Opinion Piece.
by RAFwN
Ed Tomlinson reports that he now believes in God, unlike this other bloke in the C of E.
Tomlinson, a former clergyman of the Anglican Church now quite openly states a complete and sincere belief in God. He is a theist who considers the scriptures something more than human literature. What are we to make of him?
Personally I find this sort of conservative rigidity in a clergyman not only absurd but frankly dishonest. What an affront to those who do disbelieve, to the audience in the pews whose giving pays his stipend! How does he stand at the altar with a straight face I wonder? Little surprise he opts to be filmed wearing clerical clothing. Perhaps the clothing of Merlin the Magician would be more appropriate though, given his place sowing seeds of medieval supersition amongst the Christian fold!
Of course there is nothing new in this sort of bufoonery which became popular with the infamous Ordinariates sparked by Keith Newton, John Broadhurst and Andrew Burnham, who came to believe that there was a God when serving as Anglican ‘flying bishops’ in the 1990′s. One might actually argue that this sort of wooly theological position has seen a small resurgance in the modern Church of England and that it is now possible to progress through its ranks holding these views as opposed to ‘reimagining’ the Creed in full.
One might want to ask why any church would allow for this sort of nonsense to be possible today? I mean the carnivorous society would be expected to not only tolerate, but elect the leader of the vegetarian society as its local representative! But more important than questioning why is the need for us to see in this man further evidence of creeping superstition among us all to some degree or another. Namely, we all have become luke warm in the West and have lost the reason and will and rational common sense that made John Spong an outstanding Christian witness just decades ago! Pray (meditate) today for those whose rationalism has grown cold or else who have no real common sense knowledge of the Historical Jesus.
I feel very, very sorry for non realists like Ed Tomlinson. They eek out a pathetic existence within a church they came to believe in, and left one that despite its troubles is just more sensible. Why on earth would anyone want to do that? Why didn’t he become a social worker instead? The pay would be much better.
The good news is that he became a Catholic priest. Because whilst he is completely honest in stating that the Catholic church requires a firm statement of belief before ordaining its members, the C of E does not. It does not demand that we hand write the Creed or solemnly promise that we not only believe it to be truth or to preach it. Sensible. Quite!
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UPDATE: A ‘Fr Barry Tomlinson’ – perhaps Ed’s evil twin brother or more sensible biological father – submitted this comment: ‘The [C of E] ordination service includes the following: “Bishop: ‘ I invite the archdeacon/registrar to confirm that the ordinands have taken the necessary oaths and made the Declaration of Assent.’
‘They have duly taken the oath of allegiance to the Sovereign and the oath of canonical obedience to the Bishop. They have affirmed and declared their belief in ‘the faith which is revealed in the Holy Scriptures and set forth in the catholic creeds and to which the historic formularies of the Church of England bear witness’.
What a disgrace it is that this rubbish is still going on in the C of E of all places! And in 2012?!
Rich Anglican Fudge (with Nuts!) 