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

“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.

Mr Facing Both Ways

“In his book The Pilgrim’s Progress John Bunyan refers to a character called ‘Mr Facing Both Ways.’

As I reflected on the events of the past year and where they have left the Church of England it struck me that Bunyan’s name for this character is also an apt description of the current position of the Church of England.

On the one hand, the Church of England officially continues to adhere to (a) the traditional Christian doctrine of marriage and sexual ethics, and (b) the traditional Christian doctrine that  visible holiness of life should be required of Christian ministers.

On the other hand, since 17 December  last year it has contradicted (a) in terms of its liturgical practice. Furthermore, it seems certain that action by the House of Bishops will mean that in the coming year the Church of England will contradict traditional Christian doctrine further in area (a) and will also contradict it in area (b) as well. …”

– Martin Davie looks at the current situation in the Church of England and suggests how orthodox Evangelicals should respond.

Living in Love, Faith and Reconciliation: an exercise in bait and switch

“Last week, the lead bishops for Living in Love and Faith process, Rt Revd Helen-Ann Hartley and Rt Revd Martyn Snow set out some of their thinking in a comment piece for the Church Times – Living in Love, Faith and Reconciliation.

‘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.’

Their attempt to ‘reset’ the debate will rest on a number of commitments, which will be brought to General Synod for discussion in February. They have yet to be published – but for once the devil will not be in the detail – but in their purpose and underlying premise …”

– This opinion piece at Anglican Futures looks at where ‘reconciliation and bridge-building’ is likely to lead.

And it is yet another reminder to pray for wisdom for faithful believers in the Church of England.

Church Society Podcast S13E03: CEEC

“This episode of the Church Society podcast comes from the 2024 Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) annual residential meeting.

Three members and guests of CEEC tell us about different areas of work that is ongoing.

– First up in the podcast, Dr Ros Clarke speaks with Charlie Skrine about the latest discussions on Living in Love and Faith. 

Listen to the podcast here.

A great reminder to continue to pray for faithful Christians in the Church of England. (From 14:50, Charlie has a particular request for prayer.)

Photo: Charlie Skrine at JAEC 2023.

Related:

Church of England Evangelical Council.

Letter to Church Times about Living in Love and Faith

Anglican Mainstream has posted this letter sent to Church Times by the Rev James Paice in London:

“Dear Sir

I read with interest your piece by the LLF co-lead Bishops about the need to live with difference.

They appear not to have heard CEEC and other conservative clergy :
blessing same sex relationships in defiance of Scripture has been said to have been a first order issue all along, which is why there has been repeated calls for a separate Province, which has been continually resisted.

We are in the woeful situation that we are in, because despite claiming to do so, the Archbishops have not listened to those who stand on the historic teaching of the Bible.  No wonder faithful clergy have been leaving.

Yours faithfully.
The Rev James Paice
St Luke’s Church
Ryfold Road
London SW19 8BZ.”

He speaks for many in the Church of England, and many others around the world who are watching with dismay.

The article to which he is responding is linked here at Anglican Mainstream.

And somewhat related:

‘We must find ways of being joyful in our disagreement’ – The Archbishop of Canterbury preaches in Rome.

“Equality” Bill threatens religious freedom in NSW

“Independent MP Mr A H Greenwich last year introduced a private member’s bill called the Equality Legislation Amendment (LGBTIQA+) Bill 2023 (“the Bill”) into the NSW Parliament. It is understood that time will be allowed for debate on the Bill on February 8, 2024.

Freedom for Faith has an excellent overview of the many areas covered by the Bill and why the Bill should not proceed. Most private member’s Bills are not approved, but there is a danger that some MP’s might support some of the provisions of this Bill.

In this post I will focus on some of the dangers to religious freedom in NSW if the Bill were passed. (There are so many that I may not cover them all in one post, and if I can I will try to pick up those I miss here in a later post.)

… the amendments to s 56, if enacted, would radically undermine the freedom of religious groups to operate in accordance with their faith. They, along with the other proposals in this Bill, should be rejected if they come to a vote in the Parliament. As noted above, Freedom for Faith has provided a summary of the other proposals in the Bill, and links at that website will allow those who want to, to write to their MP to let them know their views.”

– Neil Foster draws attention to an alarming development in New South Wales.

Do take the time to read it all – and consider contacting your MP.

(Image: Assoc Prof. Foster at a Sydney Diocese training day.)

GAFCON Australasia plans a youth-focussed conference

“GAFCON Australasia’s second conference has set its sights firmly on the future of the church in Australia, for the first time welcoming youth to be fully involved in the movement.

GAFCON, the Global Anglican Future Conference, began as a meeting in Jerusalem in 2008 and grew into a movement for reform and renewal in the Anglican Church across the world. The Australasian branch held its first conference in Canberra in 2022, where it announced the formation of the Diocese of the Southern Cross to cover congregations that had to withdraw from the Anglican Church in various parts of Australia because of teaching that went against the Bible.  …”

– Russell Powell reports at SydneyAnglicans.net.

Photo: GAFCON Aust 2022 conference in Canberra.

Victorians gather to lift their eyes at Summer Under the Son

“Hundreds of people have gathered to lift their eyes to God’s work throughout the world at CMS Victoria’s annual Summer Under the Son conference in Melbourne. …”

– The Melbourne Anglican.

Plans for Consecration of GAFCON General Secretary Paul Donison announced

Here’s an Announcement from The Most Rev. Dr. Laurent Mbanda, Chair, Gafcon Primates’ Council, Primate & Archbishop of Rwanda:

“Dear Brothers and Sisters within our Gafcon family,

On behalf of the Gafcon Primates, it is my joy to announce the upcoming consecration of our General Secretary, the Reverend Canon Paul Donison, as a Bishop in our Lord’s one, holy, catholic and apostolic church on 4 February 2024 at Holy Trinity Cathedral in Kigali, Rwanda.

At our November 2023 meeting in London, the Primates passed a resolution asking that Dean Donison be consecrated, as the role of General Secretary is episcopal in nature: guarding and expanding the mission and unity of the Church, and helping to convene the Councils of the Church.

In December 2023, the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Rwanda agreed to consecrate Dean Donison as Bishop if the ACNA College of Bishops approved. Furthermore, in January 2024 the synod of the Metropolitan Diocese of Gasabo unanimously resolved that Dean Paul be consecrated as assistant Bishop of Gasabo Diocese.

On 9 January, 2024, the College of Bishops of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), consented to the proposal that following his consecration, Bishop-elect Donison will be transferred to the Anglican Church in North America, and Invested as Vicar General (Area Bishop) of the Texas Deanery of the Anglican Diocese of the South. A service of Investiture and Celebration of his New Ministry as Gafcon General Secretary will be held at Christ Church Cathedral, Plano, Texas, USA, on 17 February 2024.

One of Gafcon’s priorities is to raise up a next generation of global leaders, and the Primates are unanimous in our conviction that Paul is the right person to assume this office “for such a time as this” (Esther 4:14).

I ask your prayers for Bishop-elect Paul, his wife, Monika, their daughters, and for our whole Gafcon movement. …”

– Source: GAFCON.

Riding the wave of significant growth — with Indian Ocean Archbishop James Wong

From The Pastor’s Heart:

“Gospel ministry in the Indian Ocean is growing rapidly.

Anglican Primate James Wong leads the ministry in Seychelles, Madagascar and Mauritius and is visiting Sydney, on a speaking tour of the Church Missionary Society Australian Summer Conferences.

Archbishop Wong charts a course for further growth in ministry in his region.

Plus he outlines the detailed back room work taking place to reset the Anglican Communion, following the failure of the Church of England leadership to repent, ahead of the significant Global South meeting in Cairo in June.

Archbishop Wong is an advisor to the Gafcon Primates Council and serves on the leadership group of the Anglican Global South Fellowship.”

– Watch or listen here.

Why CPAS is wrong on conversion therapy

“Following a large amount of criticism on social media for having declared its support for the Evangelical Alliance’s ten affirmations on human sexuality, the trustees of the Church Pastoral Aid Society (CPAS) issued a clarificatory statement last Thursday in which they declared, among other things, that ‘CPAS is opposed to conversion therapy, and seeks to uphold the highest standards of safeguarding and pastoral best practice.’

This declaration by the CPAS trustees was an attempt to distance themselves from number eight of the Evangelical Alliance’s affirmations which states …”

– Martin Davie responds to the ‘clarification’ issued by the trustees of the Church Pastoral Aid Society in the UK.

Pray for Dr. Siegfried Ngubane as he prepares to become REACH-SA Presiding Bishop

Here’s today’s GAFCON prayer request:

“Rev. Dr. Siegfried Ngubane is the Presiding Bishop elect for the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of South Africa (REACH-SA), a welcomed new Gafcon province. Pray for Dr. Ngubane as he prepares to assume the role from Presiding Bishop Glenn Lyons.”

Related: REACH SA website.

Photo: Dr. Ngubane with Bishop Glenn Lyons.

The crisis of episcopal leadership in the Church of England

“We have a serious crisis in the episcopal leadership of the Church of England. It has more than one dimension to it, and, as with any crisis, it has been a long time coming. If your ceiling caves in because a water leak has weakened the structures, you can be sure that the water has been leaking for some while (as we found out in our kitchen a couple of years ago!). The dimensions of this crisis include questions of role, training and education, and selection and appointment—but also more fundamentally of theological vision.

These questions have been brought into sharp focus by the news, leaked to the BBC, that Paula Vennells, chief executive of the Post Office during the Horizon scandal when 700 postmasters were wrongly convicted of fraud, was shortlisted for the role of Bishop of London, historically the third most senior post after the two archbishops. …

She trained part-time on what was then the Oxford and St Albans course, and appears to have undertaken no further theological study. The idea that someone with so little theological understanding, and absolutely zero experience in stipendiary ministry, could be considered as a candidate for the third most senior position in the Church, is quite astonishing. It indicates a complete loss of faith in the importance of either ministerial experience or theological depth on the part of someone. And it does seem clear that she was put on the short list by Justin Welby…”

– Ian Paul pulls no punches at Psephizo.

Image: Ian Paul speaking at the Church of England’s General Synod in February 2023.

Gafcon Australasia Conference 2024

The Gafcon Australasia Conference is coming up in Brisbane at the start of July.

Details here.

Reformational Anglicanism and a New Global Communion — Dr. Ashley Null

Dr. Ashley Null gave the Inaugural John H. Rodgers Lecture at the Trinity School for Ministry in Pennsylvania on Reformation Day 2023.

“At the first Gafcon conference in Jerusalem in 2008, the Rt. Rev. John Hewitt Rodgers, Jr., in whose beloved memory this new, annual lecture series is now held, gave a landmark address entitled Where do we go from here?

In his Zoom Memoirs, recorded with the Rev. Dr. Stephen Noll, who is with us tonight, John commented that he considered this address to be the high point of his ministry in the wider Anglican Communion after retirement. High praise indeed for its message to which we should pay attention.

John began by noting a need to define what authentic Anglicanism actually is. Here is his brief description …”

The American Anglican Council has now published his address here.

Photo: GAFCON.

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