The apparent 'U-turn' in policy from St Paul's, headed up by the bishop of London is nothing of the kind. They have brought in retired city-banker and conservative alpha-male Christian Ken Costa to deliver an ethical framework for a free-market economy.
On 28 October 2011, three days before his appointment by St Paul's, Costa wrote in the Financial Times. He called discussions among those camped out 'naive' and their protest 'of little consequence'. He defends the free market as having done nothing more than to have 'drifted' from its moral foundations.
We shouldn't be surprised by this appointment. Bishop Richard (London) has already denied that he wanted violence while refusing to rule out its use so why not claim to take the protesters seriously while simultaneously appointing an adviser who doesn't.
I have a feeling decisions from those with the most unwittingly wed to the ideology of the powerful will continue to lead policy at St Paul's by the nose, into one disastrous decision after another.
Ultimately it is the wedding of Church and State that has made it impossible for the Anglican Church leaders to properly understand the signs of the times and take seriously the hopes of the marginalised. These people were trained to ignore injustice and appointed because they don't rock the boat. These are not the people to come up with any useful solutions. Not now or ever.
unbe-flippin-lievable
ReplyDeleteWell we all know the free market has no moral foundations as does Costa. It should be said that the world of trade and finance is the great whore of Babylon figured in Revelation who would not be so if she had no customers.
ReplyDeleteAs for the marriage of church and state, you only have to look over the pond to see that you need no piece of paper to cohabit and just as Israel of the Old Testament threw herself at every passing buck so her daughter the church is disposed to do the same.
True, the church would act the same even without the ring.
ReplyDeleteI spent a couple of years in the Diocese of London but decided not to go back after ordination for reason which current affairs illustrate well.
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/15643
ReplyDeleteThe Church itself has entrenched attitudes and perspectives. Its own strategy with regard to its £5.7 billion investments is to hold shares in oil and mining companies and banks. It has sold off its social housing and bought out of town shopping centres over the last 20 years. It has engaged in currency hedging.
ReplyDeleteYeah, that would make for a conflict of interest. Something that a poor carpenter never had...
"You can not serve both God and Mammon" (Matthew 6:24). If we didn't know why before, this story explains it.