Once I was a clever boy learning the arts of Oxford... is a quotation from the verses written by Bishop Richard Fleming (c.1385-1431) for his tomb in Lincoln Cathedral. Fleming, the founder of Lincoln College in Oxford, is the subject of my research for a D. Phil., and, like me, a son of the West Riding. I have remarked in the past that I have a deeply meaningful on-going relationship with a dead fifteenth century bishop... it was Fleming who, in effect, enabled me to come to Oxford and to learn its arts, and for that I am immensely grateful.


Sunday 11 September 2011

A new tenant at Lambeth Palace?


I do not, of course, know whether the report in today's Sunday Telegraph that the Archbishop of Canterbury intends to resign next year and return to academic life, and so enable his successor to prepare for the next Lambeth Conference, is true or not. He could, in fact, remain in office for another decade. In many ways it now makes no difference to me who is Archbishop of Canterbury, though it does occur to me that suitable candidates to succeed him are few and far between.

Further Dr Williams has done more than enough harm to the Church of England, starting at very least from his part is establishing "Affirming Catholicism" and its legacy of politically correct liberalism posing as serious theology. If he does now run away screaming from the mess he has helped create who could blame him? Unless, that is, one thinks he should have the gumption to try to clear up that very mess.

So why am I commenting, other than just being bitchy? Simply because I have predicted such a move by him for years, as many of my friends can testify - so you did n't hear it first from the Sunday Telegraph, I was in there first.

1 comment:

Last Knight said...

I seem to remember your Excellency predicting something along these lines when the appointment was announced. The really interesting question is what else he'll do when he stops being ABC. As a former Principal used to say: "He knows he's wrong..."