The steering group for Changing Attitude England has written a definition of what we understand to be the essence of Radical Christian Inclusion.
We offer this definition to the Church of England as a basis for discussion within the Living in Love and Faith process.
The Living in Love and Faith process is in essence another attempt to understand how lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people can be fully included within the Church of England.
We wrote to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York on 26 May 2021 asking them to clarify what was meant by the radical Christian inclusion to which Archbishops Justin and Sentamu committed themselves in 2017 and whether that inclusion is genuinely radical for LGBTIQ+ people. We had not received a reply to our letter nor an acknowledgement and decided to take the initiative by writing our own definition.
Yesterday we emailed our definition to the Archbishops, Emma Ineson, Bishop to the Archbishops and received swift confirmation that our email had been circulated to them as well as to Dr Eeva John. We also emailed it to each member of the Next Steps Group, the bishops of Bradwell, Fulham, Grantham, London, Maidstone, Ripon, Sherborne, Truro, and Warrington. Every member of the group except the Bishop of Fulham has replied to at least one of our previous letters and emails.
Radical Christian Inclusion
Radical Christian Inclusion is rooted in God’s unconditional, infinite, intimate love, manifest in the life of Jesus the Christ. We are all equally human, equally made in the image of God, equally loved infinitely by God, all siblings in the rainbow family of God, equal members of the Church.
Radical Christian Inclusion grasps the implications of Jesus Christ’s Gospel for all people and all creation. Jesus’ ministry exemplifies the radical inclusion of all people in the Kingdom of God, who proclaims a kingdom of peace, justice, and love without discrimination, affirming those in society who were marginalised, recognising their full humanity and celebrating their diversity.
The inclusion which comes through Christ is a gift integral to all humanity and all creation, irrespective of faith, culture, race, gender, or identity.
Radical Christian Inclusion values and welcomes all people equally and seeks never to abuse people because of their race, gender, sexuality, or personal identity.
Radical Christian Inclusion is far-reaching in its scope, excluding no one, embracing people in all countries, cultures, all faiths and no faith, is not exclusive to Christians and Christianity.
Radical Christian Inclusion recognises that through the complementarity of our differences we grow together in humanity, affirm one another, and reflect collectively the image of God in our sexual, gender and racial diversity.
Radical Christian inclusion is an evolutionary process as we learn from the pattern of Jesus to recognise contemporary exclusions, deepen our self-awareness and recognise Christ in all creation.
Radical Christian Inclusion for LGBTIQ+ people
Radical Christian Inclusion embraces unconditionally lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex and queer people.
Radical Christian inclusion is not new. It is the essence of Jesus’ teaching and at the heart of the Gospel. LGBTIQ+ people are simply the next group of oppressed people in need of liberation.
Radical Christian Inclusion embraces LGBTIQ+ people in countries and provinces of the Anglican Communion where LGBTIQ+ people are persecuted and criminalised.
Radical Christian Inclusion will speak out to defend LGBTI+ people against discrimination in this country, throughout the Anglican Communion and in every country where prejudice, homophobia and transphobia are present.
Radical Christian Inclusion – implications for LLF
Radical Christian inclusion requires a radical transformation of the patriarchal, heteronormative, white, western privileged culture of the Church of England, questioning the tradition and the perspective about what has become normative and orthodox in biblical Christian teaching and practice.
LGBTIQ+ people are already full, integral members of the Body of Christ. We are not a problem to be solved.
The lack of a global, spiritual world view seriously inhibits the Church of England’s vision of all creation as infused with divine sacred presence. This limitation restricts its capacity to imagine possibilities outside the orthodox, traditional box within which it constructs theology and conducts its affairs.
Creating inclusion requires us to learn about and confront our prejudices, phobias, and habitual ways of thinking and acting, engaging in a formational process of becoming more self-aware.
LGBTIQ+ are not equal in selection, training and preferment in ministry, lay and ordained. We are excluded in a way that is not simply uncomfortable. We are absolutely denied equality in the life of the Church. Our full inclusion will be an uncomfortable experience for some, but for us it will be the fulfilment of decades of longing and campaigning.
Changing Attitude England’s definition of Radical Christian Inclusion for LGBTIQ+ people
LGBTIQ+ people will be fully and equally included in the life and practice of the Church of England when equal marriage, the blessing of our relationships and equality in ministry are achieved.
Become involved in Changing Attitude England’s campaign for Radical Christian Inclusion by joining our Facebook group.