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

Thursday, March 08, 2012

Good people choosing to go to hell

The Gospel reading today, Luke 16:19-31, is repugnant.

What's the message - eternal suffering and I'm not lifting a finger to help..... and even though the rich man in his torment exhibits unselfish compassion for those who can be warned still, his pleas fall on a cold heart.

Perhaps we've got it wrong and we are not heaven bound...........perhaps good people should want to go to hell.....to be with and help the lost and the marginalised?

Wednesday, March 07, 2012

GAY MARRIAGE WELCOMED BY INCLUSIVE CHURCH

Cardinal Keith O’Brien, the leader of the Roman Catholic Church in Scotland says that gay marriage is an aberration and will lead Britain into further immorality and shame.

The Archbishop of Westminster’s and Southwark have issued a letter to be read across the country at Mass this weekend decrying gay marriage.

The Church of England remains opposed to allowing homosexuals to marry.

In stark contrast, the Presiding Archbishop’s Council of the Open Episcopal Church, a member of the International Council of Community Churches and through that body the World Council of Churches, and representing over 25,000 worshippers across the United Kingdom, has issued this
pastoral letter to be read this weekend.

Dear Sisters and Brothers,

The scripture ( I John 4.16 ) states that God is love and those who abide in love abide in God and God abides in them.

The Open Episcopal Church promotes an inclusive vision of marriage.

Good relationships lie at the heart of stable society.

The most intimate expression of relationship is between two people who pledge themselves to each other to share their life and sexuality. Many choose to express this by marriage.

The integration of their lives at every level represents the union of love.

The journey towards that beneficial union is one fraught with challenge. Both partners need to mature in knowledge, grace and discipline to be able to approach or reach its heart.

There is no natural assumption that requires a specified difference between the partners based on gender, sexuality, race, religion, background, nationality etc.

There is clear evidence that such categories are imprecise.

For instance there are a spectrum of male and female psychological and physiological characteristics. Each person bears his or her own unique mix and marriage allows exploration beyond the basic categories and generalisations into the intricacy of personality.

Reserving the state of marriage to be the preserve of only two groups, male and female, is the application of apartheid.

The argument that procreation is the natural indicator of who can marry is flawed. Marriage is a human construct unrelated originally to procreation.

The multitudinous species of the world evolved and humans reproduced for tens of thousands of years without marriage.

Marriage law was developed to regulate the process of the exchange of property, part of which was seen to be the woman involved. It has undergone continual reform in response to the insights of each generation. It must in our own day.

In our society we strive to protect everyone’s human rights through equality and anti discrimination laws.

There is no one stereotypical family unit. Heterosexual and homosexual couples share their lives and sexuality, and they produce and raise children.

Galileo was tried by the inquisition, charged with heresy and in 1633 placed under house arrest by the Roman Catholic Church for stating what is known to be true, that the earth revolves around the sun. It was not until 1992 that Pope John Paul apologised for the way he was treated.

The Bible, quoted selectively in support of homophobic views, promotes behaviour and opinions, which the modern world would find intolerable, such as sex with slaves, concubines, genocide, infanticide and rape.

It should be noted also that the parents of Jesus were not married when he was born.

It is regrettable that the church is often seen to be a reactionary institution, resistant to the knowledge that invites progress and builds a just and harmonious society.

The Open Episcopal Church seeks to represent that which is best in a modern expression of church, offering its spirituality and its service to all the people of the world inclusively.

Since 2001, it has pioneered the provision of sacramental marriage ceremonies in this country for gay couples and has baptised their children.

It supports marriage being equally available for heterosexuals and homosexuals.

Archbishop Jonathan Blake

Also signed by:

Bishop Stewart Harrison – Bournemouth
Bishop Shelley Harstad-Smith – Mountain Ash
Bishop Sheila Wharmby - Southampton
Bishop Elect Helen Hamilton – Isle of Luing
Ms Pam Baker – Isle of Luing
Revd Lesley Dennis - Newcastle
Mrs Trish Dennis – Newcastle
Revd David Earl - Romsey
Mr Daniel Gibbins – Swaffham
Revd Peter Goodwin – Poole
Revd Tim Hodge – Taunton
Revd John Hyde – Poole
Revd Kersten Lawrence - Parkstone
Revd Simon Mapp – Tamworth
Revd Christopher Morgan – Cockley Cley
Mrs Natasha Morgan – Cockley Cley
Revd Suzanna Taylor-Neill – Lichfield
Mrs Zoe Taylor-Neill – Lichfield
Revd Mark Townsend - Leominster

---------------------

Archbishop Jonathan Blake
Bishops Haven
105 Danson Crescent
Welling DA16 2AS

0208 304 7605

07767 687711

http://www.openepiscopalchurch.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Open_Episcopal_Church

Don't think about Jesus's sufferings.....

Abdolfattah Soltani is languishing in prison, a human rights lawyer in Iran, sentenced to 18 years.
Khun Kawrio is incarcerated in a Burmese prison for protesting peacefully, having been arrested and tortured without trial.
Shin Sook-ja has been jailed for over 20 years with her daughters. She was a radio presenter in North Korea until her husband, Dr Oh, defected and the family was punished for this by the authorities.

Don't think about Jesus's suffering this Lent......think about theirs.........and all the others.........

Monday, March 05, 2012

Cardinal O'Brien

Cardinal Keith O'Brien calls gay marriages an 'aberration'.
The church perpetuates prejudice and division.
The state proposes love and union.

God, please protect us from the church..........

Silent love

The silent film 'The Artist' has been voted the year's best film.
I am taking Wyn's funeral this week.
Her favourite sayings were 'Least said, soonest mended' and 'When in doubt, say nought'.
The best evangelism is.........silent love..............

Saturday, March 03, 2012

Saladin

In the Mass reading for today, Jesus bids us to love our enemies.
In 1191 Saladin, a Kurdish Muslim and the first Sultan of Egypt and Syria, attacked the forces of Richard the Lionheart who was leading the third Crusade to try and capture Jerusalem.
The Battle of Arsuf ensued.
In the furious heat of battle, Richard lost his horse. Saladin sent him two replacements.
The Treaty of Ramla, the following year, left Jerusalem in Muslim hands but open to Christian pilgrimages.

Friday, March 02, 2012

Witchcraft

In December 2011 Amina, a 60 year old woman was beheaded in Saudi Arabia accused of witchcraft. On Christmas Day 2010, in London, Kristy, a 15 year old boy was tortured and murdered by his sister and her fiance, accused of witchcraft. 9 days earlier, a few miles away, a 4 month old girl was stabbed repeatedly and her organs removed by her mother, who feared the girl had been possessed.

Perhaps we had better learn to give up religion for Lent.........

Thursday, March 01, 2012

Lent is a strange time of religious introspection and personal analysis.......

Religious activity increases.....

Study groups abound......

The prayer air waves are congested.........

Meanwhile Syria immolates, fundamentalism burgeons and prejudice grows......

Lent is actually about spring.......

and the lengthening of day......

and the coming of the light.........