Archbishop Jonathan Blake

The Most Reverend Jonathan Blake, Presiding Archbishop of the Open Episcopal Church B.A. (Hons), Dip. Pastoral Studies. Mobile: 07767 687711 www.bishopjonathanblake.com archbishopjonathanblake@gmail.com www.openepiscopalchurch.org The Church is a member of The International Council of Community churches and the World Council of Churches. Married and a proud Dad.

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Location: London, Kent, United Kingdom

Gassed Tehran, seized Kabul, helped Mother Teresa, funded TB hospital, priest 1981, went Auschwitz, wrote on Parliament, convicted, began 1st inter-faith NHS chapel, 12 yrs Anglican cleric/vicar - left, baptised 1000's in homes/Mt Snowdon/at circus, wedding underwater, wrote ‘For God’s Sake Don’t Go To Church’, nailed 95 Theses 2 Canterbury cathedral, arrested, co-founded the Society for Independent Ministry, consecrated a bishop, co-founded the Open Episcopal Church, did 1st gay wedding on morning TV, sued Associated Newspapers, co-consecrated 1st women bishops 4 England,Wales,Scotland, accommodated the homeless, posted Mass/took it 2 sex workers, elected Archbishop, arrested 4 climbing with sons,founded ‘When No One’s Watching',made ICV, did Jade Goody's wedding,invited 2 Downing St, wrote 'That Old Devil Called God Again', conviction 4 campaigning against child abuse quashed on appeal, convicted 4 successful blogging 2 stop paedophile. His Christmas Lights raising £79,000 4 Water in 4 Gambian villages. Published "The Tales of Henry the Lovable Hedgehog", the SAFE New Testament + Psalms + radical Book of Common Prayer, ordained priests for UK,US,Thailand,Spain,Ireland

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

CANNABIS

Finally we have a finding that Skunk Cannabis can cause psychotic illnesses. I have encountered a number of people, who have smoked cannabis 'recreationally', whose psychological states have undergone irreparable damage leading them to dysfunctional lifestyles and social isolation, even death.
While ever government, parents or friends send out a soft or liberal message re cannabis, they are complicit with the devastating effects this has upon others. I want to encourage all those who have a damaging material addiction to replace it with the reception of the Body of Christ. Carry consecrated Hosts with you at all times and pop them as many times as you need. You will retain your health and maximise your life experience.

Friday, July 24, 2009

FOLLOWING OUR LEAD

The dear old Church of England announces that it is guiding their clerics to offer services of marriage with the chance of having the children of the relationship baptised as well.

I was offering this when I was a curate in the Church of England in 1984 and have regularly celebrated such services throughout my ministerial years since.

Tuesday, July 14, 2009

SOUND BITE SOLDIERS

It is chilling to hear our government accept that fatalities will increase in Afghanistan and know that our troops are under-equipped.

We are shocked by the history of those who ordered our forces over the trenches to meet almost certain death. I had thought the idea that soldiers were expendable and their deaths part of the budget of war had long been buried.

Instead, young soldiers are being ordered out in inadequate armoured vehicles across roads which their superiors know will result in certain death for some. This is intolerable.

Yes, fatalities will occur on the battle-field in engaged combat, but to squander soldiers mindlessly in a roulette game of roadside bombs is nonsensical and inexcusable.

That the Prime Minister rebuffs such criticism with sound bites about keeping the battle away from our shores is invidious. The battle is on home ground as each body is repatriated.

Monday, July 13, 2009

CHRIST SO SMALL, SO POTENT

Sent from someone who has received the consecrated Hosts:

As I told you in my previous mail I had to meditate a considerable time before asking you. But then I received the bible verse Proverbs 30: 25 in my heart. When I spoke to Jesus about my postbox and that a possible fall of the parcel in my corridor seemed to me to be a dishonour for Him that was too great to bear, I heard the majestic and yet so warm voice in my heart: Why do you think that I have made Me that small? The day before the parcels came, I reveived Proverbs 31: 14 which was very moving for me.

I met a gifted inventor from an East-European country when I was doing volunteer work among the homeless. He had fled from his country because his family wanted him in an psychiatric hospital for his mental symtoms. There was also political disagreement betweed him and his very influential family. He had a lot of official papers and parts of newspapers with him to prove his story.No country wanted to give him a right to stay and this is how he came fleeing to my house. We gave him shelter. Because of his growing psychosis I feared for his life. I decided to have a time of prayer together and give him a host. If I could not reach him from the outside, the Lord could from the inside. When he received the host he said after some time: "This must be a most holy thing. He stopped my (psychotic) mind. It is calm in my mind. No one has ever been able to do so."

Monday, July 06, 2009

Questions for a fundamentalist?

A reader's letter to a paper...

1 When I burn a bull on the altar as a sacrifice, I know it creates a pleasing odour for the Lord (Lev. 1:9). The problem is my neighbours. They claim the odour is not pleasing to them. Should I smite them?
2 I would like to sell my daughter into slavery, as sanctioned in Exodus 21:7. What would be a fair price for her?
3 I know that I am allowed no contact with a woman while she is in her period of menstrual uncleanliness (Lev. 15:19-24). The problem is, how do I tell? I have tried asking, but most women take offence.
4 Lev. 25:44 states that I may indeed possess slaves, both male and female, provided they are purchased from neighbouring nations. A friend of mine says that this applies to the Scottish, but not the Welsh. Why can't I own Welsh people?
5 I have a neighbour who insists on working on the Sabbath. Exodus 35:2 clearly states he should be put to death. Is this a good defence in court?
6 A friend of mine feels that even though eating shellfish is an abomination (Lev. 11:10), it is a lesser abomination than homosexuality (Leviticus 18:22). I don't agree. What is the correct position?
7 Lev. 21:20 states that I may not approach the altar of God if I have a defect in my sight. I have to admit that I wear reading glasses. Does my vision have to be 20/20, or is there some room for negotiation here?
8 Most of my male friends get their hair trimmed, including the hair around their temples, even though this is expressly forbidden by Lev.19:27. How should they die?
9 My uncle has a farm. He violates Lev. 19:19 by planting two different crops in the same field, as does his wife by wearing garments made of two different kinds of thread (cotton/polyester blend). He also tends to curse and blaspheme a lot. Is it really necessary that we go to all the trouble of getting the whole town together to stone them? (Lev.24:10-16) Couldn't we just burn them to death at a private family affair like we do with people who sleep with their in-laws? (Lev. 20:14)

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Reactionary or progressive church?

Many, it seems, wish to lead the church backwards into the fundamentalist and rigid dogmatic approach that has become the scourge of the world. In many of the great faiths, there is this resurgent drive to speak in absolutes and to present as objective what is clearly subjective.

Perhaps it is a personality disposition to flee from the real and complex world into simplistic and brutal platitudes that fragment under intellectual scrutiny and inter-disciplinary analysis.

Traditional Church is collapsing. Congregations are being wiped out. Churches are closing. The sexism, racism and homophobia of the church are just some of the indicators of a church out of touch with modern life, peddling outdated ideas in an embarrassingly reactionary spirit.

However Christ is incarnate in today's new and more wholesome age, where tolerance and acceptance, pioneering research and social integration are the fruits that secularism and liberal religion has borne.

There are signs of hope in brave avant-garde initiatives like Inclusive Church, like Post the Host, like the outbreak of Flash Mob worship experiences, like the burgeoning grass root liquid church projects, like the thousands of sacramental services that the Open Episcopal Church and the Society for Independent Christian Ministry have taken all over the country in people’s homes and gardens and community centres.

Faith and spirituality are alive and well in our land. The last thing the church needs are Christians who try to conceive how to replicate the indoctrinating nature of the Islamic Madrasahs.

Thursday, July 02, 2009

THE MALIGN TUMOUR IN THE LAND OF THE FREE

Death Row remains the contradiction and denial of America's claim to inhabit the high moral ground of the world. The Human Face of the Death Penalty by British portraitist Claire Phillips is at the.gallery@oxo , Oxo Tower, London, from July 1 to July 5.

TWO ARCHBISHOPS AND THE CHIEF RABBI

Dr Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury; Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster, and Sir Jonathan Sacks, the Chief Rabbi, have come together for the first time to urge peers to reject proposals that would allow families to help loved ones to die abroad free from the threat of prosecution. They have written "We do not believe that such a fundamental change in the law should be sought by way of an amendment to an already complex Bill."

They are right that such a sensitive matter requires its own Bill , so that the issues can be addressed properly.

Christians have to think carefully. It is essential that the vulnerable are protected. It is also necessary that people are able, in certain acute situations, to arrange their death with dignity.

Wednesday, July 01, 2009

HOLY TRINITY ANGLICAN CHURCH - BISHOP'S STORTFORD

Mr David Brown ordered from Post the Host and wrote a positive article about his experience on the church web site. Kindly, he sent me a copy.

It included: “ My seven year old son, Gabriel , was very interested and wanted to join in. Gabriel is not confirmed and does not normally receive communion, but considering the highly inclusive nature of this new ministry, I didn’t feel that I should deny him. So we suggled up together with a laptop and watched the “Singing Mass”. After about 8 minutes ++Jonathan tells us “please now receive the consecrated Host”. So we did –it was a lovely moment.” In response Jon Durrant comments about Post the Host. “ Brilliant. Great idea to bring innovation to the Church”