Would Worcester College Oxford apologise for hosting the Pope?

Oct 1, 2021 by

by Archbishop Cranmer:

Worcester College Oxford is among the fairest of the University. Founded in 1714, some of its buildings date back to 1283, when there was a Benedictine abbey on the site. In 1542, the buildings then known as Gloucester College were home to Robert King, the first bishop of Oxford. The College chapel hosts services conducted according to the rites of the Church of England: it is “the spiritual heart of the College and is also its centre of Christian worship. It aims to be the home for all Christian branches in College and is available for people of all beliefs”.

Except, it seems, for young people attending the Wilberforce Academy, run by Christian Concern, which is a “1-week intensive residential programme aimed at students and young professionals with a passion to serve Jesus Christ in a variety of vocations including law, politics, education, media, arts, healthcare, ministry and business”, the aim of which is to prepare delegates “for servant-hearted, Christ-centred leadership in their communities, Churches, and workplaces, having been equipped with a robust biblical framework that guides their thinking, prayers and activity in addressing the issues facing our society”.

Worcester College can’t be doing with any of that.

The Wilberforce Academy held their most recent conference there over the summer recess, as they have done at various Oxford colleges for the past 11 years.

But a Worcester College student, on returning to the University after recess, found a Wilberforce Academy brochure which outlined the topics of the week-long programme of lectures and seminars, and all purgatory broke loose.

The pamphlet included sessions on Islam, homosexuality, transgenderism, marriage, abortion and assisted dying, and some of the visiting lecturers hold views with which others may disagree.

Despite the subjects being considered in historical, social and theological context, the student thought this was Islamophobic, homophobic, anti-women’s rights and intolerant, so he complained to the Provost, David Isaac CBE, who was absolutely mortified that Worcester College could even consider allowing its fair halls and sanctified chapel to be used by such a bigoted, extremist, fanatical, racist, sexist and hateful group of Christians.

So, despite this student not attending any of the lectures, and having no clue about each subject was handled or how the teaching was delivered and how the learning was assessed and what pastoral care or support was available over the week, the Provost apologised to him/her and to the entire College, and assured them it was an egregious error of judgment which would never be repeated. A spokesman told The Oxford Tab:

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