Part 374. What a shambles

I gave up on religious organisations a while ago, partly as a consequence of my shift towards progressive and deconstructivist ideas, but also occasioned by my distaste for what is happening in the two denominations I engaged with on a regular basis.

I was an Adherent member of The Salvation Army for almost a decade, attracted to it by its work assisting marginalised individuals at point of need.  Sterling work.  However I became increasingly disenchanted by its failure to tackle its homophobic policies on soldiership and officership clothed in a fundamentalist interpretation of scripture.  Just under a year ago there was much wringing of hands at a conference at Warwick University but since then nothing has happened to change the policies of the Army.  Saying sorry is not enough: action is required to address and overcome the wrong done to gay individuals.

The Army has failed to speak out against the vicious homophobic legislation in some African states. Silence is acquiescence, as is neutrality.  More recently the Army has failed to speak out against the policies of the Trump administration attacking marginalised and deprived individuals.  The Pope has spoken out against aspects of the Trump programme but where is the condemnation from the General of The Salvation Army?

I enjoy the service of Matins and Evening Prayer according to the Book of Common Prayer (BCP).  Choral evensong is a delight.  It is not the theology or doctrine that attracts me, rather it is the language of  Cranmer et al. The changes made to the  BCP are a fascinating study of changes in doctrine and theology of the Church of England (CofE).

Sadly the CofE has become embroiled in matters pertaining to safeguarding leading to the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury and calls for the Archbishop of York to do likewise. Yesterday at the General Synod there was an opportunity for safeguarding in its entirety to be outsourced to an independent organisation.  This was a radical proposal supported by the Archbishop of York and the Bishop of London.  General Synod decided otherwise. Safeguarding provision as national level will be outsourced but retained within dioceses at local level, with the hope that at some indeterminate time diocesan safeguarding also will be outsourced. What a mess.  It would not surprise me if Parliament intervened to insist on total outsourcing.