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.

About Me

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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

Monday, July 25, 2022

OUR THREE AMAZING SONS

 


ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART ONE

ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART TWO


I AM PROUD OF MY WRITING, FOR JESUS’S SAKE, THAT HAS HAD ME FOUND INNOCENT IN HEAVEN, BUT TWICE A CRIMINAL ON THE EARTH. THE FIRST IN 1990 WHEN I WROTE A BIBLICAL TEXT ON THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN PEACEFUL PROTEST ABOUT THE BOMBING OF YOUNG IRAQI RECRUITS DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR. THE SECOND, IN 2016 WHEN I WROTE ON MY BLOG, TO ALERT THE PUBLIC ABOUT A PAEDOPHILE, AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN FORCING THE AUTHORITIES TO STOP HIM HAVING ACCESS TO CHILDREN. THERE WAS ALMOST A THIRD! IN 1997, WHEN I WAS ARRESTED FOR NAILING MY PROPOSALS FOR REFORM OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ON THE DOOR OF CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL. WORDS ARE POWERFUL MESSAGES THAT CHALLENGE  CORRUPTION, CONFRONT THE WICKED AND CREATE A BETTER WORLD. JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD AND HIS FOLLOWERS ARE CALLED  TO COMMUNICATE HIS WORDS,  IRRESPECTIVE OF THE COST.
"You brave, courageous and wonderful man. To stand up for the truth
 in the face of suppression and oppression is truly an act of a pure heart."

posted by Bishop Jonathan Blake | 2:32 PM | 0 comments

Friday, July 22, 2022

OUR UKRAINIAN FAMILY ARE NOW HAPPILY INTEGRATED INTO THE U.K.

On May 24th, a family of 5 Ukrainians came to live with us. Two parents and three children, 15, 11 and 5. They settled in quickly and happily. We renewed our trampoline, swings and climbing frame. Our splash pool, in the hot weather, has been a treat. We filled the house with toys and language learning tools. In four weeks we had the family registered with the local G.P. and dentist, equipped with bank accounts and U.K. mobile phone numbers, enrolled on English language courses, interviewed for Universal Credit, processed with their biometrics, and each of the children accepted into local schools and equipped with uniforms. After eight weeks, the children have been attending school daily, their English language skills are developing well, one parent has secured an excellent job, the other has applied, they have met other Ukrainians living locally and we have celebrated three of their birthdays. They have been welcomed warmly by the community and experienced only kindness at the schools. 
The other family of five Ukrainians, two parents, a 5 month old baby, and a 2 and 4 year old, who I arranged to be met at Gatwick airport by the local Council, and accommodated at the Gatwick Hilton over their first weekend, have also been welcomed warmly. They were transferred to a Travel Lodge, then to a hostel and temporary accommodation while the Council find sponsors for them. Since being here they have loved the parks, seaside and the parents have been married in the local orthodox church. 


ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART ONE

ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART TWO


I AM PROUD OF MY WRITING, FOR JESUS’S SAKE, THAT HAS HAD ME FOUND INNOCENT IN HEAVEN, BUT TWICE A CRIMINAL ON THE EARTH. THE FIRST IN 1990 WHEN I WROTE A BIBLICAL TEXT ON THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN PEACEFUL PROTEST ABOUT THE BOMBING OF YOUNG IRAQI RECRUITS DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR. THE SECOND, IN 2016 WHEN I WROTE ON MY BLOG, TO ALERT THE PUBLIC ABOUT A PAEDOPHILE, AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN FORCING THE AUTHORITIES TO STOP HIM HAVING ACCESS TO CHILDREN. THERE WAS ALMOST A THIRD! IN 1997, WHEN I WAS ARRESTED FOR NAILING MY PROPOSALS FOR REFORM OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ON THE DOOR OF CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL. WORDS ARE POWERFUL MESSAGES THAT CHALLENGE  CORRUPTION, CONFRONT THE WICKED AND CREATE A BETTER WORLD. JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD AND HIS FOLLOWERS ARE CALLED  TO COMMUNICATE HIS WORDS,  IRRESPECTIVE OF THE COST.
"You brave, courageous and wonderful man. To stand up for the truth
 in the face of suppression and oppression is truly an act of a pure heart."

posted by Bishop Jonathan Blake | 1:19 PM | 0 comments

Thursday, July 21, 2022

OUR LOVING INCLUSIVE CHURCH GROWS

Thrilling to witness the growth of our loving and inclusive approach to ministry reaching out to all people.

 https://www.gallowaygazette.co.uk/news/people/open-episcopal-church-arrives-in-south-west-scotland-3681528?amp&fbclid=IwAR113JcR8lK91-pg8FQQZMcA5gCV-YYHFRBtRDvMrfyKHeKCRTgf9cbEskA

https://www.pressreader.com/uk/dumfries-galloway-standard/20220524/281732683101324?fbclid=IwAR0yDsEV_n32oFWfZWCZ9e-_FRLYv8ewpZ7yHt_MgB7iTXHObtPEscdPFbw

ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART ONE

ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART TWO


I AM PROUD OF MY WRITING, FOR JESUS’S SAKE, THAT HAS HAD ME FOUND INNOCENT IN HEAVEN, BUT TWICE A CRIMINAL ON THE EARTH. THE FIRST IN 1990 WHEN I WROTE A BIBLICAL TEXT ON THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN PEACEFUL PROTEST ABOUT THE BOMBING OF YOUNG IRAQI RECRUITS DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR. THE SECOND, IN 2016 WHEN I WROTE ON MY BLOG, TO ALERT THE PUBLIC ABOUT A PAEDOPHILE, AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN FORCING THE AUTHORITIES TO STOP HIM HAVING ACCESS TO CHILDREN. THERE WAS ALMOST A THIRD! IN 1997, WHEN I WAS ARRESTED FOR NAILING MY PROPOSALS FOR REFORM OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ON THE DOOR OF CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL. WORDS ARE POWERFUL MESSAGES THAT CHALLENGE  CORRUPTION, CONFRONT THE WICKED AND CREATE A BETTER WORLD. JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD AND HIS FOLLOWERS ARE CALLED  TO COMMUNICATE HIS WORDS,  IRRESPECTIVE OF THE COST.
"You brave, courageous and wonderful man. To stand up for the truth
 in the face of suppression and oppression is truly an act of a pure heart."



posted by Bishop Jonathan Blake | 2:34 PM | 0 comments

Wednesday, July 20, 2022

I OFFERED WEDDDINGS ON BEACHES IN 1994 - THE LAW IS TO FINALLY CATCH UP IGNORING ANGLICAN SOUR GRAPES

It was 1994 when I launched my independent ministry, offering sacramental services such as weddings and baptisms wherever people wanted to have them. I have performed weddings and services underwater, on planes, beaches, mountain tops, motorboats, in Moroccan palaces and on Greek islands, in homes, gardens, canal boats, circus rings, Parliament, country estates, over the internet, in orchards, zoos, a tree cathedral, Japanese gardens, in Monte Carlo, Spain and in French Chateaux. It was a social matrimonial revolution that swept the nation. I was interviewed by all the press, on prime time TV, on Radio 4 and Sky. At a time when the state only offered weddings in Registry offices and later also strictly controlled 'licensed venues', and religions, only in their 'sacred' buildings, I gave couples the freedom to have their choices respected and their dreams realised. At a time when the state and religions refused to recognise equal marriage, I was offering homosexual and heterosexual couples, equal access to wedding services. The Law finally caught up and at first permitted civil partnerships and then equal marriage. Now the Law Commission has finally caught up and is recommending a comprehensive reform of the marriage legislation to enable weddings to take place in the location of a couple's choice. Meanwhile the Church of England remains a reactionary and toxic force, haunting these wonderful inclusive initiatives with its cobwebbed, prejudiced resistance. I am so grateful that I managed to escape its clutches. Thirty years ago, I understood that the Church had to evolve or perish. I pioneered an accessible, loving, inclusive and innovative approach to Christian ministry that has blossomed over the decades. Now there are independent ministers across the United Kingdom, our Open Episcopal Church is well established, and the public can escape the stranglehold the great denominations used to enjoy. Jesus was one with the people. We are too.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11026261/Couples-able-wed-seaside-new-plans-overhaul-marriage-rules.html








ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART ONE

ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART TWO


I AM PROUD OF MY WRITING, FOR JESUS’S SAKE, THAT HAS HAD ME FOUND INNOCENT IN HEAVEN, BUT TWICE A CRIMINAL ON THE EARTH. THE FIRST IN 1990 WHEN I WROTE A BIBLICAL TEXT ON THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN PEACEFUL PROTEST ABOUT THE BOMBING OF YOUNG IRAQI RECRUITS DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR. THE SECOND, IN 2016 WHEN I WROTE ON MY BLOG, TO ALERT THE PUBLIC ABOUT A PAEDOPHILE, AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN FORCING THE AUTHORITIES TO STOP HIM HAVING ACCESS TO CHILDREN. THERE WAS ALMOST A THIRD! IN 1997, WHEN I WAS ARRESTED FOR NAILING MY PROPOSALS FOR REFORM OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ON THE DOOR OF CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL. WORDS ARE POWERFUL MESSAGES THAT CHALLENGE  CORRUPTION, CONFRONT THE WICKED AND CREATE A BETTER WORLD. JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD AND HIS FOLLOWERS ARE CALLED  TO COMMUNICATE HIS WORDS,  IRRESPECTIVE OF THE COST.
"You brave, courageous and wonderful man. To stand up for the truth
 in the face of suppression and oppression is truly an act of a pure heart."


posted by Bishop Jonathan Blake | 9:10 PM | 0 comments

Wednesday, July 06, 2022

"SEEMS LIKE 'NO' IS NOT AN OPTION FOR YOU"

So replied an enquirer to me, asking whether it was possible to include a variety of special features in her wedding service, to which I had answered 'Yes' to all of them.

Throughout my independent ministry, freed from the shackles of the Church of England, it has been my joy and privilege, to be able to say YES to people's wishes, dreams and hopes.

From my early ministerial days, nearly 40 years ago, when society was so constrained and coerced by Church and State to conform, to these more liberal days of greater individual choice and expression, I have been able to open the doors of possibilities and opportunities to thousands of people. 

When the church, religion, dogma, prejudice, discrimination, flawed legislation and an intrusive state had slammed the door in their faces, with a brutal, unwavering, often judgemental 'NO', that had extinguished the candlelight of their dreams, denied their identities and realities, and rendered them hopeless, it has been my profound joy to say that simple word - YES.

Jesus was one of those who taught us, by his example, how to say 'YES' to people. How to approach things differently, see things in the alternative, spot the new horizons and find a way through the difficulties.

The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam pulses with the same message, finishing with this glorious verse affirming the desire to fulfil the aspirations of others, rather than to crush them:

And thou thyself, with shining feet shall pass

Among the guests, star scattered on the grass

And in thy joyous errand reach the spot

Where I made one turn down an empty glass

May we continue to learn, throughout our lives, how to be the sunlight that encourages growth in others. May we learn how to clear away all the unnecessary restrictions and 'No' obstacles that power brokers, frightened systems and protective monopolies place in the path of the innocent. May we be wise and confident in assessing, and if necessary challenging, the status quo, in every situation in which we find ourselves, to ensure that people are not being denied their best. And if it is not possible to trigger change and achieve reform from within, then be original, and offer a new way forward yourself.




ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART ONE

ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART TWO


I AM PROUD OF MY WRITING, FOR JESUS’S SAKE, THAT HAS HAD ME FOUND INNOCENT IN HEAVEN, BUT TWICE A CRIMINAL ON THE EARTH. THE FIRST IN 1990 WHEN I WROTE A BIBLICAL TEXT ON THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN PEACEFUL PROTEST ABOUT THE BOMBING OF YOUNG IRAQI RECRUITS DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR. THE SECOND, IN 2016 WHEN I WROTE ON MY BLOG, TO ALERT THE PUBLIC ABOUT A PAEDOPHILE, AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN FORCING THE AUTHORITIES TO STOP HIM HAVING ACCESS TO CHILDREN. THERE WAS ALMOST A THIRD! IN 1997, WHEN I WAS ARRESTED FOR NAILING MY PROPOSALS FOR REFORM OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ON THE DOOR OF CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL. WORDS ARE POWERFUL MESSAGES THAT CHALLENGE  CORRUPTION, CONFRONT THE WICKED AND CREATE A BETTER WORLD. JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD AND HIS FOLLOWERS ARE CALLED  TO COMMUNICATE HIS WORDS,  IRRESPECTIVE OF THE COST.
"You brave, courageous and wonderful man. To stand up for the truth
 in the face of suppression and oppression is truly an act of a pure heart."




posted by Bishop Jonathan Blake | 2:03 PM | 0 comments

Monday, July 04, 2022

30 YEARS AGO I BAPTISED A LITTLE GIRL, YESTERDAY I BAPTISED HER LITTLE BOY

 Such a deep joy, as Love builds a bridge across the decades.


ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART ONE

ARCHBISHOP JONATHAN BLAKE - MY LIFE - PART TWO


I AM PROUD OF MY WRITING, FOR JESUS’S SAKE, THAT HAS HAD ME FOUND INNOCENT IN HEAVEN, BUT TWICE A CRIMINAL ON THE EARTH. THE FIRST IN 1990 WHEN I WROTE A BIBLICAL TEXT ON THE HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT IN PEACEFUL PROTEST ABOUT THE BOMBING OF YOUNG IRAQI RECRUITS DURING THE FIRST GULF WAR. THE SECOND, IN 2016 WHEN I WROTE ON MY BLOG, TO ALERT THE PUBLIC ABOUT A PAEDOPHILE, AND WAS SUCCESSFUL IN FORCING THE AUTHORITIES TO STOP HIM HAVING ACCESS TO CHILDREN. THERE WAS ALMOST A THIRD! IN 1997, WHEN I WAS ARRESTED FOR NAILING MY PROPOSALS FOR REFORM OF THE CHURCH OF ENGLAND ON THE DOOR OF CANTERBURY CATHEDRAL. WORDS ARE POWERFUL MESSAGES THAT CHALLENGE  CORRUPTION, CONFRONT THE WICKED AND CREATE A BETTER WORLD. JESUS IS THE WORD OF GOD AND HIS FOLLOWERS ARE CALLED  TO COMMUNICATE HIS WORDS,  IRRESPECTIVE OF THE COST.
"You brave, courageous and wonderful man. To stand up for the truth
 in the face of suppression and oppression is truly an act of a pure heart."


posted by Bishop Jonathan Blake | 2:19 PM | 0 comments