Hubris

My first reaction when I read the news that Jeffrey John is considering suing over not being appointed bishop, I doubted the story. Like Peter Ould , I thought The Very Rev. John had more class than this.

But apparently not. The story is now very much confirmed.

For the record, before this story came out, my main issue with Jeffrey John being made bishop was his teaching. Someone could have an impeccable moral life, but if he taught what John teaches, I would oppose him as bishop.

But now, with this display of hubris, I think he has all the more disqualified himself. In my Reformed Episcopal Church, it is well known that if a man lets it be known that he thinks he should be a bishop, that makes it unlikely he will ever be one. Such a lack of humility and sense of entitlement virtually disqualifies a man.

And to have such a sense of entitlement as to sue the church over not being enthroned . . . . May Jeffrey John never be made bishop.

Report: Jeffery John will not be Bishop of Southwark. (Thanks be to God.)

After earlier reports that Jeffery John was likely the next Bishop of Southwark, the Telegraph reports he will not be receiving a mitre anytime soon. Yes, some skepticism about the news media is in order.

I hope that report is accurate, and not so much because he is gay. He claims to be celibate, and I am willing to give him the benefit of the doubt on that even though he lives with his partner. Yes, I can be very generous on occasion. Enjoy it while you can.

However, I do not think anyone who teaches what he does should be made bishop. Also, I still want the Church of England and the Anglican Communion to succeed somehow somewhat within the bounds of the faith. And the appointment of Jeffery John would have been extremely divisive and repellent to many orthodox. Right now the CofE and the Communion need something like that like a hole in the head.

Kudos to Rowan Williams for seeing that and putting the unity of the church before his own personal views.

So, yes, I am relieved it apparently will not happen at this time at least.

Of course, that does not mean there is not wailing and gnashing of teeth.