To close out the year, and look ahead to the next, here is a great look at the options available in our controversies…

Dave Walker, in a way that only he can with pen and paper, has graphically and concisely set out the options in our controversies.  You can find his current post on the Church Times blog which has a link to the full cartoon from last May.  The current post and the look back are occasioned by a new report on how to resolve that particular controversy.

One of the things I find when writing this blog is that our Presbyterian controversies are variations on a theme.  In many cases the arguments and logic follow very similar lines, you just fill in a different point of contention depending on the Presbyterian branch you are referring to.  While Dave is addressing a controversy in the Church of England that is not particularly Presbyterian, women bishops, the three options he illustrates still fit our debates.  And while Dave doesn’t present any specifically new options, it is fascinating to me how universal the basic framework of our possible solutions are.

So enjoy Dave’s work.  Dave, thanks for your contributions.

And to all, a Happy New Year.