Church of England defends teaching controversial race theory

Teachers at Church of England schools in Suffolk told to teach children lessons on the ‘white supremacy pyramid’ theory

ByLouisa Clarence-Smith, EDUCATION EDITOR16 July 2023 • 5:55pm

Nigel Genders, the Church of England's chief education officer, said that teaching racial justice in schools 'has never been more important' CREDIT: Centre for Chaplaincy in Education

The Church of England has defended teaching controversial race theory, saying children should not wait until 18 to learn about “racial justice”.

Teaching guidance issued by one diocese, which includes lessons on the “white supremacy pyramid”, has been described as “explicitly politically partisan” by the campaign group Don’t Divide Us.

Teachers at Church of England schools in Suffolk have been told to teach children that they benefit from white privilege and the “systemic oppression of People of Colour through racist policies and practices”.

However, in a blog post on the Church of England’s website on Sunday, Revd Canon Nigel Genders, its chief education officer, said that teaching racial justice in schools “has never been more important”.

He said: “In Church of England schools we are committed to addressing the issue. “Not by building up some people at the expense of others or by suggesting children are personally responsible for past injustices; rather we must face our past and by doing so build a more just society for all.

“This includes learning about the enduring impact of slavery and the reality of institutional and systemic racism.”

He added: “The wider Church’s work on racial justice is not an attempt to reflect demographic trends in society, to be politically correct, or to engage in a culture war but rather is fundamental to what we believe as Christians.”

Teaching guidance issued by the Diocese of St Edmundsbury and Ipswich states that pupils should learn about the “white supremacy pyramid” to show “how bias, stereotypes and prejudice can lead to racist words and actions, leading to physical harm and death”.

It adds: “Systemic racism exists in inequalities of wealth, education, employment, housing and health”.

‘Politically partisan’
 

The diocese’s teaching guidance has emerged as part of a report published earlier this month by the campaign group Don’t Divide Us on how critical race theory is being taught in schools.

Dr Alka Sehgal-Cuthbert, author of the report, told BBC Radio 4’s Sunday programme: “The Church of England diocesan board of education, if you look on their education website, you will see an image of guidance to Church of England teachers which is really, frankly, the most explicitly politically partisan guidance that we’ve come across.

“There are images of upraised fists, there’s directions to amplify black voices in the classroom, which frankly I think is really unthinking, because that could be really patronising. I would really hate to think people listen to me because of my skin colour, rather than the efforts and the work that I put into my work and profession.”

Revd Canon Genders said: “There’s not one set of resources that every school uses. “We leave it to the professionals in their local context to be able to decide that but we really are keen that this whole question doesn’t get kind of obfuscated by getting into a technical discussion about which resources and which is the source of different theories.”

He added: “We are driven by our identity in Christ and that desire to really teach that all people are equal in the eyes of God and we want to make sure that everyone has that equal opportunity and we’ll continue to develop resources we are passionate about developing.”

  

 OVERHEARD IN HARRIS & HOOLE...

(An occasional feature)

Friday 14th July

Myself, Tony of the Big Saloon, Mary Winterbourne and Ducky Duckworth got together this morning in Harris & Hoole. Ducky is now out on summer holiday already - he teaches in a private school. He is de-mob happy. The last time we were here there was a problem. The cafe's dishwasher had broken down and we were served coffee in paper cups. Tony of the Big Saloon told the manager that we would not be returning if we were served with papers cups. Everything is fine today and my black Americano is served in a lovely ceramic mug.

The following could be overheard:

GENE: Well folks we have seen how Detterling received an exemplary caning from me over Original Sin and how the old buffer has resorted to his modus operandi following defeat: malicious lies, false allegations and menaces. The silly old prick wrote:

"If homosexuality is God given, how can expressing that sexuality consensually be sinful?" 

Astonishing that he can't see that the premise in this rhetorical question is totally wrong. Homosexuality is most certainly not God-given. This is textbook Pelagian heresy to make such a claim.

Homosexuality, as with every other human flaw, is the result of Original Sin. 

He talks about Man made in the image of God. Yes, prelapserian Man. Man after the Fall is totally different - tainted by Original Sin and vulnerable to the promptings of Satan, the Father of Lies. Man no longer in the image of God.

However Man has been redeemed and it is possible to return to the image of God and to the Kingdom of God. But not while in sin. As St Paul puts it: 

Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived! Fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, sodomites, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers—none of these will inherit the kingdom of God.

DUCKY DUCKWORTH: I suppose the old tosser will now accuse Saint Paul of equating homosexuality with fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, male prostitutes, thieves, the greedy, drunkards, revilers, robbers!

GENE: Yes no doubt Ducky. 

MARY WINTERBOURNE: I am very impressed by this man, Fr Calvin Robinson, that you have introduced us to Gene. I agree with every word he says. He demolished the woke pinko-liberals of the C of E at the Oxford Union. It was so impressive.

TONY OF THE BIG SALOON:  How old is Detterling these days?

GENE: He's seventy-nine by George!

 Mark my words: The Church of England is finished. The end is nigh...

The Church of England will soon bless gay marriages. And indeed, as I have predicted, it will even conduct gay marriages in C of E churches. But, when it does so this will be the end. The good C of E faithful will never accept the blessing of sodomy. There will be a mass exodus to the Roman Catholic Church.

Rev Calvin Robinson has it correct. God cannot bless sin.

Watch Calvin's latest broadcast. He really nails the demise of the Church of England.

Calvin Robinson on Anglicanism and Courage - YouTube

 HOW MUCH I AM ENJOYING CULTURAL AMNESIA BY CLIVE JAMES!

I was delighted to read his flaying of the appalling Bertolt Bretcht. Hypocrite and apologist for Stalin.

Bertolt Brecht   ... self-satisfied prick

I am now starting on his piece on Jean Paul Sartre - boss-eyed prat.

Good on you Clive James. You have given me such enjoyment. Rest in peace Clive.

Tie me kangaroo down Sport. Keep me cockatoo cool Blue.

 

Italian uproar over judge's 10-second groping rule

PublishedShare

IMAGE SOURCE,PAOLO CAMILLI/INSTAGRAM

Image caption,

White Lotus actor Paolo Camilli was among those expressing their anger that "a brief grope, if it's under 10 seconds, isn't considered a crime"

By Sofia Bettiza

BBC News, Rome

Does it count as sexual harassment if an assault lasts less than 10 seconds?

Many young people in Italy are expressing outrage on social media, after a judge cleared a school caretaker of groping a teenager, because it did not last long enough.

The case involves a 17-year-old student at a Rome high school.

She described walking up a staircase to class with a friend, when she felt her trousers fall down, a hand touching her buttocks and grabbing her underwear.

"Love, you know I was joking," the man told her when she turned around.

After the incident, which happened in April 2022, the student reported the caretaker, 66-year-old Antonio Avola, to police.

He admitted to groping the student without consent, but said it was a joke.

A Rome public prosecutor asked for a three-and-a-half year prison sentence but this week the caretaker was acquitted of sexual assault charges. According to the judges, what happened "does not constitute a crime" because it lasted less than 10 seconds.

Since the ruling, palpata breve - a brief groping - has become a trend on Instagram and TikTok in Italy, along with the #10secondi hashtag.

Italians have posted videos looking at the camera in silence and touching their intimate parts for 10 seconds straight.

IMAGE SOURCE,CAMILLA PAGLIAROSI

Image caption,

Camilla Pagliarosi posted this video referring to the caretaker's acquittal and the quote: "Groping lasted just 10 seconds"

The videos are often uncomfortable to watch but they have the aim of showing just how long 10 seconds can feel.

The first was posted by White Lotus actor Paolo Camilli, and since then thousands of people have followed suit.

Another video was reposted by Chiara Ferragni, Italy's most famous influencer who has 29.4 million followers on Instagram.

Another influencer, Francesco Cicconetti wrote on TikTok: "Who decides that 10 seconds is not a long time? Who times the seconds, while you're being harassed?"

"Men don't have the right to touch women's bodies, not even for a second - let alone 5 or 10."

He goes on to say that the judges' decision to acquit the caretaker shows just how normalised sexual harassment is in Italian society.

A post on the Freeda Instagram account says: "This sentence is absurd. The duration of the harassment should not diminish its severity."

But according to the judges, the caretaker did not linger. He groped the teenager only briefly, performing an "awkward manoeuvre without lust".

"The judges ruled that he was joking? Well, it was no joke to me," the student told Corriere della Sera newspaper.

"The caretaker came up from behind without saying anything. He put his hands down my trousers and inside my underwear.

"He groped my bottom. Then, he pulled me up - hurting my private parts. For me, this is not a joke. This is not how an old man should 'joke' with a teenager."

"That handful of seconds was more than enough for the caretaker to make me feel his hands on me."

She says she feels doubly betrayed - by her school and by the justice system.

"I'm starting to think I was wrong to trust the institutions. This is not justice."

The student fears the judges' ruling will deter girls and women from coming forward if they are subjected to such attacks.

Recent figures from the EU's Fundamental Rights Agency (FRA) suggested that 70% of Italian woman who had suffered harassment between 2016 and 2021 did not report the incident.

"They will feel that reporting abuse is just not worth it. But it is important, because silence protects the aggressors."

 

Most Famous Exorcist Backed Medjugorje, Spoke Of John Paul II’s Incredible Power

July 10, 2023 by sd

Father Gabriele Amorth: Rome’s Exorcist, official biography, by Domenico Agasso

This is a fascinating, well-wrought book, detailing an extraordinary life.

The just-released official biography of Father Gabriele Amorth, subject of other books, a slew of articles, and now at least two major movies, details surprising observations from the world-famous exorcist, who died in 2016.

For one, there is Medjugorje. It turns out that the exorcist’s first visit to the apparition site — apparently there were more than one — was in April of 1984 and involved four of the six seers, Ivanka, Jakov, Marija, and Vicka.

Citing the “prayer and composure of the people,” unity in families, and feeling of peace, said Father Amorth: “If you ask us for an opinion, in a personal capacity, we repeat the saying of the Gospel: ‘A tree is known by its fruits.’ We didn’t go to see extraordinary things (and we didn’t see any) but we went to see if the fruits were good. We definitely answer yes.”

He could see, said the exorcist, why there are those who are skeptical (the apparitions, which began in June of 1981, have gone on for an extraordinarily long period), but, he said, “in response to such objections, Our Lady allegedly said that they are the final ones for humanity during this epoch.”

In fact, it turns out Father Amorth not only believed Mary was appearing at Medjugorje (where many are delivered from evil) but constantly defended and prompted it in a publication he edited called Madre di Dio.

Though there are accounts of clergy — including a cardinal — who didn’t believe in the existence of the devil (it isn’t taught at many seminaries), and thus resisted him, Father Amorth made clear that one who did believe was John Paul II, who he said fought several times directly against Satan — and still does.

“Satan once spoke to me at length about John Paul II,” said the exorcist. “I still remember the hoarse voice of the prince of darkness. He spoke to me just before he left the person he possessed. It was like a confession he wanted to make to me before I was able to drive him out with the power of Christ.

“Of course, his words may have been a lie. But they still deserve to be repeated because they tell us something. He said, ‘Karol Wojtyla, I hate him. We all hate him. Wojtyla destroyed my plans. I wanted to destroy the world, but it was he who made communism fall in Russia and Eastern Europe before I succeeded in my project.'”

Further, Father Amorth noted “when John Paul II is named during an exorcism, the possessed literally foams with anger. When Padre Pio of Pietrelcina is named, the devil goes mad and becomes furious and agitated.

“But when John Paul II is named, Satan becomes even more brutal and uncontrollable. Satan hates John Paul II and often says, ‘I hate him with greater intensity than Padre Pio.'” (Although, again: Saint Pio was very powerful when it came to the enemy.)

Meanwhile, according to the book — which we highly recommend — Benedict XVI was likewise potent against evil and did much for exorcists, noted Father Amorth. The devil feared this Pontiff, and not just because of his name. “The way in which Benedict XVI performs the liturgy, his respect for the rules, and his rigor and posture are very effective against Satan,” said the exorcist. “The liturgy celebrated by the Pontiff is powerful. Satan is wounded every time the Pope celebrated the Eucharist.”

Amorth recounted the time two people possessed by the devil were brought by two others to Saint Peter’s Square. “It is not a mystery that many of the Pope’s gestures and words infuriate Satan. It is no mystery that even the presence of the Pope alone disturbs and in some way helps the possessed in their battle against the one who possessed them.”

When Benedict arrived in the square, he said, the two began to fidget and shake, their teeth chattering.”

As the popemobile made its way through the square, they threw themselves on the ground, hit their heads on the stones, and uttered “frightening howls.”

At that point, said the priest, “Benedict turns around, but does not come near. He sees the two women and the two young men on the ground screaming, drooling, trembling, and enraged. He sees the hateful gaze of the two men directed at him. The Pope is not upset. He looks on from afar. He raises his arm and blesses the four. For the two possessed, it is a furious shock, like a whip cracked over their bodies. It is so strong they are knocked to the ground and fall three meters back.”

“Satan did not want Ratzinger to be Pope, and he had reason,” notes the biography. “But it is certainly not better with his successor, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Pope Francis, who  has often expressed himself clearly about the devil and his real presence in the world and in the Church itself.  Pope Francis stated that he is "a present and personal being” — to be resisted at every turn.