And just who are they protecting the protesters from? From the Church itself! With "senior leadership" intent on seeking injunctions to have Occupy London protesters forcibly removed, a few right-thinking Christians have called bullshit.
The canon chancellor of St Paul's, Dr Giles Fraser, and the Rev Fraser Dyer, who works as a chaplain at the cathedral, have resigned in protest. The groups vowing to protect the protesters issued the following statement:
"As Christians, we stand alongside people of all religions who are resisting economic injustice with active nonviolence. The global economic system perpetuates the wealth of the few at the expense of the many. It is based on idolatrous subservience to markets. We cannot worship both God and money."
Meanwhile, the bishop of London, the Right Rev Richard Chartres and the dean of St Paul's, the Right Rev Graeme Knowles wouldn't answer when asked if they would commit to opposing the planned eviction.
Chartres said it was irrelevant for him to take a stance, telling journalists: "I honestly have no part in it, because St Paul's and the Dean of Chapter are in charge." And yet apparently he does have a part in it because here is is addressing the protesters while Knowles looks on thoughtfully. So which is it Bish? Are you the guy or not?
What leadership! (And totally dig the evil banker suit behind them!)
Jonathan Bartley, the director of the influential religious thinktank Ekklesia, said "To evict rather than offer sanctuary is contrary to what many people think the church is all about."
*By the way, in the British Roman Catholic Church, the term "The Right Reverend" refers to bishops while "The Most Reverend" is reserved for archbishops. "Asshole" may be commonly used to refer to the whole lot of them.
