A vicar writes to his congregation about the Synod decision on ‘gay blessings’

Posted on November 18, 2023 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars

“On Wednesday, after nearly nine hours of debate on Living in Love and Faith (LLF), the Church of England’s General Synod voted on a motion, put forward by the House of Bishops (HoB), and amended by a proposal by the Bishop of Oxford, Steven Croft (see italics below).

In effect, + Steven’s amendment torpedoed a carefully staged proposal by the HoB, including that ‘prayers of blessing’ for gay relationship could not be used as a ‘stand-alone’ service, separate from a main Sunday service, as the perception and experience of those attending would be that the service was a ‘wedding’ in all but name, and therefore, the CofE would have changed its Doctrine on Marriage.

…

For now, I’d simply ask you to reflect on whether it is right, and a Godly way to change the Doctrine of the Church on marriage via one amendment, with no notice given to the wider Synod (until the actual start of the London meetings), and that the amendment occurred via a 57% to 52.18% against vote? As a PCC here, would probably not even choose a vacuum cleaner with that sort of division! After 7 years of LLF meetings, talks, reflections, study and debate across the CofE, it came down to a 5% difference? Remember, a formal change in doctrine needs a two-thirds majority in ALL three houses. That’s will now be by-passed by new praxis.”

– Anglican Mainstream has published this letter to his congregation from the Rev. Paul Eddy. It gives a very helpful insight into the fallout and mess caused by the Church of England’s General Synod vote. And plenty to pray about.

Image: Paul Eddy in an interview with the Christian Institute in January 2023.