Imagine if your life, beliefs and existence was reduced to headlines and comments. Imagine if something huge had happened to you, possibly the greatest action ever AND a world first and you were boxed by headlines and comments.
This is , of course , something that happens on a daily bases to those who reach the headlines at all. But it is worth a little thought and a pause when we consider the newly appointed Archbishop of Canterbury, the first women to take on this position, ever. The year is 2025. In the early 1900 , women in Britain fought for the rights of women to be able to vote. Interesting is it not that the public actions of the Suffragette movement, created awareness significantly enough that this essential right was won. Women were allowed to be elected as members to parliament in 1928. This Archbishop of Canterbury will be the first women to do this again , as Archbishop, in 2025.
As I scanned the headlines and comments sections of the stories or statements given about Sarah Mullally, appointment, it struck me how each one framed her appointment .
" Sarah Mullally becomes first women Archbishop of Canterbury amid ongoing Anglican disputes over same sex marriage"
" Nigerian Anglican communion opposes leftward drift ....."
" First female Archbishop criticized for being pro-abortion..."
'Historic Archbishop appointment divides Anglicans"
" Conservatives church group condemns the choice...."
" Women named as first Archbishop..."
"First women archbishop .... can't preside over communion of hundreds of churches"
" Appointment of New Archbishop continues the tragic slide into irrelevances"
Scathing in general and very painful to digest. I find the framing and wording issued by many who object and reject her appointment deeply problematic. These views clearly do not reflect my own as a follower of Jesus and nor, do I believe , they reflect the heart and purpose of God and the church.
" Patriarchal interpretations of the bible fail to start at the beginning. " Lisa Sharon Harper , The Very Good Gospel . Do I think this is purposeful? If I am honest, yes.
Beth Alison Barr's book is a beautiful unpacking of this story. I am not going to write about this book here but except to say, read it. And not with the mind to critic it but to learn from it.
The most infuriating thing is that the excluding and demeaning of women to the notion of equality in roles h seeks to exclude half humanity represented in the church. Women are thought of as different and other in this patriarchal view of the bible. Just look at the framing of the headlines and a brief scanning of the articles in question.
But who exactly is this new archbishop?
Who exactly is Sarah Mullally? This for me is the question. What does she think, breath , desire and work for ?
Lets hear from her should we?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dVKmd4xulDc
The history of the Church Of England with regard to women is very interesting and is upacked helpfully in this quick video below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uE5BdB7hJ08
I listened to a conservative reform view of this appointment which I am not sharing here.It was very revealing. woman in this important church leadership position was extremely revealing. The minister came across as caring less about the new archbishop being a woman and more about her views on gender # Queerness and, of course, the old nemesis , abortion. I think he was not entirely honest here because it is precisely because a woman has been appointed to this position that they fear what follows on. For, a conservative reform woman would never put her hand up for such a "role" she understands here place. Interestingly , this is what 2 ministers in the SA context have said out loud. Here is the paraphrase of both. - We can't ordain women. It is a slippery slope and the next thing we will be allowing "gays" in. I will pause here for a moment for the reader to digest this.
The church claims NOT to be a political beast but when we scratch a little of the surface or when a women is selected for such a powerful position we forget all the "for such a time as this" stuff and see how truly political the church is. We also see the very essence of reform theology exposed.
The notion that God has spoken and does speak and will speak into the future - in exactly the same way for all people over all the world at all times in the same way makes no sense at all. This is about theology which I have explored I previous post on Threads. But it is also about emphasis. Where do I, as a Christ follower who reads the bible in a very small and systematic way put my focus?
For some reformers it is on Gods wrath and judgement with a shake of his love and for others it lands more heavily on the love of God. Even this subtle emphasis will influence how faith works out in life.
Of course I am giving a small taste of a much larger conversation but it is THE conversation for the a part of the church in 2025. Notice what is missing from this conversation? Issues of justice and injustice; how the powerful rule; what poverty looks like in 2025 including - homelessness, the aged , food security and sovereignty and all this without stepping towards the important issues of racial inequality, racism, restitution and land. What of climate change and climate migration? What about systems that are failing us or corrupting . What about GBV. These important issues and they are no where to be seen. These issues are absent from the churches agenda despite the obvious nature of these playing out in the world. The "simply" or simplified gospel will work no matter the issue is the thinking. Simply tell people about Jesus and their need for him and changed lives will solve all issues. Unless, of course, it is gender and queerness or , abortion AND both of THESE issues begin and end with the ordination of ..... women. The slippery slope. The ridiculousness all of this is glaringly evident even as a write these words down.
It would seem that there are 2 completely different churches and two completely different purposes or understanding of the church. One that is eating itself from within over cultural issues like to queer people have a place in Gods kingdom on earth, as queer people and should women be given equality, true equality under it's roof . It is easy to see how the reform church people loved and followed the figure of Charlie Kirk. He represented their narrow selective culture "war" issues. The things that have been chosen as the church's foundational gospel issues, for now AND on which they can easily "discern" and mold who is a "real' christian and who is not.
I still my anger and cynicism of church as an institution with the reminder that God loves people. That he does. Christian people may not show to people but that does not change the truth that God does love people. The outcast and marginalised . Those who are powerless. I do believe that Sarah Mullally is placed " for such a time as this"
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