AUSTRALIA
lewisblayse.net
The Anglican Archbishops are different from the Catholic ones in that the Anglicans are elected by clerical and lay members of the church. They therefore tend to be more aware of their images ad more skilled at currying favour and attention (of the right sort, of course). This makes them a bit more dangerous.
The Sydney guy, Glenn Naunton Davies, who has only been in the job since last month, campaigned for his position with all the skill of a veteran politician, to come from behind and win the plum job, over his rival Richard Smith.
In the past, Davies has been quick to enter into traditional political discussion. This week, he criticized Prime Minister Rudd for his interpretation of the bible. He has been vocal in opposing secular ethics classes in NSW schools. He also punches for his church over the Catholic, whose numbers passed his in 1986 to become the dominant religion in Australia. Davies is reported as casting “doubt” on Mary MacKillop’s “alleged miracles” saying (concerning the miracle cures) that “”Even if they prayed to Mary MacKillop, what evidence is there that it was Mary MacKillop’s intercession that healed them?”
His big problem was the recent resignation of his Grafton bishop, Keith Slater, for failings to do with a children’s home. Davies, somehow, avoided having to comment in the media.
The guy with the real problems is the Adelaide Archbishop, Jeffrey Driver who took over after the resignation of the disgraced Ian George. George had “mishandled” abuse cases, particularly at Adelaide’s prestige school, St. Peter’s. He got into more hot water when the church went back on its promise not to have a “service of recognition” for Mr. George.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.