R.V.G. Tasker, a former Professor of New Testament at Kings College, London, once wrote that 'hope is a psychological necessity'.
Such is certainly the case at the beginning of a new year for those of us who are members of the Church of England as we face many uncertainties in matters of belief, finance and strategy. Thankfully 'hope springs eternal in the human breast' and, although there is much gloom on the horizon, most of us still find ourselves harbouring some hopes of better things to come.
Beginning at the highest level, I for one often find myself hoping that one day we can have our church without a Supreme Governor. Whilst we can be thankful for the example of our present Queen Elizabeth and her open Christian faith, the prospect of Prince Charles who is divorced and lives with the former wife of someone who is still living and who sees himself as 'the defender of faiths' rather than 'defender of the faith', the Protestant faith, can only bring the Lord and His church into dishonour and disrepute. If we must have an established church, could we not at least have one without the monarch as supreme governor? Such would seem to be the case with the Church of Scotland. At least if the church is headed by an Archbishop he can be removed if he denies the faith.
