How do you begin to deliver The Gospel: A message of universal hope and salvation regardless of gender, ethnicity, or sexuality? Indeed, how do Ministers of Religion hope to spread the Good News when no one decides to listen? And why are they not listening - because some of those who peddle news of salvation simply cannot be believed, their very persona is a lie! There is no integrity in living out a double life, in hiding the true you; because your nature is an embarrassment to both you and the church. Of course, we speak of the generations of closeted gay clergy, not to mention those who have married to complete their perfected persona, thus increasing their chances of preferment.
Even worse when there are other double standards imposed upon clergy! Those on the pay role and including those who which to practice, as a practitioner of delivering the Sacraments - those trademarks which give the church credence to peddle its religion; they are subjugated to the authority or do we mean magisterium of the church. They themselves cannot marry nor engage in sexual activity if it doesn't fit the tight jacket. Such is the hold and emasculation that clergy subject themselves to under episcopal authority.
The church was struggling enough as is, obviously with a 50% decline of bums on pews over a ten year period and there are no signs of that inevitably of further decline ceasing.
Then came along Safeguarding and Data Protection and Subject Access... Yes, more costs, financial and time to simply tick the boxes.
Now the Church of England like society must conform - no special place for it to hide. Or does it... ? What if legislation provided the CofE with a 'quadruple lock' for gay marriage in an Established Church with all the Rights of Privileges, it has here to enjoyed. But a quadruple lock was granted by parliament, now the church faces criticism and threatened with Disestablishment by MP's such as Ben Bradshaw MP. Surely, the parish Church must not, can not, exercise discrimination, refusing to Marry Mr & Mrs Nobodies daughter to her proposed wife Ann, and their second son Adam who wishes to marry Jason but will marry their youngest Able who has just turned 17, but wanting to marry a 40-year-old neighbour who they have known for years called Mandy.
But, has anyone stopped to wonder why the CofE has less followers on Twitter and all social media combined, than your average pop singer who has but already enjoyed a short shelf life? And why... not because the church isn't cool or has completely outserved its purpose. No it's because a seven-year-old child can challenge a teacher in class and say aloud, 'Those Christians are prejudiced, they discriminate against gays. My family say I shouldn't discriminate and be prejudiced, just like we say in school too.' The teacher is lost for words. From the mouths of babes - we have heard that somewhere before!
- In all our activities we endeavour to safeguard everyone.
- We are committed to promoting and supporting a safe and friendly environment.
- When concerns are raised we respond immediately to those concerns; we follow the diocesan procedures and take all concerns and allegations seriously.
But frankly, when it comes to the CofE what does Safeguarding really mean? Why even during its latest endeavours to look at and seek out 'pastcases' why is there scepticism? There are some of us who simply believe that it seeks to safeguard itself!
Having taken issue and with good reason with the CofE, I gave it some thought and even penned this to the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, of course, it went met with no response!
A
personal reflection…
1.
I cannot imagine any credibility as with all
bodies that are ‘internal’ for Safeguarding being inhouse. One is always
preconditioned by faith and a faith therefore in the system/establishment.
Any organism is ‘hardwired’ for self-survival which in turn spills over to
survival of the fittest. Safeguarding cannot be about securing the future of
the church. The church theologically should appear vulnerable.
2.
An inherent problem to the above, would simply
be for a DSA to fully understand the church and its functionality and systems.
3.
All dioceses must adhere to National
Guidelines over all matters, e.g. in what information a DSA should divulge and
when avoiding the fissiparous tendencies to date.
4.
It would be
advisable to have standardised documents, e.g. A Police Officer comes afresh to
a DSO with a case/allegation of a cleric. There should be in place
information such as; His/Her personal Blue File will be in the Diocese where
the individual served or has a PTO and such terms explained.
5.
Further, to the above, I have a personal
concern for Safeguarding Officers having a personal faith that it will be
unduly compromised and threatened. This would also suggest that counselling
should be available & ongoing support, one would suggest by a consistent
approach or therefore assigned mentor, who is capable of monitoring the Officer
overtime.
Suggestions, (not knowing what is in place as I write, but
suggestions nonetheless.)
6.
I gather the Church of Rome has in place a
system of a ‘credit card’ style of accreditation for clergy with their portrait
printed on it too. And I gather this is reviewed and validated periodically.
This allows clergy to verify who they are & that they are in good standing
also… Not say on the Lambeth List or other such lists and possibly their
status.
7.
Frankly, in this day and age there should also
be a concerted effort to put all Blue Files / Lambeth Lists on a National
Database, password protected as to the varying levels of information. This
would give a good deal of credibility. And avoid issues such as: The Archbishop
of York had his palace flooded and the files possibly destroyed. And others
responding, but the floor was raised and the subsequent flooding has been
nowhere near as bad as…
8.
To seek out and moderate approaches across the
Anglican Communion (And there would be mileage to reach out to other major
denominations… as Safeguarding isn’t going to go away.
9.
In the event of 8. Proving unobtainable, then
to have a ‘ring-fence’ security around the CofE within these Isles, enforcing a
greater degree of scrutiny on individuals entering and seeking a PTO. My own
experience with the Church in South Africa has proved interesting.
10. Information
should regularly (suggest annually) be put out to all parishes informing all
that Safeguarding is everyone’s concern and due vigilance ought to be
exercised. In my own case, a then known gay member of a congregation; taking
two choirboys away for a weekend to stay in a caravan in The Lakes and in
January! (Beggars belief!) YES!
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Further to the above, I am a firm believer in disestablishment -
the Church in Wales might claim to have thrived since its disestablishment. For
therein an Established Church to my mind cannot seek to have the law function
differently for it... Of course, here I speak of Clergy relationships and
partnering. But, most of what I would like to add here; I have over some years
already sent to Lambeth Palace - as I find in my SAR.
Christopher Bowman 08/06/2019.
Appendix:
DSA Diocesan Safeguarding Officer
PTO Permission to
Officiate
SAR Subject Access
Request
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