Sea changes on euthanasia, conversion therapy and religious freedom – with Mike Southon and Monica Doumit
A “Must-Watch” episode of The Pastor’s Heart:
“It’s going to be an especially bumpy six months for religious freedom issues in New South Wales.
Legalised Euthansia will be rolled out in just a few weeks. But what about faith based aged care institutions, where organizations and staff are conscientious objectors to euthanasia?
Then there’s the Law Reform Commission inquiry into religious schooling and whether the religious exemptions to anti discrimination law should be removed.
And the debate over conversion therapy will come to a head in the parliament.
Monica Doumit is Director of Public Affairs and Engagement for the Catholic Church in Sydney… and was one of the presenters at the Freedom for Faith Conference in Sydney.
Mike Southon is executive director of Freedom for Faith.”
– Watch or listen here. A hugely important topic.
Time to contact Members of Parliament!
Archbishop of Canterbury invites representatives of “progressive organisations and networks” to Lambeth Palace
“On Friday afternoon, forty one people gathered forming a huge rectangle in the room on the top floor of the Lambeth Palace library. Thirty four were representatives of progressive organisations and networks seeking the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people in the Church of England.
I think the meeting represents a turning point in the decades-long movement in the Church of England towards achieving the full and equal inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people in our church – but although progress may now be made, the future is still very uncertain. …
Archbishop Justin said he was totally and unequivocally committed to the goal of a radical new Christian inclusion that embraced LBTQIA+ people and he was surprised and shocked that we ever doubted that. A number of people said they had never heard him say that before. If only he had said this loud and clear before now, it would have made a huge difference. Indeed it would, but it has until now clearly been too difficult to say. He was surprised that people didn’t know this is his position. He compared himself with all other bishops saying he was making the most diverse appointments.…”
– This article by Colin Coward, long-time campaigner for ‘LGBTQIA+ rights’ in the Church of England, gives an insight into what is happening behind the scenes with regards to LLF.
Link via Anglican.ink. Photo: Jacqui J. Sze, archbishopofcanterbury.org.
Unpacking the CofE’s plan to bless same sex couples
From Christian Concern:
“The Church of England will shortly continue its muddle on marriage as the bishops intend to ‘commend’ prayers of blessing for same-sex couples.
Today’s Round the Table saw Tim, Andrea and Ben joined by Rev Dr Ian Paul to clear up the confusion and explain why this matters to Christians who go to other churches in England and beyond.
The Church of England has a disproportionate witness in our culture as the leaders speak – or fail to speak – of Jesus’ teaching to the wider culture.
And its orthodox doctrine on marriage also gives some legal protection to other Christians – if the Church of England gives in to the sexual revolution it will make things harder for all Christians.
Please pray, particularly ahead of the upcoming General Synod, that the faithful Christians would influence the church for good, so that the church would speak boldly of the goodness of God’s call for our lives as his redeemed, sanctified people.”
– With thanks to Anglican Mainstream for the link to the video.
Christians now seen as “extremists”?
In his analysis of US politics, Albert Mohler points out that Bible-believing Christians are now viewed by some as extremists – he is speaking in his The Briefing for Tuesday 31 October 2023.
If interested you can see the relevant section of interview with the new US Speaker of the House here.
Thought Crimes
“Footage obtained by ADF UK shows an officer employed by West Midlands Police issuing a fine to a Christian standing still and praying silently within an abortion facility ‘buffer zone’ in Birmingham on 18th October.
The praying individual in the footage was Isabel Vaughan-Spruce, the volunteer who has already been vindicated twice for having committed no crime by silently praying inside a ‘buffer zone’. …”
– From ADF UK – link via Anglican Mainstream. The officer asks, “Are you here to pray?”
See also:
When Prayer is Illegal, Are We Free? – Glen Scrivener Reacts to Abortion Buffer Zones.
Freedom23 — Freedom for Faith National Conference
The 2023 Freedom for Faith National Conference is coming up at Village Church Annandale on Monday 6th November.
Details and booking from their website.
Young clergy and ordinands push back against gay blessings proposals
“Over one hundred men and women training for ordination in the Church of England have written a public letter warning the church was set to ‘fracture’ should the House of Bishops’ Living in Love and Faith (LLF) proposals on same-sex blessings be adopted.…”
– George Conger writes at Anglican.ink.
The letter begins:
“Dear Bishops and Archbishops,
We write to you from a broad coalition of those who share a call to ordained ministry in the Church of England. We include people within the discernment process, in training, and those in their diaconate year. At the time of writing we span ten training institutions and twenty-six dioceses. This group draws men and women from varied backgrounds including the HTB and New Wine networks, conservative evangelicals and traditional Anglicans, all of whom care deeply for and are heavily invested in the Church of England.
As those in whom you have invested, who you are preparing for decades of ministry, we need to convey our grief in seeing the current direction of travel concerning the Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF). …”
– Read it all here. (PDF file)
Also in the Church of England:
Racial justice pilgrims [from London] visit Anglican Communion Office during tour of London – Anglican Communion News Service.
Interrogating identity: From philosophical theories to Biblical wisdom – with Chris Watkin
From The Pastor’s Heart –
“We traverse the historical landscape of identity, starting from Descartes’ cogito ergo sum or ‘I think, therefore I am,’ to the current age where identity has become a commodity.
Chris Watkin, the award-winning author of Biblical Critical Theory, helps us understand possessive individualism, starting with John Locke, expressive individualism, and how both terms help us grapple with modern identity formation.
Plus, we probe into the delicate balance between dignity and humility in the context of human identity.”
Related:
Andrew Moody reviewers Biblical Critical Theory at The Gospel Coalition Australia.
The book is available from Christian booksellers, including The Wandering Bookseller.
Bishop of Rochester and Bishop of Ebbsfleet speak about the House of Bishops meeting and press statement
Two Bishops in the Church of England have issued their own statements in addition to the joint statement of dissenting bishops of 12 October 2023.
Statement from Bishop Jonathan Gibbs, Bishop of Rochester:
“I have always prayed that God would surprise us and open avenues that we have never conceived, in ways that would honour and affirm people with a wide diversity of views on these hugely important and sensitive issues, while remaining faithful to our inheritance of faith.
It is therefore with great sadness and reluctance that I have felt compelled to join with others in indicating that I cannot endorse the decisions taken at the meeting of the House of Bishops on Monday 9 October, or the press statement issued afterwards, which I believe does not adequately reflect the decisions made or the depth of disagreement within the House. …”
See also this statement from Bishop Rob Munro, Bishop of Ebbsfleet:
“The press release does not make clear the depth of disagreement within the House about these proposals. …
I am deeply concerned that the approach that is being proposed will ultimately harm our unity, sanctity, catholicity and apostolicity as a Church, and seriously impact our mission. I believe it is necessary, in commitment to my consecration vows- to uphold God’s Word, to teach the doctrine of Christ and refute error- to publicly raise these concerns, that I have been expressing in the House.
When the fuller details of the proposals are published, I hope to address specific concerns in more detail. I continue to be supportive of the approach of the CEEC and encourage you to keep in step with their collective response.”
– Read his full statement – via Anglican.ink.
Image: Bishop Jonathan Gibbs (left) and Bishop Rob Munro.
Letter in Church Times on the present crisis from an incumbent: “unity has already broken down”
A Letter published in Church Times:
“Sir, – For the first time in more than 20 years of ordained ministry, I have declined to give permission for a child of my parish to be baptised in a neighbouring parish where the parents have begun attending. The reason is that I have heard from several sources that the priest of that parish is teaching publicly that same-sex relationships can be blessed in church. This is contrary to scripture and 2000 years of Christian teaching and pastoral practice.
The Bishops of the Church of England have decided this week that they will put revised prayers to the General Synod in November, after a long and heated debate in July. So far, they have declined any appeal by the Church of England Evangelical Council and other bodies for a separate province for either revisionists or conservatives, claiming that they ‘want to maintain unity’.
I have to tell them now: unity has already broken down, when we cannot commend the ministry of a fellow Anglican minister (or indeed bishop). ‘Good separation’ has to be better than years of the breakdown of structures.”
– At Anglican Mainstream.
See also:
Dissenting bishops statement on LLF process.
Church Society Editorial: Good Lord!
“There’s been a lot of talk about the doctrine of the Church of England of late. The doctrine of the Church of England is clearly stated in Canon Law. Canon A5 says:
“The doctrine of the Church of England is grounded in the Holy Scriptures, and in such teachings of the ancient Fathers and Councils of the Church as are agreeable to the said Scriptures.
In particular such doctrine is to be found in the Thirty-nine Articles of Religion, The Book of Common Prayer, and the Ordinal.”
I have devoted my life and ministry to these things. …”
– In this important editorial, Church Society’s Director, the Rev Dr Lee Gatiss, wonders what we can do when we are exasperated by bishops and the direction of the Church of England.
He goes on to say this about ‘canonical obedience’ to bishops –
“if bishops now require obedience or acquiescence in something neither lawful nor honest, and against the plain and public definition of Anglican doctrine, it is clearly not just a matter of conscience but my duty to the truth to say no. They should expect resistance.”
(Emphasis added.)
CofE conservatives cannot stop same-sex blessings from becoming facts on the ground
“Despite appearances, Church of England conservatives have not won a victory after the bishops announced that new services of blessing for same-sex couples now require two-thirds majorities in General Synod. The services are set to come into use anyway after November’s Synod.
The announcement from Church House Westminster on October 9, after the bishops made their decision on the legal route they are now pursuing, certainly highlighted the bishops’ commitment to get the new services into use. …”
– Julian Mann writes at Christian Today.
Update:
See also Lee Gatiss’ Church Society Editorial.
Who wants the Prayers of Love and Faith anyway?
“On Monday evening, at the end of the first day of the House of Bishops meeting, a press release was issued announcing that the Prayers of Love and Faith were being commended. Bishops are free to commend prayers at any time, without requiring synodical approval. However, such prayers should not constitute liturgy and should be consistent with the doctrine of the church.
The bishops think they have cleverly avoided the first requirement by telling us that there will be liturgy brought to General Synod for scrutiny in 2025…”
– Church Society’s Associate Director, Dr Ros Clarke, observes that “the word of a bishop, it seems, doesn’t count for much these days”.
CofE bishops commend prayers blessing same sex couples
“The Church of England’s House of Bishops has agreed in principle that prayers asking for God’s blessing for same-sex couples – known as Prayers of Love and Faith – should be commended for use when they are presented to the next meeting of the general synod from 13-15 November. …”
Image from the livestream of the Church of England General Synod, 09 February 2023.
Bishops in Communion and Prayers in Love and Faith
“To say that the House of Bishops Occasional Paper Bishops in Communion, published in 2000, is not well known is an understatement. Twenty-three years after its publication very few people in the Church of England even know of its existence. However, despite this fact, Bishops in Communion remains an important document because the understanding of how bishops are meant to conduct their ministry which it puts forward continues to shape the way in which bishops operate in the Church of England today.
To put it another way, the actions that the bishops of the Church of England have taken, and continue to take, during the Prayers of Love and Faith process directly reflect the thinking about the role of bishops which is found in the pages of Bishops in Communion. …
The model of episcopal ministry set out in [the paper] sees bishops as facilitators. The job of the bishops, it says, is to ensure that dialogue between those of different views continues until a consensus emerges about the mind of Christ for his Church. This understanding of the bishops’ role is what shaped the Living in Love and Faith Process. The whole point of that process was to encourage an open process of discernment across the Church of England between those with different views about human sexuality.
If this is indeed the model that is shaping the way that the bishops are acting, it follows that the existence of the Prayers of Love and Faith proposals following on from Living and Love and Faith must mean that the bishops collectively believe that a new consensus has been reached. …”
– At his Reflections of an Anglican Theologian, Martin Davie looks at the self-understanding apparent in the Church of England’s House of Bishops – and why that is a huge problem.
Related:
Churches backing traditional marriage are cut loose by their bishops –
“Paul’s suffering supported his apostolic authority to appeal to these baptised Christians in virulently pagan Ephesus to stand together for the truth of the biblical gospel centred on Jesus Christ, the divine Son of God the Father almighty. Such unity based on a shared understanding of the essentials of Christian truth is vital if the Church is to be effective in proclaiming the gospel and defending it in a hostile culture.
Sadly, the deep doctrinal divisions in the Church of England undermined a united response to a recent attack on orthodox Oxford churches by the university’s powerful 3,000-member LGBTQ+ Society. …”
– Julian Mann asks how can bishops who support novel doctrines be a support for those churches which stick to the Bible.
What we believe
The message at the heart of Christianity is really quite simple…