The bishops of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa have issued this statement. Also available here.
The bishops again discussed and worked over their draft Pastoral Guidelines in response to Civil Unions within the wider contexts of Marriage and Human Sexuality in readiness for decision at Provincial Synod. These reaffirm our assurance that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ. However, they they do not change our current policy, which is that the Province ‘cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions’ (Resolution 1:10 of the Lambeth Conference of 1998).
The Prayer Book affirms ‘that marriage by divine institution is a lifelong and exclusive union partnership between one man and one woman’; therefore the draft guidelines affirm for now that ‘partnership between two persons of the same sex cannot be regarded as a marriage… accordingly our clergy are not permitted to bless such unions… nor are they permitted to enter into such unions while they remain in licensed ministry’…
Additionally the primate of this province, Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of Cape Town has published this pastoral letter. Also available here.
…We have issued a joint statement from the Synod, but I want to report to you in more detail to give you the full context of one of the more challenging matters we discussed. One of the key tasks before us was to fulfil the mandate given to us by Provincial Standing Committee and to finalise pastoral guidelines for couples in South Africa who are in same-sex civil unions. Against the backdrop of the international debate on this issue in the worldwide Anglican Communion, our discussions were frank, open and robust. We sensitively considered our role as the Anglican Church in Southern Africa within the broader family of the Communion, cognisant of the divergent strands of theological thinking within the Province of Southern Africa and of the different pastoral challenges that the different dioceses and the different countries of our Province are facing.
The document we have agreed upon will go to Provincial Synod for adoption in September, and will be published a few months ahead of Synod in the First Agenda Book. I believe that its adoption by Provincial Synod would be an important first step in signalling to the LGBT community that we in the Anglican Church of Southern Africa, through our top deliberative and legislative body, see them as welcome members of our body as sisters and brothers in Christ. In the words of the guidelines:
“We reaffirm our assurance to them that they are loved by God and that all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ. Many of these are baptised and confirmed members of the Church and are seeking the pastoral care, moral direction of the Church, and God’s transforming power for the living of their lives and the ordering of relationships.”
In another section, the bishops declared that: “We are of one mind that gay, lesbian and transgendered members of our church share in full membership as baptised members of the Body of Christ…”
This has important implications in parishes where, for example, same-sex couples who are living in civil unions under South African law bring their children for baptism and confirmation. No child brought for baptism should be refused merely because of the sexual orientation of the parents, and particular care should be taken against stigmatising not only parents but their children too.
We also tried at the Synod of Bishops to draw up guidelines for clergy wanting to bless couples in same-sex unions, or who want to enter same-sex unions themselves. We constituted a group of bishops reflecting a cross-section of our views to discuss such guidelines. On this issue, I had to report back to the Synod, the only agreement we reached is that we were not of one mind.
Our differences do not only revolve around the theology of marriage, but are also a result of different pastoral realities in different dioceses. For example, most of our dioceses across Southern Africa are predominantly rural, and for many the urgent priorities of food security, shelter, healthcare and education crowd out debate on the issue of human sexuality. In some rural dioceses, responding to challenges to the Church’s restrictions on polygamous marriages is a much higher pastoral priority.
As a consequence, the Synod of Bishops has agreed that we will continue to regard ourselves bound by the broad consensus in the Anglican Communion, expressed by the Lambeth Conference in 1998, which is that we “cannot advise the legitimising or blessing of same-sex unions nor ordaining those involved in same gender unions”. Having said that, we did address the questions of whether that decision is immutable, whether it has replaced scripture, and when a Province of the Communion, or a diocese within a Province may deviate from it…
This province encompasses St. Helena and Tristan da Cunha, Mozambique (Lebombo and Niassa), the Republic of Namibia, the Kingdom of Lesotho, the Kingdom of Swaziland and Angola in addition to the Republic of South Africa itself.
11 CommentsWe reported in May 2014 that New Zealand synod acts on same-gender blessings
The Way Forward Working Group has today released its report. It proposes two rites of blessing to be considered by this year’s General Synod.
The Way Forward Working Group was set up in the wake of the 2014 General Synod adopting “Motion 30” (http://www.anglicantaonga.org.nz/Features/Extra/Anga), the resolution that created a pathway towards the blessing of same-gender relationships – while upholding the traditional doctrine of marriage. Motion 30 called for the appointment of a working group to devise “a process and structure” by which this could happen – and a process and structure to ensure that clergy who believe that same sex blessings are contrary to “scripture, doctrine, tikanga or civil law” remain fully free to dissent.
The full text of the report is available here and there is an Executive Summary here.
Update Here is a link to a PDF version of the full report and another link to a PDF version of the archbishops’ covering letter.
Here’s the first part of the press release:
The long-awaited report of the Way Forward Working Group] has been released.
Today’s publication comes almost 18 months since the 13-member group began its work – and it proposes two new liturgies to be considered by May’s General Synod.
These liturgies have been designed to allow for the blessing of couples who have been married in a civil ceremony – according either to New Zealand law, or to the law in the Pacific Island nations which form part of this church. These liturgies also create a pathway for the people in such relationships to become ordained.
Civil marriages between a man and a woman have long been recognised in law in both New Zealand and in those Pacific Island nations. In New Zealand’s case, of course, an amendment to marriage law came into effect in August 2013 – which allows same-sex couples to legally marry.“A crucial matter for debate”
The Way Forward Working Group (WFWG) report makes a precept-upon-precept case for how such civil marriages could be blessed by the church.
The Anglican Church in this province is governed by a set of documents, the most significant of which are the Church of England Empowering Act of 1928, and Te Pouhere , the Constitution of the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia, which came into force in 1992.
Te Pouhere in turn specifies a number of “Formularies” (such as a New Zealand Prayer Book/He Karakia Mihinare o Aotearoa ) which guide the Church in its worship and practice.
The new constitution also spells out a way in which formularies can be changed (or added to) –providing these changes don’t, in the words of the report, “represent any departure from the Doctrine and Sacraments of Christ as defined in Te Pouhere’s own Fundamental Provisions.”
The rites of blessing being proposed are being presented as “additional formularies”, rather than doctrinal changes:
“It is the view of the majority of the group,” the report notes, “that the proposed liturgies do not represent a departure from the Doctrine and Sacraments of Christ, and are therefore not prohibited by Te Pouhere, however the group also recognises that this will be a crucial matter for debate.”
There is more, go here for the rest of it.
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Spitalfields Life The Broderers Of St Paul’s Cathedral
Jana Riess Religion News Service No, St. Francis didn’t say that. (Or Thomas Merton. Or Buddha. Or C.S. Lewis.) Where do we get these fake religion memes?
23 CommentsDavid Thomson, Bishop of Huntingdon From the Gallery: General Synod reflections
Andrew Lightbown Reform, renewal, so many questions.
Church strategy and leadership; a critique
Philip Blackledge Well I declare. Why the Church of England Synod has got it badly wrong.
Lucy Gorman Feb 2016
Church Times reports
Gavin Drake Synod calls for benefit sanctions review
Tim Wyatt Bishop North castigates a ‘bias to the rich’
Tim Wyatt Synod votes to press on with Scottish talks, despite Episcopalian unease
Church Times leader Good news to the poor
Update
Stephen Lynas Some are dead, and some are living
3 CommentsDuring Questions on Monday evening, the following exchanges occurred.
The Revd Canon Andrew Godsall (Exeter) to ask the Chair of the House of Bishops:
Q18 Could the House be invited to reflect on the recent Primates’ Meeting and, if so, what undertaking might be given for particular reflection on whether it was appropriate to adopt an approach involving ‘relational consequences’ in relation to a member province of the Anglican Communion in the light of the fact that a majority of the dioceses in the Church of England declined to approve the Anglican Communion Covenant?
The Archbishop of Canterbury to reply as Chair of the House of Bishops:
A The House received a report on the Primates meeting along with members of the College when they met in January. The Primates addressed the impact on relationships within the Anglican Communion when any Province makes a unilateral change in doctrine. They have set out specific consequences in the functioning of the Communion and a task group will be appointed to carry forward the implications of their decision.
Supplementary Questions (transcribed from the audio recording)
Andrew Godsall:
Is there a difference between the specific consequences referred to in the answer and the relational consequences envisaged in section 4.2.7 of the proposed Anglican Communion Covenant that the dioceses of the Church of England rejected. And if there is, what is it?
Archbishop of Canterbury:
Thank you, that’s a very interesting question. The Covenant was not considered at all during the Primates Meeting. I don’t… I think it may have been mentioned once in passing. And therefore the way in which the consequences were looked at was not related to the Covenant in any way at all. I think to the best of my knowledge no more than 16, it may have only been 11, provinces have actually signed up to the Covenant. Therefore the vast majority would not consider it relevant in considering this. So there was no link.
Dr Rachel Jepson:
Would the House of Bishops also then take the opportunity to discuss plans to impose similar relational consequences for those provinces that support the criminalisation of homosexuality and in so doing are in breach of the Lambeth resolution.
Archbishop of Canterbury:
Thank you very much. I hope it’s clear that the House of Bishops was not involved in the Primates Meeting. It was the Primates Meeting, and the House of Bishops has not imposed any relational consequences in any way at all. As I hope I made clear earlier, such consequences are those at Communion level, and cannot bind any particular province. Having said that, I think the point you raise is a very, very important one. And if you look at the communiqué, which you will find on the primates meeting website, you will find that there is a very, very clear statement of the longstanding opposition of the Anglican Communion to the criminalisation of LGBTI people. And given that that is a very important part of the thinking of the Anglican Communion in this area, one could anticipate that the primates when they meet, were someone to be advocating such, would need to consider that. If they were to continue to advocate it since the primates meeting we just had. But I am one vote out of 38 and I couldn’t possibly predict or anticipate what the outcome would be. But thank you.
20 CommentsDavid Chillingworth writes More about Columba.
…I watched the debate in which the Columba Declaration was approved by the Church of England with a sense of unreality. The Scottish Episcopal Church was like a ghost at the party – often referred to and talked about but not present. Concerns which have been voiced within the Scottish Episcopal Church about the Columba Declaration focus significantly on the Church of England. The Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church are partner-Provinces in the Anglican Communion. We are the presence of the Anglican Communion in Scotland and we expect the Church of England to respect that. The concerns are that the Columba Declaration places the Church of England in a compromised position in relation to the Scottish Episcopal Church…
John Beattie interviews the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church for BBC Scotland.
Kelvin Holdsworth writes about The Primus’s Radio Interview about the Columba Declaration.
71 CommentsPreview
Ian Paul What is the future of ministerial training?
briefing paper by principals of the residential theological colleges
Wednesday’s business
The Archbishop of Canterbury preached this homily at the Synod Eucharist: ‘Martyrdom is the ultimate witness to Christ’s truth’.
Order papers
morning
afternoon
Official summaries of the day’s business
General Synod February 2016 sessions: Wednesday AM
General Synod February 2016 sessions: Wednesday PM
Slides from the morning presentation on Renewal & Reform
CofE press release: Synod signals support for new ministry funding framework
Press reports
Antony Bushfield Premier Synod calls for “full independent review” of benefit sanctions
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today Church that does not side with the poor ‘cannot claim to follow Jesus’, synod told
John Bingham The Telegraph No growth for 30 years – Church of England predicts
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Church of England expects attendance to fall for next 30 years
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today Church to launch social media ‘digital evangelism’ campaign to reach young people
1 CommentUpdated at intervals during the day and on Wednesday
Press preview
Alistair Munro The Scotsman Kirk Moderator to make history in England
Harry Farley Christian Today Scottish moderator to address Synod for first time in history
BBC News Kirk moderator to address CofE Synod
Antony Bushfield Premier Church of Scotland moderator to make history at General Synod
Tuesday’s business
Speech by the Archbishop of Canterbury: Evangelism is ‘our duty, privilege and joy’, Archbishop tells Synod
Church of England press releases
General Synod votes to approve historic agreement with Church of Scotland
General Synod backs call to encourage blood and organ donation
Official summary of the day’s business: General Synod February 2016 sessions: Tuesday
Church of Scotland news
General Synod votes to approve historic agreement between Churches
Moderator’s Address to the General Synod of the Church of England
Press reports
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Church life is fading fast in poorer communities, synod warned
Harry Farley Christian Today Church guilty of ‘abandoning the poor’, Synod told
Antony Bushfield Premier Bishop slams Church for preferring the rich
Harry Farley Christian Today Columba Declaration passed in historic show of unity at Synod
Antony Bushfield Premier General Synod passes historic Columba Declaration
Brian Donnelly Herald Scotland Moderator: Link between Kirk and Church of England embedded in DNA of both
Antony Bushfield Premier Synod rejects proposal to scrap extra charge for heating at funerals and weddings
Blog
David Pocklington Law & Religion UK Fees and “extras” for Church weddings and funerals
10 CommentsUpdated Wednesday evening
WATCH (Women and the Church) has published what it plans to be the first of a series of annual reports on Women in Ministry. The report on 2015 is available as a webpage and as a pdf download.
Hilary Cotton, Chair of WATCH, has said
‘The headlines are good: seven women appointed as bishops, and a gathering sense that this is normal. But the Church of England has NOT now ‘done women’. Those who say such things are too quick to stifle God’s spirit of renewal and transformation. Women have carried the faith across much of the Church of England for decades: if we listen and listen again, I wonder what wisdom they can offer to prepare the church of the future?’
Update
Ruth Gledhill looks at the report for Christian Today: Fewer than one in 50 large churches led by a woman priest.
1 CommentPress preview
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Donating organs and blood is Christian duty, C of E synod to be told
Today’s business
Full text of the Archbishop of Canterbury’s presidential address: Archbishop reflects on Primates’ meeting in Synod address
Official summary of the day’s business: General Synod February 16 sessions: Monday PM
Audio from all the sessions at General Synod February 2016
Press reports
Antony Bushfield Premier Synod’s sexuality conversations “going to be risky”
Harry Farley Christian Today Welby at Synod: Primates meeting was ‘spun more than Donald Trump’
African churches could face ‘consequences’ for supporting criminalisation of homosexuality
Harriet Sherwood The Guardian Gay rights and same-sex marriage will dominate C of E summer synod
18 CommentsThe Church of Ireland’s Select Committee on Human Sexuality in the Context of Christian Belief has published a major document.
The Select Committee’s remit is to enable the listening, dialogue and learning process on all issues concerning human sexuality in the context of Christian belief to continue. The Guide to the Conversation and the Executive Summary document are initial publications to support this objective.
Guide to the Conversation on Human Sexuality in the Context of Christian Belief
There is also an Executive Summary (oddly this is a much larger PDF file than the report itself).
There is also a press release: Remarks at the Launch of the Guide to the Conversation.
Changing Attitude Ireland has published this:
Launch of ‘Guide to the Conversation on Human Sexuality in the Context of Christian Belief’.
Archdruid Eileen Government to Introduce League Tables For Churches
The Archbishop of Canterbury gave this Church of Ireland Theological Lecture on Monday: ‘The Generational Struggle’.
Nick Baines Under an African sky (Tanzania visit)
Church Times is publishing a seven-week series on Theology Now during Lent. This week there are articles on God. Most are behind the paywall, but here are two that are not.
John Inge, Bishop of Worcester In my heart and in my head
Andrew Davison Believing: a respectable approach
Antonia Honeywell The Telegraph I was driven out of my beloved church by homophobia
Mark Hart Living Out the Trinity in the Church of England
Ross Kane The Christian Century Should Episcopalians repent?
13 CommentsUpdated Saturday to add the article by William Nye
Also updated Saturday to give a working link to Martyn Percy’s essay
The General Synod of the Church of England meets next week. Here are some recent relevant articles.
Kelvin Holdsworth The Columba Declaration
Modern Church has published this essay by Martyn Percy: On Not Rearranging the Deckchairs on the Titanic: A Commentary on Reform and Renewal in the Church of England. Kieran Bohan has written this preview: Reform and Renewal or unintentional vandalism? A health and safety warning for General Synod, and there is a link at the end to download the full essay.
Bishop Steven Croft responds: RME – Response to Principals’ Concerns.
Mike Eastwood, Liverpool Diocesan Secretary and Director of Renewal and Reform, Renewal and Reform – a view from Liverpool
William Nye Renewal and Reform – some thoughts from a new boy
Church Times RME plans may be disastrous, say colleges
David Pocklington Law & Religion UK Vesture: the House of Bishops Consultation
16 CommentsThe Church of England has issued this statement today.
Statement from Bishop Paul Butler on George Bell
08 February 2016The Bishop of Durham, Paul Butler, lead bishop on safeguarding has issued a statement today following various media comments on his recent contribution in the House of Lords regarding Bishop George Bell.
Bishop Paul has welcomed the opportunity to provide further clarity on his comments about the settlement of the civil claim regarding sexual abuse against George Bell, and the handling of the case. The particular focus on the language of legal tests, he says, “masks the genuine suffering and damage done to an individual in this case.”
He adds: “The decisions were not taken lightly or without consideration of the impact on the reputation of George Bell. But in this case, as in others, the overriding goal was to search out the truth and issues of reputation cannot take priority over that.”
Original statement on Bishop George Bell, October 2015
Points on a complex case – Diocese of Chichester blog on Bishop George Bell, January 2016
The full statement is copied below the fold.
27 CommentsRobert Cotton reflects on his five years as a member of the Archbishops’ Council.
Church Times leader Don’t rest yet
The Bishop of St Albans, Rt Rev Dr Alan Smith Statement on Government plans to extend Sunday trading
ChurchPOP 15 Hilarious Complaints Medieval Scribes Left in the Margins
Constantino Duran The Single Path
Philip Jones Ecclesiastical Law The Proposed Enabling Measure: A Complex Process of Simplification
19 CommentsUpdated
The LGBTI Mission has issued a press release:
Christians unite to campaign for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality in Church of England
A group of Christians have come together to form the LGBTI Mission, which will campaign for the full acceptance and affirmation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex people within the Church of England.
The group, which is made up of LGBTI people and straight allies, including both clergy and lay people, will seek to remove all barriers to full participation for LGBTI people within the church. It launches during LGBT History Month, which this year is focused on the theme of Religion, Belief and Philosophy.
The priorities of the LGBTI Mission are centred on three key pillars:
- Living: the belief that all LGBTI people, heterosexual friends and family, should be welcomed and affirmed by the Church of England…
- Loving: the belief that God is love, and that life-long, faithful, stable same-sex relationships, and the relationships of those who undergo gender transition, should be celebrated by the Church of England
- Serving: the belief that God calls LGBTI people to serve the world through the Church of England, and their ministries should be recognised and authorised..
Within these pillars, the Group has nine concrete objectives that it will be working to achieve, which will deliver positive outcomes for LGBTI people within the Church of England.
For more information go to the website.
The full manifesto is contained in a 16 page booklet which can be downloaded as a PDF from here.
Updates
There is some press coverage of this:
Church Times Madeleine Davies Mission targets C of E barriers to gay clergy
Telegraph John Bingham Gender transition services and same-sex weddings call for Church of England
Christian Today Mark Woods New Anglican pressure group will campaign for ‘full participation’ of gay people in Church
Ekklesia Christians unite to campaign for LGBTI equality in Church of England
22 CommentsUpdated
Today’s [Brighton] Argus carries this lengthy interview by Joel Adams: Bishop George Bell’s victim: “He said it was our little secret, because God loved me.”
TODAY, for the first time, the victim of George Bell has spoken about the sexual abuse she suffered as a five-year-old child at the hands of the wartime Bishop of Chichester.
Speaking exclusively to The Argus, she described how he repeatedly molested her over a period of four years while telling her that God loved her.
Her testimony brings new clarity to a story which has changed the world’s perception of one of the most revered Anglicans of the 20th century since news of a church payout was announced last October…
Harriet Sherwood also covers the story for The Guardian: Victim describes how she was abused by bishop George Bell.
The original Church statements on this case are here.
Update
The Bishop of Chichester has issued the following statement following the publication of the Brighton Argus article.
34 CommentsDr Warner said:
“It is testimony to her courage and integrity that the survivor who brought the allegations against George Bell has been prompted to speak out. My hope is that the telling of her story will contribute to her sense of being heard by those within and beyond the Church who are willing to listen with an open mind and respond with compassion and clarity.
“The presence of strident voices in the public arena which have sought to undermine the survivor’s claims has added in this case to the suffering of the survivor and her family. To that extent it is not surprising that she felt it necessary to take the courageous decision to speak out in public and reveal the personal details which the Church could not.
“Words of apology written in a letter can never be enough to express the Church’s shame or our recognition of damage done. However, the apology that I made on behalf of the Diocese of Chichester is genuine and a sincere expression that lessons are being learnt about how we respond to accusations of abuse.
“In some responses to the George Bell case, and to the original statements from the Church nationally and locally in the diocese of Chichester, we have witnessed shocking ignorance of the suffering felt at many different levels by victims of abuse.”
Elections to the Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England have now been completed. Here is the full list of elected and appointed members.
Members of the Archbishops’ Council
Joint Presidents
The Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby, Archbishop of Canterbury
The Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu, Archbishop of YorkProlocutor of the Lower House of the Convocation of Canterbury
The Revd Canon Simon ButlerProlocutor of the Lower House of the Convocation of York
The Venerable Cherry VannChair of the House of Laity
Canon Dr Jamie HarrisonVice-Chair of the House of Laity
Canon Elizabeth PaverElected by the House of Bishops
The Rt Revd Steven Croft, Bishop of Sheffield
The Rt Revd Stephen Conway, Bishop of ElyElected by the House of Clergy
The Revd Dr Ian Paul
The Revd Sarah SchofieldElected by the House of Laity
Mrs Lorna Ashworth
Canon Mark RussellChurch Estates Commissioner
Sir Andreas Whittam Smith, First Church Estates CommissionerAppointed by the Archbishops
Mr John Spence
Mrs Mary Chapman: former CEO, Chartered Institute of Management
Mr Philip Fletcher
The Revd Dr Rosalyn Murphy: Vicar, St Thomas’s, Blackpool
Mrs Rebecca Salter: Medical Researcher
Mr Matthew Frost, former CEO Tearfund
Detailed results of the elections can be downloaded from here.
36 CommentsThe Most Revd Josiah Idowu-Fearon, Secretary General of the Anglican Communion, offers his Perspectives on the Primates’ Meeting.
Colbert I King The Washington Post The Anglican Communion’s un-Christian stance on marriage
The Most Reverend Dr Mouneer Anis A Personal Reflection on the 2016 Primates’ Meeting
Ruth Gledhill Christian Today Apology to LGBT community must be followed by action, senior Anglicans warn Archbishop of Canterbury — referring to this press release
Jacob Luther Hymn to the Anglican Communion
Christopher Wells The Living Church Catholicity, apostolicity: Come on down
Jesse Zink Church Times If it doesn’t work, do something new
Ben Irwin The Episcopal Church, the Anglican Communion, and the real reason we’re having this debate
Charles Hefling Christian Century Has the Episcopal Church been plutoed?
112 CommentsNigel Genders, Chief Education Officer for the Church of England, What is religious education for?
The Churchwarden Church Buildings Review: A Churchwarden’s Rant
Andrew Lightbown Why the church needs its revisionists
Linda Woodhead Why ‘no religion’ is the new religion – a lecture at the British Academy [45 minute video]
3 Comments