Response to Ely Cathedral’s Support of Pride Festival

Here’s a response to Ely Cathedral’s support of their local Pride Festival, from Lee Gatiss, Director of Church Society. He comments on an item on a Cambridge local news website:

“Why is a Church of England cathedral promoting what is described as “primarily a lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender celebration”?

They are not naive, and know what they are doing. The flag will no doubt be a rainbow, but in reality it is a white flag, signalling their surrender of Christianity in favour of a completely different gospel, which is divisive in the church and endangering to the soul.

There are better ways of rejoicing in the diversity of humanity — by proclaiming the joyful news of eternal life for every one of us who repents, turns away from our sin and turns to Jesus instead. Bring back the cross, the symbol of his kingdom. That is the banner under which Christians gather. But God says, ‘pride comes before destruction.’”

– from Church Society.

Lambeth Diary from the First Week of the Lambeth Conference July 18-25, 1998

From Dr. Stephen Noll:

“This is the 20th anniversary of the historic 1998 Lambeth Conference.

I was present there, representing the American Anglican Council (AAC). In this capacity I filed a three-week ‘Diary’ of the Conference. I am posting this diary without revision, except for the final week.”

– Here is the first instalment. Fascinating reading.

St Paul’s Cathedral ‘forbids public reading of the Bible’

“Last week Barnabas Fund highlighted a video showing City of London Police arresting a man for reading the Bible in public outside St Paul’s Cathedral in London. The police officers claimed that cathedral staff had asked them to do so.

Now a further video has emerged from several months ago of a similar event showing police stopping a man publicly reading the Bible in public outside St Paul’s, with what appears to be member of the cathedral management standing close behind the police officers. Ironically, the man was reading from the ‘Sermon on the Mount’ in Matthew chapter 5 which includes the verses…”

– Read it all from Barnabas Fund.

Wanted: A party to stand up for parents

“The row at Heavers Farm Primary School in Croydon, south London, caused by the head teacher’s plan to parade pupils as young as four on a homosexual pride march, illustrates a terrible truth: British state education has now become an engine for imposing anti-Christian cultural Marxism to the spiritual and moral harm of children…”

– Julian Mann in South Yorkshire wonders which British politicians will stand against the tide.

Further background in this earlier article by Anglican Mainstream’s Andrew Symes.

(Photo: Julian Mann with Archbishop Ben Kwashi.)

Withering on the Vine?

“The Archbishop of Canterbury has assured us that the Church of England is “deeply committed” to the flourishing of conservative evangelicals, many of whose churches are growing and planting. …

But is it credible to claim that this is what the Church of England is really doing? Intentions do not always lead to actions. What is the actual situation on the ground?

According to the latest figures … since the legislation on women in the episcopate came into force in November 2014, no fewer than 14 women have been appointed as Bishops, 3 as Deans and 20 as Archdeacons. But not a single person who is unable for theological reasons to recognise the priestly or episcopal ministry of women has been appointed as an Archdeacon or Dean. And only 2 suffragan bishops who do not ordain women have been appointed (one of which is evangelical)…”

– At Church Society’s blog, Dr Lee Gatiss wonders if the words of senior Church of England leaders are more than just talk.

Reactions to the Gafcon 2018 Conference Statement from leaders in Europe, Africa, North and South America and Australia

The GAFCON Media Team have been busy, and have now uploaded this compilation of reactions from Anglican leaders in Europe, Africa, North and South America and Australia.

Most encouraging.

GAFCON interview: Vaughan Roberts

On Thursday at GAFCON in Jerusalem, Dominic Steele spoke with Vaughan Roberts, Rector of St. Ebbe’s Oxford. Watch here.

GAFCON interview: William Taylor

William Taylor, St. Helens Bishopsgate from GAFCON Official on Vimeo.

During a break at GAFCON in Jerusalem on Wednesday, Dominic Steele spoke with William Taylor, St. Helens Bishopsgate.

Plain speaking, worth watching. Note his comments on ‘the idolatry of unity’.

See also these interviews:

The urbane voice likely to capture the CofE

“As GAFCON gathers in Jerusalem, a sermon on June 7th preached at a church in Clapham in south-west London would probably not be deemed worthy of an agenda item or even of much passing discussion. But actually it is highly significant in the battle for biblical orthodoxy in the Church of England.

For the sermon by the Revd Dr Sam Wells, vicar of St Martin-in-the-Fields on London’s Trafalgar Square, entitled ‘Not until you give me your blessing’, aptly illustrates why the LGBTQI++ movement is so close to capturing the Church of England as well as the English alphabet. …”

– Julian Mann in the UK writes of “the urbane, erudite-sounding voices of apparent Anglican moderation”.

Reply from Bishop Rod Thomas to the Bishop of Lichfield’s Ad Clerum on ‘Welcoming and honouring LGBT+ People’ in the Diocese

“Dear Bishop Michael and members of the Lichfield College of Bishops,

Thank you very much for letting me see an early copy of the new Ad Clerum on ‘Welcoming and honouring LGBT+ People’ in the Diocese. I very much appreciated the pastoral sensitivity and thoughtfulness with which it was written and, like you, would want to work for a situation where people of any sexual orientation or gender identity feel welcomed and honoured in our churches. …”

– Bishop of Maidstone Rod Thomas adds some biblical perspective to the Bishop of Lichfield’s pastoral letter to the clergy, published in early May.

Speaking for the C of E on sexuality

“There was a bit of a furore last week, caused by the publication of a letter sent by William Nye, who is General Secretary to the General Synod and the Archbishops’ Council, to The Episcopal Church of the United States (TEC).

The letter had been written and sent last October, in response to a request from TEC for reactions to their plans to revise the liturgy of their Book of Common Prayer removing gender references in their marriage rites.

The publication of the letter provoked a strong reaction in a letter to the Church Times from 126 clergy and laity, as well as two further letters from Giles Goddard and Anthony Archer.

It is worth reading carefully what William Nye actually says, since it is not obvious from the responses that everyone has done so. …”

– Ian Paul does take a closer look at the letter.

Among other things, he also answers the claim, by critics of the letter, that the ‘majority of Anglicans’ want the Church’s doctrine changed. He says, “in order to make the numbers work, it turns out that you have to allow people to self-identify as Anglicans, rather than ascertain whether they actually participate in Anglican worship or are members of their local Anglican church.”

Lee Gatiss on learning from Christians of the past

The Australian Church Record has published part 2 of Steve Tong’s interview with Church Society Director Lee Gatiss.

A tribute to David Wheaton — former Principal of Oak Hill

At Church Society’s website, Gerald Bray pays tribute to David Wheaton, former principal of Oak Hill College and sometime vice-president of Church Society.

Lee Gatiss on Church Society and Anglican evangelicals in the UK

Over at The Australian Church Record, Steve Tong interviews Lee Gatiss, Director of Church Society in the UK.

Read Part 1 here.

Wait not for the bishops!

“It’s remarkably easy to criticize the bishops for their inertia and timidity when you’re in the parish, but if you become a bishop the shoe is suddenly on the other foot! Ryle saw at first hand the heavy constraints upon evangelical episcopacy in the Church of England.. …”

– At Church Society’s blog, Andrew Atherstone, editor of J. C. Ryle’s autobiography, shares some of the fruits of his research. Ryle himself learned that evangelical laity and clergy should not sit back and wait for others to fight for the truth.

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