The Bishop of Beverley on General Synod

This letter from the Bishop of Beverley on General Synod is outstanding. The man writes with such clarity, it makes one wonder how he ever became a bishop! I especially like this bit of truth-telling:

There is something near hypocritical about folk who abolish one Catholic practice after another within our church and then seek to hide behind the fig leaf of each territorial diocese and its bishop needing to be sacrosanct, as at present, in order to maintain Catholic faith and order.

His view of the near future of English Anglo-Catholics is also clear-eyed – and not as pessimistic as some (including mine):

What then for the future? Presumably legislation will be introduced into Synod offering a way forward by means of a Code of Practice. In due time such legislation will work itself through the synodical process and return to General Synod for final approval in two or three years’ time. Judging from the voting figures in the recent synod at York, I find it hard to believe that such legislation will then command the two-thirds majority required within each of the three houses of General Synod for it to be enacted. There will probably be, too, a new General Synod elected by then, in 2010. It is more important than ever that we organise well for those elections.

I hope English Anglo-Catholics persevere and follow his good counsel.