Simple Country Blogger Watch - UPDATE.

Last Friday, the Simple Country Bishop talked of his trip to give a talk at the CARA trust in London, and how he just happened to be pass by the other Bishops (the ones that were invited) and their spouses at Buckingham Palace:

"In one of those divinely humorous coincidences, our travel route from Canterbury and through the jam-packed traffic of London took us around Buckingham Palace, just at the precise moment that bishops and spouses were streaming off their coaches and into the Palace, for tea with the Queen. It was delightful to see most of the women wearing fabulous hats, chosen for this occasion. My gaze was caught by Donna Scarfe, wife of the Bishop of Iowa, in a stunning green hat with matching ensemble. Truly fit for a queen!"

Well, Peter Ould is questioning how much of a "coincidence" that was, as passing by Buckingham Palace us not quite on the route from Canterbury to his appointed location.

I have certainly given the Simple Country Bishop his lumps of late, but in this case I am going to come to his defense and give him the benefit of the doubt. Robinson's destination was the CARA Trust, which is located at 240 Lancaster Road, London (W11 4AH). That is just west of Notting Hill, and well north and west of Buckingham Palace. This all depends on where the Bishops and their spouses were entering the palace. If it was in front, then I must agree that Peter has a point and the Simple Country Bishop as some 'splanin to do. But if it was along the sides, on Constitution Hill or Buckingham Palace Road, he very well could have seen them in passing. The road that runs behind the Palace, Grovesnor Place, comes off of Vauxhall Bridge Road and is the one "Free Through Route" through the City's Central London Congestion Charging Zone. That seems a logical route. Up Park Lane to Edgeware Road, west on the A40, and you're there.


Why is this important? In the greater scheme of things, it isn't. But Gene Robinson has made the credibility of such things important by trying hard to make himself, and his story, the focus of the Lambeth Conference. And he has used such moments to contrast his story (the outcast), with the stories of others (the insiders). If this story here was created by him (that is, he went out of his way to pass by them) and was not coincidence, it begs the question of how much more of Gene Robinson's story has been created as well? But on this there is doubt, as we do not have enough facts. And as a Christian, I am willing to give him the benefit of that doubt.