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Dr Robert Lyman MBE's avatar

Thanks Ben. I concur with most of this, apart from the 'God stuff'. Its easy to be dismissive of the 'God Stuff' when one isn't a believer, but Christianity is, after all, a religion, with belief and faith in sovereign God at its heart. What came across very clearly to me is that the late Queen was a very genuine believer, and the Archbishop of Canterbury was very happy to make this clear, as indeed he should have done, as it wasn't our party, but her funeral. I was actually comforted by the God Stuff, because in the sermon the AoF stated clearly what she - and he - believed. I wouldn't go near a church that didn't know what it believed, and was afraid of it. I would rather a CofE that stood up for believing in God rather than becoming a glorified part of the local Social Services team. This, I think, has been the CofE's problem for many years (but not the RC Church): it simply doesn't know what it believes and, in trying to be all things to all men, has lost much of its certainty and self-knowledge.

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Ben Cobley's avatar

Thanks Robert. I actually largely agree with you there. It was something I didn't elaborate on at length because I wanted to discuss the better things as well. My problem was more with the hectoring tone of the Archbishop and also the sermons I assume *he* gave to Baroness Scotland and Liz Truss. It was all very serious and I thought the moralising went too far. I say this also being aware that Welby has been getting quite involved in politics lately - and seems quite naive in doing so, more or less lining up alongside the progressive left in hammering Brexit and the government. I detected more of the same in his sermonising this time, but also leaning on the Queen to do so.

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Dr Robert Lyman MBE's avatar

Well, I agree with you here. A church focused on political gaming is not doing what it should be, which is looking after the souls of its flock.

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WHY NOT's avatar

I miss you on Twitter, especially at times like these. I’ll subscribe soon as I dry my tears. Agree on the music and the Great British Queue and the Royal Family. Why would we want anything but this? xx

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Ben Cobley's avatar

Thanks Jen. It is a bit annoying not being on Twitter, but there are some compensations. I have another account based around the composer Vaughan Williams so I have been looking at what's going on - and it's reminded me that I'm blessed in the people I normally communicate with. The awfulness elsewhere is frankly staggering.

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