Aftershock

General Synod met in July and was generally reckoned shocking by evangelicals. Motions were passed both in relation to liturgy for transgender people and counselling for gay people which were considered theologically vacuous by many. Evangelical amendments on both were rejected. Most bishops said little.

I wrote an analysis for Christian Today (google ‘Church of England Synod was so shocking’).

No moratorium

Rob Munro described it as a ‘watershed’ on the Church Society blog. The Church Times said the Synod ‘is being taken as a sign that the next three years – set by the Bishops for the production of a new teaching document on same-sex relations – will not function as a moratorium on change’. The Catholic Herald said: ‘Bishops stayed largely silent, as Synod did theology by endless anecdote’ and described conservative Synod members as ‘verging on despair’. It continued: ‘The general consensus is that the “middle third” of Synod… will quietly acquiesce to liberal demands…’