The Most Reverend Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury, plans to sanction the Scottish Episcopal Church because it has decided to allow in-church marriage of same-sex couples and has angered the primates (no jokes). African primates have recently refused to attend meetings if Scots or American primates are in attendance too. The American Episcopal Church has already been sanctioned by being excluded from debates and from being allowed to chair committees (Oooh that must hurt!). No burning at the stake these days, then?
The Episcopalian Church is commonly known as ‘Anglican’ reminding us that it is actually the Church of England though it has members across the world including many in Africa who hold very different views from the clearly more tolerant Scottish and US branches, on issues such as on the role of women and on homosexuality.
The Episcopal Church has only around 13 000 attenders in Scotland, down from 20 000 in 1994. The Church of Scotland only has about 130 000 attenders down from around 300 000 in 1994. Total attendance at churches of all kinds is only 389 000, out of a population of 5.3 million, down from 691 000 in 1994.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/4tb7ehkxtt6yjwv/The%20Fourth%20Scottish%20Church%20Census%202016.pdf?dl=0
Some readers may remember [reading] that there was an attempt to impose the Episcopal Church in Scotland by the Stuart monarchy in the 17th Century.
It doesn’t look too hopeful for them as Scotland becomes a predominantly non-religious country. See this from September 2017:
Nearly three quarters of Scots say they are not religious
Footnote: There are nearly 450 000 Dudists worldwide. I’m an ordained priest in Dudism. You only have to register by email to become so. If I remember correctly there is only one commandment along the lines of ‘I will do my best not to be a total fuckin arsehole.’ Still working on it. Gary Robertson and Glen Campbell of BBC recently excommunicated on my request.
Talking-up Scotland 
I am glad to see church attendance in Scotland is dropping and believe that all religious groups be abolished. As a recent study showed, the safest countries to live in are also the least religious. Coincidence? I think not.
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Amen to that!
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Bless you brother?
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You’re even more of a zealot than I was accused of being when I said I’d knock all the stately homes and castles down. I don’t know about abolishing them but they shouldn’t be in Parliament (CofE) or voting on education committees (Scotland).
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As a nonbeliever I am fairly tolerant of people having belief. What I object to is the positions of influence that churches have in the publicly funded sphere. For example Bishops of the CofE having seats in the Lords (setting aside the arguments against this chamber), the RC Church having a veto over teacher appointments.
The Scottish Episcopal Church has had some admirable priests like Richard Holloway and the Provost of St Mary’s in Glasgow (despite being a unionist!) My redoubtable mother-in-law was a ‘piscie’. The church has to be applauded for its stance on same sex marriage.
I welcome the fact that more people are prepared to describe themselves as having no religion. However, I support religious education being part of the curriculum of all schools. I am not talking of religious observance or religious instruction, but because it has for millennia been a field of human study which has contributed to the shape of the society we have, to the history of the world, to cultures. I do not think anyone can be truly educated if they do not have some knowledge and understanding of religion. This does not mean indoctrination or insisting on faith. It has a place in the curriculum along with language, mathematics, science, history, geography, PE, art, music, etc. It is part of the brand and balanced education which has been widely supported over centuries in Scotland, and which many studies indicate, produces more rounded and better educated individuals.
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Yes, that is the main problem.
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Apologies and curses to predictive text. It should be ‘broad and balanced’ not ‘brand and b……’
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Careful, sounding a bit Theresa-like?
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Much as I like this site Jon, maybe get your facts right? The SEC is part of the Anglican Communion but is a separate, self-governing body. Therefore it ISN’T the Church of England.
It’s this autonomy that has enabled it to legislate for same sex marriage in the face of opposition from those pesky blue arsed baboon primates… 🙂
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Sorry Jamie. Thought I’d got away with offending anyone on this one. But, isn’t it kind of like the Church of England and kind of subject to its sanctions?
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Hi John, I’m not offended, so don’t worry, just being a pedant! Yes, it’s deffo like the CofE and I suppose it is subject to the Anglican Communion (Federation) sanctions, but tbh, the “sanctions” don’t add up to a hill of beans…BTW, It always raises a wee smile when I hear the bishops being referred to as “Primates”…kinda telling given that most of them haven’t evolved when it comes to humanity.
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Thanks Jamie
It is hard not to smile at the word ‘primate’ isn’t it
john
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