Failing the Green Test II: A critical examination of the advice from the Church of England’s Legal Office

Posted on January 27, 2023 
Filed under Church of England, Culture wars

“In my previous paper on the bishops’ proposals I applied what I called the ‘Green test.’

This test, named after the late Canon Michael Green who taught it to me, holds that that there are two key questions that a student should ask of any item on a theological reading list.

These two questions are

(a) ‘What is this writer trying to sell me?’ and

(b) ‘Is this something I should buy?’

In my previous paper I argued that the bishops’ proposals failed this test. In this new paper I want to argue that the advice from the Legal Office likewise fails this test with the consequence that it does not show that what the bishops are proposing is legal. …”

– Martin Davie continues his analysis of the House of Bishops’ proposals for the blessing of same-sex marriages.

Part 1 here.

Photo: The late Canon Michael Green.