C of E Bishop of Newcastle quits LLF post over appointment of a conservative theological advisor to the House of Bishops

Posted on February 2, 2024 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars

“The appointment of a conservative opponent of same-sex blessings as interim theological adviser to the Church of England’s House of Bishops has led to the bombshell resignation of the Bishop of Newcastle, Helen-Ann Hartley, as co-lead bishop of the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process.

Bishop Hartley became co-lead LLF bishop with the Bishop of Leicester, Martyn Snow, after the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, stepped down as the LLF lead bishop in November. …

The interim theological adviser is the Revd Dr Tom Woolford, who as a member of General Synod has opposed the introduction of services of blessing for same-sex couples.”

– As the Bishop of Newcastle apparently takes her bat and goes home, things don’t seem to be going well in the attempt to hold the Church of England together. Story from Julian Mann at Anglican.ink.

See also:

Living in Love and Faith: A Statement from Bishop Helen-Ann:

“there is no doubt that LLF remains front and centre in the life of our Church at this time…”

Full statement:

“My first commitment, and priority, is to continue to respond to God’s calling to be Bishop of Newcastle, and I rejoice in this calling. It has become clear to me in the last 48 hours that there are serious concerns relating to the recent process of appointing an Interim Theological Advisor to the House of Bishops. This was, and is not, an LLF appointment, and neither Bishop Martyn nor myself were involved in it. Whilst the remit of the theological advisor is broader than any matters relating to LLF, there is no doubt that LLF remains front and centre in the life of our Church at this time. What has transpired in the last 48 hours has had a critically negative impact on the work Bishop Martyn and I were seeking, in good faith, to do. My role as co-lead bishop for the LLF process is now undermining my capacity to fulfil my primary calling, to lead and care for the people and places of the Diocese of Newcastle.

I am fully committed to the vocation and life of the Church of England, its place in our diverse communities across this land, and in the wider Anglican Communion. Mindful of different views within my own diocese, I am also fully committed to the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people. I do not believe these are mutually exclusive, and I am not naïve in saying this. As I approach the 10th anniversary of my consecration as a bishop, my decision to step down from my LLF role is not one I have taken lightly, but is one built on all I have learnt about being a bishop, both here and in Aotearoa New Zealand. I will continue to be involved in the LLF process as a diocesan bishop, and will endeavour to prayerfully and actively work towards fulfilling the commitments expressed above, and those already agreed to in General Synod.

+Helen-Ann Newcastle,

February 1st 2024.”

And earlier:

Living in love, faith — and reconciliation – Church Times, 25 January 2024 by Helen-Ann Hartley and Martyn Snow:

“We are at a crossroads: either we have reached the point of separation, accepting that different views cannot co-exist within the same Church, or we must shift the debate to the question how we live well with difference. We believe firmly in the latter approach, and, therefore, we are issuing a call for reconciliation and bridge-building. …” (emphasis added)

Photo: Dr. Helen-Ann Hartley.