churches, obsessed p10 with CHURCHOF Russell Brand? ENGLAND P9 Newspaper NOW AVAILABLE ON NEWSSTAND FRIDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2014 No: 6252 Bishop of Fulham to remarry By Jordanna May Fr Kirk commented in 2010: cy – and would defend and “The doctrine of matrimony is explain it to anyone who came Bishop THE BISHOP OF Fulham, the closely associated with ecclesi- to me for advice.” Jonathan Rt Rev Jonathan Baker, ology and so it would seem The Bishop told us this week: Baker announced last week that he is utterly unacceptable that “I wrote to clergy last week to to remarry. divorce and remarriage be part inform them that, having He immediately wrote to his of the regimen of those who received the consent of the clergy, affirming his support are called to represent and Bishop of London, I will remar- for those of his clergy who effect the unity of the Church.” ry in the spring of next year. oppose the remarriage of He added: “Promoting “I reached this decision after divorcees, saying that he will divorced bishops is a far more a great deal of thought and continue to support them in serious matter than homosexu- prayer. I fully respect and their stance. al bishops because it is under- understand the position of cler- In a letter that was sent to all mining one of the fundamental gy who exercise their right not his clergy, Bishop Baker, who teachings of scripture.” to conduct further marriages is also chairman of Forward in Fr Kirk has since moved to in church and will support Faith, said that he had received the Catholic Ordinariate but as them in continuing to adopt permission from the Bishop of then founder and national sec- such a policy.” London and the Archbishop of retary, representing FiF, it’s Concerning his role in For- Canterbury. fair to say that his views carry ward in Faith, he said: “Being For some who have read this across to the other Forward in nearly at the end of a four-year news, they will be thinking Faith members. term as Chairman of Forward about Forward in Faith’s (FiF) In the Bishop’s recent letter in Faith, I informed colleagues reaction to the news, in 2010, explaining the decision to at our last council meeting on that divorced bishops in the remarry, he said: “I hope that 19 October that I will not be CofE, would be allowed to those of you who exercise your putting my name forward for remarry. In particular, then right not to conduct further election again in November national secretary of FiF, Fr marriages in church can be when my term comes to an Geoffrey Kirk declared his reassured that that is a position end. I feel privileged to have strong criticism of the decision I fully respect and understand, led Forward in Faith and look under then Archbishop of Can- and that I will support you in forward to its continued terbury, Rowan Williams. continuing to adopt such a poli- achievement.” Call for inclusive bishop in Edmonton THERE HAVE BEEN calls for a bishop who will ordain parishioners – wanted an appointment of someone from clergy are opposed to the appointment of the Rev Philip women to be appointed in Edmonton when Bishop outside London and by far the majority argued for North of St Michael’s in Camden Town as the new Bish- Peter Wheatley retires in December. someone who would promote, support and encourage op. Fr North is a highly regarded parish priest who The call has come from clergy and laity in St Pancras, women in ministry,” he said. served with distinction as Warden of the Shrine at Wals- Primrose Hill, Belsize Park, West Hampstead and Kil- He added that ‘it is a scandal that in Edmonton we ingham but had to turn down his appointment as Bish- burn. Clergy and PCC members have written to Bishop have just three women priests running parishes out of op of Whitby in December 2012 after 110 parishes in Richard Chartres asking for a ‘more inclusive bishop’. over 100 churches when nationally close to 50 per cent the Cleveland Archdeaconry signed a letter saying they One of the clergy behind the campaign is the Rev of parishes are now women’. were ‘puzzled, dismayed and very disappointed’ to be Andrew Cain, Vicar of St James and St Mary’s in West Dorothea Hackman, churchwarden of St Pancras, given a bishop who does not ordain women for the third Hampstead, where Bishop Wheatley was himself once Primrose Hill, told the same newspaper that: “Camden time in a row. the Vicar. Bishop Wheatley interviewed Fr Cain after does not want a bishop who discriminates against Traditionalists who have been ready to compromise his recent marriage to his long-term male partner. women. Peter Wheatley can be a very sweet and spiri- over the appointment of women bishops in return for Fr Cain told the Camden New Journal that at a recent tual man who has been very sweet to refugees but, and assurances that their position remains one that is meeting of the North Camden Deanery the vast majori- I mean a massive but, his behaviour is discriminatory in respected in the Church of England are likely to see the ty present said they would welcome a woman bishop. this day and age.” campaign in Camden as evidence that a determined “Everyone present - including the more conservative According to the Camden New Journal, some of the group of liberals is trying to marginalise them. [email protected] facebook.com/churchnewspaper @churchnewspaper i2 www.churchnewspaper.com Friday October 31, 2014 News Gafcon ‘an Cathedrals benefit instrument from repair fund A LARGE NUMBER of cathedrals are set to benefit from the World War I Centenary Repair Fund. Money from the fund is designed to help repair some of Eng- of unity’ land’s most historic buildings. Culture Secretary Sajid Javid announced that a total of £8.3 million will be available for 25 Anglican and six Catholic cathe- GAFCON has become a de facto instrument of unity for the drals. Anglican Communion, the Archbishop of Kenya, the Most This is the second round of grants from a fund Rev Eliud Wabukala, said on 24 October in a pastoral letter to worth £20 million in total. Applications for a third the global Anglican reform movement. round will close on January 21, 2015. Recounting his visit to Atlanta to install Archbishop Foley One of the largest grants has gone to Newcastle, Beach as the second primate of the ACNA, Archbishop which has received £155,000, which will be used to Wabukala wrote that Gafcon was “emerging as a new and repair the roof of an 18th Century library that houses effective ‘instrument of unity’ for the Anglican Communion. the song school. “That reality was underlined at the investiture of Archbish- Among the Catholic Cathedrals to receive a grant op Foley Beach as the second Archbishop of the Anglican was St George’s, Southwark, situated just across the Church in North America by the Primates gathered in road from the newly re-opened Imperial War Muse- Atlanta, representing Gafcon and the Anglican Global South, um. receiving him as a Primate of the Anglican Communion.” In a joint statement the Church of England and the Archbishop Beach’s “investiture demonstrated that the Roman Catholic Church said: “By investing in the realignment of the Anglican Communion is now established buildings, we will be able to showcase cathedrals at and unstoppable,” he said, and “Anglicans around the globe their best as they offer a range of events, commemo- are now affirming this fact.” rations and services to their communities.” • training for teachers and other school staff to improve their confidence in dealing with lesbian, gay, School initiative welcomed bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) issues • teaching relevant LGBT issues in lessons in a way THE CHURCH of England has welcomed the new £2 Nicky Morgan, Secretary of State for Education and that young people can understand million fund set up by the Department for Education to Minister for Women and Equalities, said: “Homopho- • making sure that victims are supported and perpetra- tackle homophobic bullying in schools. bic, biphobic and transphobic bullying affects every- tors understand the consequences of homophobic, The Church of England’s Chief Education Officer, the one, not just young people who may identify as LGBT. biphobic and transphobic bullying Rev Nigel Genders, said: “Bullying of any kind is never “Any young person who is different can find them- The spokesman added: “This government has been acceptable, and schools should always be places where selves subjected to distressing and intimidating homo- clear that schools should take tough action on all forms every pupil is encouraged to flourish and celebrate phobic abuse. of bullying and all schools must have a behaviour policy their identity. That is why we provided guidance, earlier “This funding will help schools take on the challenge that challenges all forms of bullying. this year, for schools on how to tackle homophobic bul- of making sure bullies do not stand in the way of our But the new fund was not universally welcomed. lying effectively, and I’m delighted that the Secretary of young people achieving their full potential.” Antonia Tully of Safe at School (part of the Society for State is now providing funding to help schools even fur- Jo Swinson, Minister for Women and Equalities, said: the Protection of Unborn Children) said: “Tax-paying ther.” “Young people should grow up feeling safe expressing parents will soon become aware that their money is A Government spokesman said that such bullying who they are, and we know that homophobic bullying actually being spent on the promotion of homosexuali- can deter children from being themselves, achieving stands in the way of this.” ty.