The annual Jesmond Conference has taken place, this year on ‘Good Disagreement?’ relating to the CofE’s contentious Living in Love and Faith project (see also page 23).
Seventy clergy and senior leaders from around the country met on Zoom. Two Bible readings were given by bishop Jonathan Pryke: ‘Contending for the Faith – an OT Case Study’ (Ezra 9-10); ‘Discipline in the life of the Church’ (1 Cor. 5.1-13).
Vicar of Jesmond, David Holloway’s four Conference addresses were on: ‘The Seriousness of the Present Situation in Society and the Church’; ‘What is Behind the LLF Project?’; ‘What does the Bible Teach about Good Disagreement, Bad Disagreement and Discipline?’; and ‘How Should we Respond?’.
A final Q&A with the main speakers and Mark Burkill (recently chairman, Church Society) evidenced a crisis in the Church of England with parishes experiencing ‘impairment of communion’ but no episcopal ‘pastoral and sacramental provision.’ The main talks are on Clayton TV.
