House of Bishops

Jayne Ozanne and Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin speak passion and truth

Jayne Ozanne and Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin speak passion and truth

The Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover, speaking at General Synod about LLF on Saturday, said: “It strikes me that all our children and grandchildren are having sex – they’re having sex. More than half the people who come to us for marriage are living together and they’re having sex, so what is it about homosexual sex that we’re reacting in such a visceral way? Can we make sure at the end of the day God’s love is on the table and that we do not allow people to feel less than human but instead made in the image of God?”

The General Synod and effective Church Governance

The General Synod and effective Church Governance

The General Synod of the Church of England meets from 7th July for five days in York. There are a number of significant items on the agenda relating to issues affecting the well-being of our planet and members human race: climate change, Living in Love and Faith, safeguarding, and Church governance. Well, perhaps that last item isn’t of global or even personal significance, but it got me wondering: Who is responsible for the spiritual health of the Church of England and how does an institution with such an incredibly complicated structure better focus on what you and I might take to be the primary essence of being  Christian.

A Spiritual Health Check for the Church of England

A Spiritual Health Check for the Church of England

In a heart-felt blog for ViaMedia the Revd Dr Charlie Bell writes of “a sense of almost total, paralysing powerlessness amongst ordinary churchgoers and clergy” in the Church of England. He proposes that “As a church, we need to commit ourselves to undertaking a serious spiritual health check.” Yesterday’s blog attempted to set out in some detail what the landscape looks like to me. When and where is such a radical movement going to start? Going public is the only way such a movement to persuade the Church of England to undertake a serious spiritual health check stands a chance of achieving anything.

Church of England announces Living in Love and Faith proposals

Church of England announces Living in Love and Faith proposals

Most bishops will be aware that same-sex couples are already sometimes offered services of blessing by parish clergy in their local church, although these are not yet authorised. We believe that God’s blessing on same-sex civil marriages and civil partnerships is always bestowed on our loving relationships. In failing to approve equal marriage in the Church of England the Bishops continue to deny that God blesses the loving, faithful relationships of all LGBTQIA+ people.

LLF, safeguarding, abuse and Radical New Christian Inclusion – where did that go?

LLF, safeguarding, abuse and Radical New Christian Inclusion – where did that go?

I anticipate that the work undertaken by the College and House of Bishops, integral to the Living in Love and Faith process and to the outcome at General Synod in February 2023, will be judged “incompetent, ineffective and unfit for purpose. This will be a tragic end to what has in many ways been an effective exercise. I hope I will be proved wrong, too pessimistic, but  Church that is unable to ensure that its safeguarding practice is so inadequate is unlikely to produce proposals that are adequate to the most basic of LGBTQIA+ expectations.

Being realistic about God

Being realistic about God

For several decades, energy and activity in the Church of England has been increasingly dominated by attempts to protect or advance or resolve disparate visions of the church, God and Jesus in a culture inhabited by various tribal groups. One half of the human race, women, have achieved a degree of emancipation and equality in the Church of England, but full equality is still some way off. Equality for LGBTQIA+ people remains a dream that isn’t going to be fulfilled in February. How long will it take for us to be fully heard, valued, welcomed and included? It will never be achieved, is the answer from some organisations and leaders.

Global South responsible for creating a homophobic and transphobic movement

Global South responsible for creating a homophobic and transphobic movement

Andrew Goddard claims in a recent Psephizo blog that revisionists are responsible for the decision of a number of Global South Provinces and bishops to stay away from the 2022 Lambeth Conference. The Lambeth Conference resolutions passed in 1978 and 1988 and the Global South conference held in Kuala Lumpur in 1997 show that the Global South movement itself is entirely responsible, organising a homophobic and transphobic movement to sabotage any progressive developments. Archbishop Justin worked to restore to Lambeth 2022 the Gospel vision of love, wisdom, justice and truth proclaimed by Jesus. I pray for the College and House of Bishops and for the members of General Synod, responsible for translating the deepest Christian faith in God’s infinite, intimate, unconditional love into the life and faith of the Church of England, making present radical new Christian inclusion for LGBTQIA+ people.

Radical New Christian Inclusion - the Silence of the Bishops

Radical New Christian Inclusion - the Silence of the Bishops

According to the Bishop of London LLF offers the whole church the opportunity to explore what ‘radical new Christian inclusion’ means. It is not something that can be achieved by a top-down process of publishing a definition but something that the whole church needs to discover and live out together. The LLF Course never mentions radical new Christian inclusion, let alone invites people to explore a definition together. In providing no introduction to the concept nor any account of how it is to be lived out the bishops, the teachers and guardians of the faith, have proved themselves inadequate to the prophetic vision and courage required to ensure the LLF process is functional and will deliver a visionary outcome.

House of Bishops overrides trans concerns

House of Bishops overrides trans concerns

Changing Attitude England has written to every Church of England bishop raising serious questions about the House of Bishops attitude to trans people resulting from their recent decision to review “attempts to explore questions of gender identity and transition and [for a second time] agreed to seek and commission an appropriate group to take this work forward.” The House first made a proposal to revisit trans issues in May 2021. This decision provoked a strong negative reaction from trans people, and in particular those involved in the LLF formation process who had experienced serious abuse.

Changing Attitude England wants to know why the House of Bishops has agreed to pursue a course of action rejected repeatedly as unnecessary and abusive by trans people? Trans people do not want any further attempts to explore questions of gender identity and transition to be made, nor are they asking for an ‘appropriate’ group to be commissioned to take any such work forward. We are deeply distrustful of the motives behind this latest proposal and of the competence of the House of Bishops to ensure a non-abusive environment for trans people is created.

LLF Next Steps Group plans to engage with stakeholder groups

LLF Next Steps Group plans to engage with stakeholder groups

In a recent letter to Changing Attitude England, the chair of the Next Steps Group, the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullaly wrote that “the members of the Next Steps Group are planning to engage with a wide range of stakeholder groups later this year, including members of Changing Attitude, and we look forward to that conversation in due course.” Changing Attitude England welcomes this proposal and will respond positively to the invitation. Indeed, we look forward to receiving details of the proposal as a matter of urgency given the limited time scale remaining to the LLF process.