The sound of rejoicing from bishops’ wives whose husbands are no longer compelling them to be bored into oblivion at Lambeth 2020 is resounding from Timbuktu to Tobermory.

This is because the wives/husbands (we need a new word: “wifebands”?) of homosexual bishops have not been invited to attend.

The Bishop of Liverpool, martyr to the cause, will sacrifice himself and attend while leaving his wife at home. In a safe space.

All this is assuming Lambeth 2020 actually happens.

From here:

The Bishop of Liverpool has said he will attend an international summit of Anglican leaders without his wife next year, in protest at a bar on the partners of gay clergy.

Rt Rev Paul Bayes described the decision to prevent same-sex partners of clergy from attending the 2020 Lambeth Conference as an “act of exclusion”.

In a message posted on Twitter, he said: “I deeply regret that, in the fractious complexities of our life as a worldwide people, this act of exclusion has taken its place.

“It is a grief to me and to my wife, and to many others. Despite this, I aim to attend the Conference, alone, in the hope of a common future.”

The Anglican Communion – which includes national churches from 165 countries – was forced to clarify its stance on the matter last week, following “misunderstanding”.

General Secretary Dr Josiah Idowu-Fearon said: “The invitation process has…needed to take account of the Anglican Communion’s position on marriage which is that it is the lifelong union of a man and a woman.

In more news, Bishop Bayes has informed Jesus that he should also voluntarily absent himself from Lambeth 2020 for claiming his Father is guilty of an even more heinous “act of exclusion”:

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: