Diocesan Omission

It now seems that the reorganisation scheme planned for the dioceses of Bradford, Wakefield and Ripon is to go ahead. For those disinclined to read the whole thing, it is a merger of the three dioceses into one, although for secret reasons it is very important that we do not say so.

Elect to Leave

In a secret location somewhere in the Province of Canterbury the Crown Nominations Commission meets today to select the next Primate. 

Secretly filmed footage has reached Plumstead Rectory of the moment when the Chairman of the Commission, Lord Luce, reviews the shortlist:

We Suppose He Became a Doctor When He Became a Dean

To the Cathedral this afternoon for the installation of Dr Wilcox as the new Dean. All seemed to go well, except for a slight stumble over the name of the current monarch, which perhaps indicates that the Dean is a true believer. We look forward, then, to his long silken waistcoats, his adherence to the rubric, and the elegant philosophy of his sermons. The last, at any rate, was in evidence.

Readers who are keeping score will note that Dr Wilcox went to the right college, but that he has no connexion (as far as we know) with the Diocese of York. If he had that advantage perhaps he would not have settled for a deanery. His loyalties are, however, east of the Pennines, as he was unwise enough to concede from the pulpit. Whether this was brave or foolhardy will be settled on Monday evening.
 
The Dean's lady is also noteworthy; a writer, she blogs at http://catherine-fox.blogspot.co.uk/. Readers who are lovers of ecclesiastical whimsy (and we have no others) will particularly enjoy Fifty Shades of Purple, starting here. Slopian readers easily shocked should not click the link. It's Mrs Bold indeed.

Precedents, Not Presidents

In his interview with Benedict Brogan, the Archbishop of Canterbury suggests the need for a presidential figure to take charge of the day-to-day affairs of the so-called Anglican Communion.

Let us leave aside, for the moment, the question of what those day-to-day duties might be, and whether they need to be done. Let us leave aside the practical implausibility of getting so-called Anglicans to agree on the person, or the duties. Let us leave aside the dubious distinction Dr Williams makes between “executive” and “spiritual” authority: a distinction which suggests he is not very familiar with the office and work of a bishop.

The Courage of His Convictions

Legal advice obliges me to point out that the title of this post does not refer to the member for Eastleigh. That gentleman aside, however, the Prime Minister should take no notice of the criticism levelled at him for offering knighthoods to former ministers.

We wish him to go further. We would not begrudge Lady Warsi's being a countess if Owen Paterson is made a baronet. And a dukedom is long overdue for the Marquess of Salisbury. Mr Daubeny made a duke, and people think more of that than anything he did.

A Small Change with Great Consequences

The substance of yesterday's Cabinet reshuffle will not interest us. The only appointment of note is that of the new Lord Chancellor: the first non-lawyer, apparently, to hold the office since Nicholas Heath, Chancellor under Queen Mary, 1555-1558.

Heath was at the same time Archbishop of York. Now if Dr Sentamu had been given Cabinet office yesterday that really would have been a story - as well as confirming the Plumstead Rectory theory of patronage.

The White Rose and the Purple

Belated congratulations to Canon Glyn Webster, after the announcement last week that heis to be the next Bishop of Beverley. After the late nomination of Dr Warner to Chichester (admittedly a not un-poisoned chalice) that makes two good appointments together. They must be putting something in the water at the Wash House; indeed simply to find two Anglo-Catholics in a row who are not actually insane speaks well for the diligence of their search.