Sir, The Church of England is to be congratulated on its audacious plan to solve its longstanding financial difficulties (
“Church of England votes to ordain women bishops”, July 8). Simultaneously lopping off both the Evangelical and Anglo-Catholic wings will free up many millions of pounds worth of property. It is not just the redundant churches, with so much development potential, but the vicarage, and usually a curate’s house as well, often in prime locations, that will generate much needed cash. Anglo-Catholic parishes have the bonus of being brimming with exquisite silverware, from pre-Reformation days right up to today. It will take some time for the pensions savings to work through the system, but other benefits will appear sooner. These two wings are between them responsible for a disproportionate amount of expensive evangelism.
The new slimmer Church of England will then be able to concentrate on its primary function of being an equal opportunities employer.
One Response
Perhaps they should set up a primates council