Like racism, heterosexism is not merely a matter of personal prejudice; it is a system, constructed historically through a whole set of discourses and practices, into which we have been socialised. But rather than reflect critically upon how this system came to be, and whose interests it serves, the LLF report takes it largely for granted: this, it proclaims, rather over-confidently, is ‘Christian marriage’. In this respect, the treatment of history offered in LLF is regrettably weak.
An inclusive pro-LGBTIQ+ group including gay and straight members has written to thirty four bishops known to be supporters of LGBTIQ+ people. Our initiative was motivated by the videos posted, one by the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) and another by Christian Concern supported by Anglican Mainstream. We need to know whether a core of bishops is able to express public support for the full equality of LGBTIQ+ people in ministry and relationship in the Church of England including permitting those going forward to selection for ministry and for licensed Readers and clergy to marry same-sex partners, conduct same-sex marriages in church and bless marriages and civil partnerships, with the same parameters as apply to opposite sex marriages.
I am more angry today about the Church of England’s more than sixty years of attempting to sort out its attitude to LGBTIQ+ people than I have been in thirty years of active involvement. Today Christian Concern has posted a video on YouTube using clips from the official Living in Love and Faith Introductory video, pausing after each section to allow comments attacking and abusing some of those who appear in the LLF video. It is disgusting, possibly actionable, and has already been reported as a hate crime.
I am haunted by the question - How? How do we change society, the church, and above all, ourselves? How do we do this when we are all to some degree locked in to thoughts and patterns of behaviour that I at least find it very difficult to escape from. What we need is what churches and religions are supposed to offer – spiritual wisdom and nourishment rooted in the human capacity to access and assess truth and teach people how to internalise the divine, sacred, spiritual qualities of life.
The Nigerian novelist and poet Ben Okri wrote an article for Tuesday’s Guardian newspaper about citizenship, arguing that the failure of a nation begins with the abdication of responsibility to political leaders. Citizenship, he says, is one of the most vexed issues in the human story. Okri is writing about the citizen as a member of the state but he provoked me to turn my thoughts to the intense anger and resentment that erupted following the House of Bishops utterly inadequate response to the debate and vote at the July Synod requesting them to produce a liturgy specifically for trans people.
