Ship of Fools: Bishop of Newcastle

Thread: Bishop of Newcastle Board: Oblivion / Ship of Fools.

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Posted by Charles Read (# 3963) on :

Don't know if this is the right / most appropriate board for episcopal announcements so if not, perhaps a kindly, learned and righteous host will relocate it...

new bishop

Two things seem to me to merit note (other than that this is IMHO a brilliant appointment):
1. she is the first diocesan bishop in the CofE who trained on a course rather than in a college
2. she had retired and has been summoned forth back into stipendiary ministry. Indeed, we said farewell at the July Synod and will now say hello (in Feb I imagine).

Posted by Amos (# 44) on :

Delighted by Christine Hardman's preferment. However she's not the first bishop, or even the first female bishop, to train on a course. The Rt Revd Dame Sarah Mullally, Bishop of Crediton, trained on SEITE.

ETA Oh wait--you said Diocesan. I've been thinking for years that Newcastle was suffragan to Durham. [Hot and Hormonal]

[ 02. September 2015, 12:39: Message edited by: Amos ]

Posted by Charles Read (# 3963) on :

This is true - the first bishop so trained was Robert Ladds. But she is the first diocesan ...

Posted by Amos (# 44) on :

I'm only 133 years behind the times then.
Mind you--the thought that it's not news for a suffragan bishop to be trained on a course, but remarkable when a diocesan is so trained shows up the Dobos-torte stratifications of clericalism in the CofE in startling relief.

Posted by Charles Read (# 3963) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Charles Read:
This is true - the first bishop so trained was Robert Ladds. But she is the first diocesan ...

Ah! Cross post with your edit...

Posted by Doc Tor (# 9748) on :

This'll set the cat among the pigeons! Jesmond Parish Church* (spiritual home of Reform and The Christian Institute) are in her bailiwick.

They've been in 'impaired communion' with the Bishop of Newcastle since the early-mid 90s - drafting in non-Anglican communion bishops to do confirmations (and irregular ordinations). It'll be interesting to see what line Bp Hardman takes... [Two face]

*My old shack, before I saw the light.

Posted by Charles Read (# 3963) on :

She has experience of such from Southwark...

Posted by Doc Tor (# 9748) on :

So what did she do there? I think Bp Wharton was satisfied to just wait it out - the diocese was always going to be around longer than any individual cleric.

Posted by *Leon* (# 3377) on :

When she retired, a lot of people in Lewisham were disappointed that it seemed the women bishops vote hadn't come fast enough for her. It's very good to hear we were wrong.

Posted by Adeodatus (# 4992) on :

As someone who was ordained by her predecessor-but-one, the wonderful Alec Graham, I'd like to offer her every blessing. It's a lovely diocese, but not an easy one. The last two bishops managed things very skilfully and I hope bishop-to-be Christine will too. As a Northumbrian in exile I envy her move to God's Own Country.

Posted by Barnabas62 (# 9110) on :

Charles, is there any particular topic you'd like to see discussed so far as this appointment is concerned?

Posted by Albertus (# 13356) on :

If Charles hasn't, one that occurs to me is the new Bishop's age- 64. There's been another sexagenarian appointment recently- Hereford (I think) and in a world where in many fields you're seen as finished as far as promotion goes at 55 or younger (e.g. look at the profile of the Labour leadership candidiates, except Corbyn) this is very welcome. Do others have a view on this? And if a rather parochially CofE question can be asked, is it time to reconsider compulsory retirement at 70- if the new Bishop turns out to be as good as everyone thinks she will be, isn't it a bit daft that she'll have to go in six years? What about e.g. retirement at 70 or ten years after your last appointment, whichever is the later?

Posted by betjemaniac (# 17618) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Albertus:
If Charles hasn't, one that occurs to me is the new Bishop's age- 64. There's been another sexagenarian appointment recently- Hereford (I think) and in a world where in many fields you're seen as finished as far as promotion goes at 55 or younger (e.g. look at the profile of the Labour leadership candidiates, except Corbyn) this is very welcome. Do others have a view on this? And if a rather parochially CofE question can be asked, is it time to reconsider compulsory retirement at 70- if the new Bishop turns out to be as good as everyone thinks she will be, isn't it a bit daft that she'll have to go in six years? What about e.g. retirement at 70 or ten years after your last appointment, whichever is the later?

There's a line being spun over on Thinking Anglicans that this may be a placeholder appointment whilst the diocesan commission get on with the reabsorption of Newcastle into Durham....

Posted by Albertus (# 13356) on :

Interesting.

Posted by Charles Read (# 3963) on :

Yes, that would be a good topic - in fact two!

I originally mentioned Christine's appointment here for the sake of information and of course so people could pray for the diocese and for her as this is a Christian Website (TM) and not for the sake of gossip at all, oh no.

Posted by Welease Woderwick (# 10424) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Adeodatus:
...As a Northumbrian in exile I envy her move to God's Own Country.

Ahem!!

Posted by Ariel (# 58) on :

quote:
Originally posted by Charles Read:
Don't know if this is the right / most appropriate board for episcopal announcements

No, I can confirm that it isn't, and that the kindly Purgatory hosts have agreed to take it, so hold tight while I transfer you over.

Cheers

Ariel
Heaven Host

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