A number of people have stopped me this week to talk about Peter Ball. Some were angry that another bishop in the Church of England had spoken of the man as a 'so called bishop'. They weren't looking to defend a man the didn't even know but were angry because they felt it was a distancing of the Church from the whole thing. Here's a brief account of a conversation with a woman outside the church this week as I waited for a funeral to arrive:
"He wasn't a 'so called' bishop, he was an actual bishop who had the support of other bishops around him and from the people at the very top," said one angry and rather erudite woman.
She took me to task for the systemic failings and told me how I should be ashamed of being part of such a deceitful body. I explained that I was and that my view was that things like this were a shameful thing which needed the whole Church (yep - all the denomination and grouping) to examine themselves, actively unite to repent of the things we have in us that are wrong and work together to be the body Jesus, the Christ, died to make us. With that, she said, "That's alright then," turned on her heels and left!
How grateful I was for that engagement. To be given the chance to exchange views and to be able to respond in a balanced and positive way. The damage was not undone, but at least one person had managed to deal with their anger positively.
My only hope is that she spreads the conversation on to her family, friends and anyone else she talks to.
For those who read this - if you have been affected by the Peter Ball debacle or have been affected directly (by association or personally) - please seek out someone to discuss it with. If you're angry with the church (local or denomination) take it to them and if you don't get heard (or satisfaction) then take it to someone else.
Survivor's story: Church of England sex abuse scandal
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