Cristina Odone
Cristina Odone is a journalist, novelist and broadcaster specialising in the relationship between society, families and faith. She is a Research Fellow at the Centre for Policy Studies and is a former editor of the Catholic Herald and deputy editor of the New Statesman. She is married and lives in west London with her husband, two stepsons and a daughter. She has recently launched the website freefaith.com.
The vote on women bishops did not go Cameron's way
The Synod vote on women bishops has revealed David Cameron's contempt for the Church. The vote went against women – and Cameron railed against the Established Church. He used his position to vent his personal frustration at those who could not vote against what they believe is the sacred tradition of the Apostolic Succession. They were "sad" people, who'd made a bad choice, Cameron was clear.
This kind of passive-aggressive behaviour is the worst kind of bullying: making his opponents feel they are not the right-thinking people Dave approves of. Worryingly, the PM thinks it appropriate to weigh in to the Church's decision-making; he refuses to see the Anglican Communion as a separate and distinct sphere.
This is precisely what I fear he will do when he pushes through (in an accelerated, some may say reckless, fashion) the gay marriage legislation. Despite resistance from the Tory heartland, Cameron is determined to push the law through within weeks.
There are priests and vicars (not to mention rabbis and imams) who see gay sex as a sin; they will see celebrating gay marriage as a wrong. Cameron will override their concerns, and force them to celebrate the gay couples' union anyway. He will show the same kind of disrespect for them as he has shown for those against women bishops.
Cameron sends his children to a C of E primary. He claims to have a faith. Yet he obviously thinks he knows better than the Church he belongs to
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