Jerusalem falls foul of the Church of England's guardians of political correctness

SPARE the Church of England from meddling clerics!

The Anglican movement, riven by strife over women priests, gay bishops, same sex relationships, and homosexual  marriages, now thinks its time to rewrite this nation's heritage by vetoeing the singing of hymns which sound remotely patriotic.

The trendy Dean of Southwark is to ban the singing of Jerusalam from memorial services because - wait for it - of its lack of religious content.

The Very Reverend Colin Slee thinks that patriotic fervour unleashed at the Last Night of the Proms and by the Women's Institute and England rugby union fans at Twickenham is beyond the Pale and must not dignify the hallowed interior of his cathedral.

A spokesman for Southwark Cathedral says: "The Dean of Southwark, in common with all other cathedral Deans, has the authority to decide what material is used in liturgy in their cathedral. The hymn Jerusalem is often used on national occasions, although rarely in Southwark.

"The Dean of Southwark does not believe that it is to the glory of God and it is not therefore used in private memorial services."

It may not be a devotional hymn, but neither is the National Anthem, yet both it and Jerusalam are printed in hymn books. 

 

It seems a crime to be English and Christian. The BBC happily shows plays where people profane, rip up bibles and make fun of our organised religion - but should any playwright dare to present a script in which the Koran and the various strands of Islam are parodied, and he'll be ostracised for life. (Incidentally, on how many more occasions will Promenaders be able to wave flags and sing Rule, Britannia! and Land of Hope and Glory in Saturday night prime time every September?).

 

The last time I passed Southwark Cathedral on a train from Cannon Street to London Bridge, the cross of St George was flying proudly from the flagstaff as a symbol that St George is the patron saint of England, and by extension the Church of England.

It's not going to be much long longer before the do-gooders and the don't-understand-what-makes-England-tick brigade decide that the public sighting of a cross offends non-Christian tourists and immigrants and must be replaced by something relevant 21st century life in Britain because St George is too much associated with the crusades.

Rowan Williams has been an indecisive leader of the Church of England. Perhaps that's why Tony Blair, who soon afterwards converted to Roman Catholicism, appointed Williams. The last thing a Labour government wants is a strong church giving moral leadership.

Archbishop Williams needs to put the Church of England back at the centre of English life, but antics such as those by Dean Slee will lead to even more empty pews. When was the last time you saw a 100 people at Sunday worship, or even 50?

The Church of England is, or rather should be, a pillar of state.It's the rock on which England and later the United Kingdom was able to use to turn the map of the world pink.

This country used to be able to rely on four institutions in times of difficulty - the Church of England, the Conservative Party, Marks & Spencer, and the Midland Bank.

The Midland has been swallowed whole by HSBC. The Marks and Spencer and the Tories went through sticky times during the late 90s and early part of this decade and looked as if they were on their way out.

The three have been been reinvented. Which leaves the Anglian church. If you'll excuse the pun, needs a resurrection. I know of no more apt passage in the Bible than "Physician, heel thyself."