Dithering or deciding?

There have been a lot of headlines about the Church of England in recent weeks.

Many open letters have been written, a celibate gay bishop has been paraded, and even Church meetings in Tunbridge Wells have got a mention. I don’t think it is just the lack of real news during the ‘silly season’ that has caused it. No, it is also the fact that the Shared Conversations about Scripture, Sexuality and Mission are officially over, and the time has come to make a decision. And there is no easy answer.

Which way?

As the Archbishop of Canterbury is reported to have said at Greenbelt: ‘I am constantly consumed with horror at the way that we have treated LGBTI people and constantly consumed with an urge to find a way of changing that in the right way, but I don’t know what that is yet.’ He went on: ‘We have to find a way to love and embrace everyone who loves Jesus Christ, without exception and without hesitation. But that includes those who feel same-sex relationships are deeply, deeply wrong, or live in societies that do. The inclusion of LGBTI people in the church is essential. We cannot pretend that inclusion, from the point of view of someone in a same-sex relationship that falls short of the blessing of the Church, is going to feel like inclusion. We’re conning ourselves if we think we can do less than that and it will feel like inclusion. But when you do that, it will feel like exclusion to other people.’

The Archbishop’s desire to include people and to reconcile people to one another is admirable and understandable. But, if the Shared Conversations achieved anything, perhaps it was to prove that there was no ‘middle ground’ in this debate and as our culture continues to shift it is becoming less and less plausible to offer the kind of sticking plaster solutions offered by the Bishops in their previous Pastoral Guidance, or by those of us who have just ignored the very real struggles of those who face same-sex attraction. In fact, the sticking plasters have just caused wounds to fester.

So there is a need to make a decision. One way or the other. Knowing that whatever decision is made there will be consequences, not only for those who are ‘included’ and those who are ‘excluded’ from the Church of England, but also for the wider Anglican Communion and other Christian denominations in the UK. No wonder the Archbishop of Canterbury is kept awake at night.

The Twelve

I fear that media reports of a meeting in Tunbridge Wells, earlier this month, may have added to the Archbishop’s restless nights. The Revd Peter Sanlon, told The Daily Telegraph about a meeting of 12 PCCs (a PCC is an elected group which helps the clergy to lead a parish church) from across three dioceses, that he was hosting. The meeting was called to consider how they could work together more effectively, to encourage one another to remain faithful to biblical teaching and to partner in the gospel financially and practically.

It will be good to hear more about this venture at the ReNew Conference next week, where leaders from about 200 Anglican churches will gather to consider the future.