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This is Jersey

Churches in Jersey move to prevent Swine flu spread

CHURCHES in Jersey are introducing emergency measures to ensure that only the word of God – and not swine flu – is spread during Holy Communion.

The new hygiene rules, being implemented by the Catholic Church and the Church of England, are designed to reduce the risk of a mass summer outbreak of the virus.

They are being introduced following advice from the Catholic Diocese of Portsmouth and the Archbishops of Canterbury and York. Churches across Britain are also introducing the new regulations.

From this weekend, Catholic churchgoers in Jersey will be asked not to shake hands during the sign of peace and instead place their own hands together, turn to their neighbours and say: ‘Peace be with you.’

So far, 50 Islanders have been affected by swine flu since the virus spread to Jersey in June. A flu helpline is available on 445566 between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm from Monday to Friday.

The Christian Institute

Secularist elite will not tolerate faith in politics

Telegraph

By Ed West

The National Secular Society aren’t secular – they’re atheist bigots

The National Secular Society are having a fit because the SNP have chosen a member of Opus Dei for the Glasgow North-East by-election. They said:

“The concern for voters would be that such a person would have their allegiance to the Church and not to the SNP. It is one thing to bring your religious beliefs to politics, but it is another to bring the dogmas of a right-wing Catholic organisation. That would be the worry for voters.”

To those so thick they think the Da Vinci Code is real, maybe, and the folks at the NSS are always happy enough to use that sinister image to stir up anti-Catholic and anti-Christian feelings. As Tim Montgomerie writes at ConservativeHome:

The NSS are making a fake distinction between Opus Dei and all Christianity. The NSS’s true agenda is pretty transparent. I am not a member of Opus Dei. I am not even a Catholic. But I am an Anglican and I worry that the attacks on Opus Dei and David Kerr are the latest stage in a secular fundamentalism that is trying to push people of faith outside the public square.

And they’re clearly winning. It is now commonly accepted in many circles that someone’s religious faith can neutralise their opinion on certain issues. If you’re anti-abortion, don’t mention you’re  a Roman Catholic; if you’re a Jew, you would support Israel, wouldn’t you? Never mind that there are perfectly rational reasons for having these beliefs.

The NSS’s arguments, now accepted by a large number of people, are two-fold. One, that a religious person will have dubious second loyalties, be it to an earthly place like Rome or to some personal deity in his head. Two, that since these religions are based on irrationality, their moral codes have no value.

The first argument is strange – millions of British citizens have conflicting loyalities, feeling themselves both British and Indian, Nigerian or Jamaican. I have mixed feelings when England play Ireland at football – does that discount me from public office? A religious loyalty might matter where someone followed a faith hostile to Britain, say Wahhabism, but such a scenario rules out most Muslims and all Jews, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs and Buddhists. Britain is never going to be an enemy of the Vatican (or for that matter Israel).

As for the question of dogma – are not aspects of modern liberalism “dogma”, faith systems themselves? When Harriet Harman or Ed Balls press ahead with policy based on the belief that all human beings are genetically equally intelligent or capable, is that stone-cold rationalism?

Someone should prosecute the NSS for false labelling, because what they campaign for is not secularism. According to my dictionary secularism is “the belief that the state, morals, education etc, should be independent of religion”. Wikipedia describes it as  “the assertion that governmental practices or institutions should exist separately from religion and/or religious beliefs”. I can support that, as can the vast majority of Christians in the UK.

What the NSS want is to drive religion out of public life completely, which is not secularism but atheist tyranny of a rather mild sort, an officially godless (small-g) state where religion is only allowed in private, and where religious people are not allowed toi hold views on certain issues because they are based on “dogma”, nor to hold office because they could have mixed loyalties.

The NSS website is a catalogue of anti-Christian propaganda, mixed in with tales from real theocracies like Saudi Arabia and Iran to discredit religion in general. They’re free to hold those opinions, of course, but it’s not secularism. I’m more of a secularist than anyone at the NSS; they should just be honest and change their name to the National Atheist Society.

From Virtue Online

by The Rt. Rev. Dr. Mark S. Camp, Th.D.
CANA – Convocation of Anglicans in North America

I write with a sense of urgency to those of you who consider yourselves to be Christians and who are still attending The Episcopal Church. First off, I want you to know that this is not a ploy to get you to come to Church of the Trinity. This is written out of a true concern for your spiritual welfare. I am going to be very blunt and to the point in this because quite frankly, someone has to be. So here goes.

The Episcopal Church is no longer a Christian Church. In fact, it is now a laughingstock among Christian Churches around the world. Here’s why. First, I am writing this on July 17, 2009. The General Convention of The Episcopal Church has just concluded its meeting in Anaheim, California.

Just a few days ago, in her opening remarks to the Convention, Presiding Bishop Schori stated that to believe that an individual person could pray a prayer of repentance and be saved was heresy and idolatry. I am dead serious my brothers and sisters. The leader of your church denied that an individual could pray, ask for forgiveness from God, and be saved from his or her sins. This is exactly the opposite of what the Word of God teaches. You know this and I know this. For her to say what she said is rank heresy. It is to deny the teaching of the Holy Apostles and the Church Fathers. It is to deny the teaching of Christianity for over 2000 years.

Today, in spite of all the warnings from around the Anglican Communion not to do so, your church has decided that gays, lesbians, bi-sexual, and transgendered people can be ordained to the ministry, even as bishops. Now we know they are already doing this, but now it is officially the teaching of your church. Even the Archbishop of Canterbury asked them not to do this. Homosexuality is very clearly taught as a sin in the Bible. My brothers and sisters what is next? Can a man or woman who has sex with young children or animals be permitted to be clergy in your church? After all, who can now call sin a sin in your church? There is no limit whatsoever as to what constitutes a “loving sexual relationship.” Nothing is off limits now within The Episcopal Church. Bishop Gene Robinson, the gay bishop of New Hampshire, has just recently announced in the media that the Episcopal Church is the gay church.

You have bishops and priests in your church who do not believe in the miracles that Jesus performed. Many do not believe in the Virgin Birth. Many bishops, including the Presiding Bishop believe that there are many ways that a person can be saved. Jesus just happens to be one of many ways. Many do not believe that Jesus physically rose from the dead. Many do not believe that Jesus is coming again. My dear Brothers and Sisters, you know in your heart that all of this is contrary to what the Bible teaches.

By following these false prophets and false teachers you are being led on a path to Hell and destruction. You are willingly submitting yourself to spiritual starvation.

My question to you is, “Why? Why don’t you leave heresy and apostasy and find a place where the Word of God is believed and taught and where Jesus Christ is honored as the ONLY Lord and Sovereign King? Why don’t you go where you can grow spiritually instead of having to hear the latest social gospel or some commentary on Millennial Development Goals. Why not be where the Bible is actually explained so that you can understand it instead of being where some gay activist who calls himself or herself a priest rants for 15 minutes about equal rights for gay people instead of actually preaching a Biblically based sermon? Why not go somewhere where you are taught that you can actually have love for homosexuals without having to condone their sins?

Contrary to what your bishops and clergy tell you, TEC is losing members at an alarming rate. Many dioceses are now in severe financial hardships. Many cathedrals are having to close. I promise you that your bishops and priests are hiding much of the truth from you. They tell you that TEC is an “inclusive” church but IT IS NOT. You cannot be an orthodox and conservative priest and bishop and last long in TEC if you are vocal about what you believe.

Now in all fairness and charity, let me say that within the Episcopal Church there are a few remaining orthodox bishops and a few remaining orthodox dioceses and parishes. They are trying to fight the valiant fight for the faith once delivered to the saints. But unfortunately, they are organizationally compromised by being under the authority of the governance of the national church. Imagine how hard it must be for them to try and share the Gospel and evangelize when society views TEC as a church with no Gospel to proclaim and as a church where anything goes. Imagine the heartache they must be going through, especially after this past week. My heart goes out to the brothers and sisters of these parishes. We must pray diligently for them without ceasing.

If you consider yourself a true Christian who has made Jesus Christ the Lord and King of your life and you are still in The Episcopal Church, I urge you to run as fast as possible to the nearest exit, shake the dust off your feet and flee the wrath of God to come. God will not be mocked.

As I said earlier, this is not a ploy to get you to come to Church of the Trinity. There are many fine, conservative, orthodox Anglican churches here in the Atlanta area that will welcome you. If you are not close to one find a church of another denomination or a non-denominational church to attend. My friend, that is much better than being unequally yoked with heretics in TEC. You cannot keep your head in the sand any longer and think that you are no longer affected.

I plead with you, as a brother in Christ, who cares for your spiritual welfare, flee the burning house while you still have time.

Your servant by the Grace and Mercy of God,

Mark+

The Christian Institute

Man arrested for assisting suicide

Anglican Mainstream

Ruth Gledhill:  View from Fleet Street  Church of England Newspaper

Just like the Church of my birth, I am inwardly divided.  I’ve always believed in the adage, ‘bloom where you are planted’ and that has meant that I’ve resisted the temptation to move away from the Church of England when it has occurred.  One of those occasions was many years ago when I was sent to interview a Sea of Faith clergyman who, until his stipend was threatened, didn’t seem to think it mattered that he didn’t believe in God.  That sea seems pretty dead now, or at least its not floating any boats on my horizons these days. The diocese in question got rid of him before my own concerns cyrstallised into action, and things moved on. I got an insight back then into how many clerics had beliefs, or lack of beliefs, that even in today’s secularized society would shock.

Many of them have now retired and the Church, and along with it the General Synod, has shifted noticeably to the right. By ‘right’ in this context I mean in a conservative direction, whether to the ‘New Wine” style of evangelicalism of the charismatic movement, or the more hard-line, Calvinist-style approach of Reform.

And although church attendance is not exactly booming, the evangelicals are often not given enough credit for the fact that the decline that has been a feature of the post-war era is definitely showing signs of bottoming out. In some places, such as London, it is in reverse, and London is where many of the most thriving evangelical churches – HTB, St Helen’s – are based.

So the evangelicals, from my perspective formed out of 23 years on The Times , of which 21 have been spent on this beat, are winning the battle within the Church, and have been for some time.  The battle they are not winning, yet, is that with the wider society.  For all the posturing, sermonizing and clarion calls for gospel values, society is proceeded relentlessly along its secularizing liberal path.

Where does that leave people like me, and I believe there are many, many of us?  My own background is Anglo-Catholic. I’ve become increasingly liberal as my one-time opposition to women’s ordination has melted away like the ice caps in an age of global warming.

My own church, St Ann’s in Kew, where you’ll find more incense than in Rome at Mass on Sunday morning, became a resolution A and B parish and almost opted for C. But we’re all changing. The only ABC we recognize is the one at Lambeth.  The other day we even had a woman celebrant, and I don’t think anyone except me even noticed. Yet we still believe in God, love the Prayer Book, the rhythm of the liturgical year, go to ‘proper’ confession when necessary. Many of us, like me, also revel in the music of the evangelicals. Besides being stirred in our souls by the charismatic power of Peter Jensen, the best bits about the launch of the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans were the worship songs.

Yet how bizarre to see traditionalist Bishop of Fulham John Broadhurst up there on the stage talking about how when he was ordained he did not believe in the devil, but now he did and knew where he lived. Satan resides at Church House, he told us. Even Dr Jensen looked slightly startled by this one. Let’s hope Father John was just joking.

I confess I’ve ‘joined’ FCA and if you’ve tried to do this you will realize that this means ticking a box where you sign up to the fellowship’s beliefs. It seemed to be the only way to get on their email list to be kept in touch with events.

My conscience is only slightly troubled. There’s not much to disagree with in the Jerusalem declaration from Gafcon last year.

The trouble is, I support gay ordination, believe the Church should bless gay partnerships under the same principles as it does heterosexual marriage, and support the ordination of women bishops.

Given that, should I even be writing for this newspaper ( the CEN), you and others might justifiably be asking? My view on the above issues is that we should be allowed to confess according to our own conscience in line with our Church’s teaching, as set out by the Bishops, and there is nothing in my beliefs which contradicts what the Church of England teaches. Ultimately, I believe, God is the judge. Where there is doubt, charity must prevail, and this opens the door to justice and truth.

For me, one of the most significant aspects of FCA is the involvement of New Wine.  This is a network that never gets involved in politics. Paul Perkin, vicar of St Mark’s Battersea Rise, who chaired the FCA launch is New Wine. And among the greetings, alongside those from the Queen and the Archbishop of Canterbury as this little noticed offering from Rev John Coles of the New Wine Network:

“This is a follow-on to GAFCON last year, at which I was present along with others from the UK. A conference is becoming a movement. Having talked again to Henry Orombi when he was with us for our Leadership Conference, I am sure this is an important movement and Monday is an important gathering. It’s important for us to show solidarity with orthodox and persecuted Anglicans in North America; it’s important for us to show that there is a strong group of orthodox Anglicans in the Church of England; and it’s important for us to stand together against the slow but steady conforming influence of secular humanism within the Church of England”

I wish the US Church had not split, and pray the same thing does not happen here. In spite of protestations that it is just a movement, there are worrying sings that it could be a ‘schismatic’ movement. These have been spelled out by the new Bishop of Sherborne, Graham Kings, on the Fulcrum site and others.

But maybe it will not split the Church of England. Maybe it is indeed simply ‘new wine’ in an old skin. The grace of the Spirit can be an extraordinary thing, and who knows what can happen.  None of us, homosexuals, women, ordinary Anglicans, not even FCA, should give up on the Church of England yet.

I like to think that we all knew this intuitively…or perhaps not nowadays?

Anyway here is some research for you from the Newscientist and reported by The Christian Institute

Fathers bring unique input to child-rearing

Anglican Mainstream

Yesterday the Church of England Newspaper printed an article which claimed that AM was encouraging a boycott of Greenbelt (GB), and which included various negative responses to the original article I had written.  Caught in the middle of it all, of course, are groups like CMS and Church Army, as well as more theologically liberal ones like the YMCA.  Here I would simply like to note three things.

First, I believe GB does many things incredibly well, and engages in a wide range of topics and issues  which sit solidly within an orthodox Christian framework.  I commend its biblically-based heart for the poor, and the lost, the least, the last; its environmental awareness; and its investment in a wholistic vision of life and faith, among other things.   However, I am still deeply concerned.  Another agenda is present as well, and it is covertly but effectively dismantling traditional Christian sexual ethics under the guise of  LGBT rights and sexual authenticity and self-expression.   Lambeth 1.10 is not contested — oh, no, that would be a foolish and even unnecessary move — it is simply overwritten with another and more apparently engaging script.  And what is worrying is that these two agendas now openly, easily co-exist in an unapologetically ’Christian’ event — and almost no one appears to notice.

Secondly, returning to the CoE article, it was a pity about how the issue of whether organizations are actually ’supporters’ or merely ‘associates’ of GB was handled.  ln what I wrote after the initial article, I acknowledged that in fact they termed themselves ‘associates’ and thus believed that they should not be held accountable for GB’s ethos and ideology.  They insist they have nothing to do with the platforms adopted by GB.  That is fair enough, but I wonder if it is not overlooking an obvious point.  Regardless of the precise nature of this relationship, the average reader going on GB’s site and noting the various logos at the bottom of every single GB page — at least I could not locate any without them — may come away with the notion that these groups were in some sort of agreement with with GB’s essential ethos and ideology, might they not?  Indeed, reading GB’s own views would indicate that it believes there is a far closer and warmer tie between them all which is deeply appreciated on various fronts, including the financial. See for yourself here: (Under ‘partnerships’, p 37).

And that brings me to my final point.  Having now spent significant time on GB’s site, I would like to answer another criticism, which was that my concerns about the ‘gayficiation’ of GB were exaggerated.  I have been told by those who have been contacted by GB — I have yet to receive a response myself — and other organizations that the GB ideal is of an orthodox Christian centre with sincere and honest exploration outside the boundaries, as it were.  Sounds great!  However, in my view what is actually on the site itself points to a radically different agenda.  But each must decide for her/himself.  If you type in http://www.greenbelt.org.uk/search?q=gay you will find various LGBT events put on in the past; of course, after this year’s GB, there will be significant additions to this listing, not merely Gene Robinson’s event. The following article — ‘Yet more on Greenbelt and the gayification of evangelicalism part II’ — gives examples.

I quote from GB’s site, where one can read of the 2008 event entitled, ‘Coming Out, Staying in Church’:  ‘”The gay issue” has become the hot potato du jour, and for some is the unofficial litmus test for separating the heretics from the sound. However, while theologians with views to share on the subject are ten a penny, often the people who are personally affected by the issue are left out of the debate. LGBT people are present in congregations up and down the country, from the most high of the high churches to the most free of the free churches, but their voices and stories are rarely heard. This panel seeks to redress that. It will be chaired by Max Manin. Max is currently chair of Changing Attitude, a group pressing for LGBT voices to be heard in all corners of the Anglican communion, and in his day job is CEO of the Diocese of Lincoln. In a past life he was deputy chief executive of Stonewall, the leading LGBT rights group in the UK.’

From the Cramner Blog

Anti-Semitic attacks increase in the UK

The United Kingdom has seen an unprecedented number of anti-Semitic ‘hate crimes’, with more incidents recorded in just the first half of 2009 than in any previous entire year.

Up until the end of June, there had been 609 recorded anti-Semitic incidents ranging from verbal abuse to extreme violence, compared with 276 in the same period last year. Alarmingly, 77 have been classified as ‘extreme violence’ – an attack which could cause loss of life or grievous bodily harm. Most incidents took place in London and Manchester, the two biggest Jewish communities in Britain.

The Community Security Trust (CST), which advises Britain’s estimated 300,000 Jews on safety issues, said it was the highest number it had recorded since it began collating figures in 1984.

The response of the political parties to this sinister development is that of unqualified condemnation, except in the case of Shahid Malik, the Communities and Local Government minister responsible for cohesion. He said: “This rise in anti-Semitism is not just concerning for the British Jewish communities but for all those who see themselves as decent human beings. The fight against anti-Semitism is a fight that should engage us all. This country will not tolerate those who seek to direct hatred towards any part of our community.”

He then adds: “Of course it may be legitimate for individuals to criticise or be angry at the actions of the Israeli Government but we must never allow this anger to be used to justify anti-Semitism.”

It is a nuanced distinction, for how many can be bothered to reason that the Israeli Government does not speak for global Jewry? Or that the Zionists are not all Jews? Or that not all Jews are Zionists?

If it is legitimate for individuals to be angry at Israel’s Gaza offensive against Hamas militants, where are the government guidelines on how this anger may be legitimately expressed? Of course it is illegal to assault the nearest convenient Jew, set fire to a synagogue or desecrate a Jewish grave with a swastika. These are universal laws for the protection of person and property. But the violent marches and threatening protests we have witnessed on the streets of London have been permitted and tolerated despite them being manifest expressions of anti-Semitism, against which the police opted to do nothing.

Is it ‘legitimate’ to burn the Star of David on London’s steeets? Is it ‘legitimate’ to carry placards denigrating Jews or insulting Judaism?

Can you imagine the furore and immediate police response if anyone ever dared to burn a rainbow flag or carry a placard saying ‘Down with Gays!’ in an expression of ‘gay hatred’?

If these marches had been against homosexuality, the authorities would have stamped out the protest and arrested people for ‘homophobia’. No government minister would have said, “It may be legitimate for individuals to criticise or be angry at the actions of the homosexuals.” If these marches had been against Islam, the authorities would have stamped out the protest and arrested people for ‘Islamophobia’. No government minister would have said, “It may be legitimate for individuals to criticise or be angry at the actions of Muslims.”

But Israel and Jews?

There is no recognised ‘phobia’ to incite the police to intervene, especially when the hatred is manifest by a swarm of masked, extremist Muslims baying for Israeli-Jewish blood. Anti-Semitism has such a long heritage across so many continents that its endurability and ubiquity have almost become excuses for acquiescence and toleration. Especially with a Leftist anti-Semitic media which perpetuates the narrative that ‘they brought it on themselves’.

It is time for anti-Semitism to be elevated in the national consciousness to the status of homophobia and Islamophobia: that is, zero tolerance; summary arrest and detention at the merest whiff of it. If police stations are so keen to promote ‘diversity training’ that they fly the rainbow flag to remind them of their equality obligations, let them from time to time also fly the Star of David.

Or are ‘legitimate’ manifestations of anti-Semitism to be ‘understood’ each time Israel tries to defend herself?

A Swine Flu briefing note has been issued to priests in the Diocese of Westminster.

The briefing note includes information on key public health infection control measures. It also includes guidance on the Liturgy which allow parish priests to make decisions appropriate to local conditions and which are epidemiologically and pastorally valid. The briefing note can be found at the bottom of this page,

It is expected that further guidance will be issued later in the year as the progress of the flu pandemic unfolds.

The Swine Flu pandemic: Briefng note for parishes in the Diocese of  Westminster

1. Introduction

Over the past weeks, it has become apparent that the Diocese of Westminster includes parts of England and Wales where clusters of Swine Flu cases exist.

In view of this, it is appropriate to issue a reminder of key public health infection control measures.

This briefing note also includes guidance on the Liturgy which allow parish priests to make decisions appropriate to local conditions and which are epidemiologically and pastorally valid. It is expected that further guidance will be issued later in the year as the progress of the flu pandemic unfolds.

2. What is Swine Flu and the risks of transmission

Swine influenza (A H1N1) is a highly contagious acute respiratory disease of pigs, caused by one of several swine influenza viruses. As with regular, seasonal influenza, transmission of Influenza A H1N1 is

i) largely person to person, by spread of droplets from the respiratory secretions of infected individuals. These can directly contact healthy people’s nose, mouth, or eyes, resulting in infection, or

ii) by contamination of surfaces with infective droplets.

3. General Infection Control Advice

The key infection control measures for pandemic influenza in general community settings are fairly well rehearsed. The most important advice is to maintain clean hands.

Practice good hygiene.

Use the “Catch it, bin it, kill it” messages (sneeze into a tissue, dispose of the tissue and then wash hands carefully).

More information is available at www.direct.gov.uk/en/Swineflu/DG_177831

Wash your hands often. Wash with soap and water. Be sure to use a (paper) towel to turn off the tap handles so as not to recontaminate your hands. The same applies to doorknobs. If you can’t wash your hands, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Frequent cleaning of other touchpoints such as telephones, light fittings etc with an ordinary cleaning product to prevent droplet infection.

Keep your hands away from your face, or wash them first.

4. Application to parishes

In essence the key risks during public liturgy in a pandemic are:

i) the inherent risks from being in a large public gathering.

ii) the risks of contaminating hands during the sign of peace because of people sneezing/coughing on their hands or surfaces.

iii) the risk of contaminating the minister’s hands and chalice during communion with respiratory secretions and passing these on directly into other peoples’ mouths.

Infection control in parishes should include:

Priests meeting and greeting parishoners; ensure hands are washed before beginning Mass.

Provide hand washing facilities or alcohol based sanitizers for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion before they commence their ministry.

You should also keep in close touch with local schools to help assess the situation in your parish.

5. Decisions at parish level on suspension of the Chalice, Communion on the Tongue and Sign of Peace

Handshaking, communion given on the tongue and sharing the chalice could be vectors for droplets of respiratory secretion to pass from one person to another. In particular:

The Chalice and Communion on the Tounge- this is a source of potential infection during a large local outbreak.

The Sign of Peace – suspending or changing this to a bow or other gesture during a large local outbreak.

All of the questions should be able to be answered in the affirmative before a decision is taken to suspend or change practice. However, as this guidance note has been issued at the start of the school summer holiday break, question 2 may not be valid until the start of the autumn term.

It is suggested that a staged approach be taken. Stage 1 is to suspend the chalice/communion on the tongue. Stage 2 Change in the sign of peace. If at a later date, government advice suggests suspending public gatherings, further guidance will be issued.

Stage 1 Suspension of the Chalice and Communion on the Tounge

1. There are a large number of cases swine flu locally

2. At least some schools have closed or have very high levels of sickness
absence including schools which educate the parish children

3. There are multiple confirmed or suspected cases known to be near the parish community or are personally known to parishioners

Stage 2 Suspending or changing the Sign of Peace

1. There are a large number of cases locally

2. At least some local schools have closed or are operating on very high
levels of absence including the schools which educate the parish children

3. There are multiple confirmed or probable cases in the parish community

If you answer ‘No’ to any of the questions in the two stages above, then it is not necessary to make the relevant Suspensions. However, the more general infection control advice should be followed.

5. Further Information

General Information about Swine Flu can be obtained from the Direct Gov website: www.direct.gov.uk/en/Swineflu/DG_177831

Information concerning London can be obtained from:
www.londonprepared.gov.uk/londonsplans/emergencyplans/flu.jsp

Information can also be obtained from your local authority.