Thinking Anglicans

GS: Question Time

on Monday, 26 February 2007 at 10.13 pm by Simon Sarmiento
categorised as General Synod

The full list of Questions can be found here.

A few of the prepared written Answers are below. The full audio, including the supplementary questions and their answers, can be found here. We will transcribe more written answers, and a few of those supplementaries later on, when time permits.

The Archbishop of Canterbury to reply as Joint President of the Archbishops’ Council:

Mr Andrew Presland (Peterborough) to ask the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:
Q17. Does the Council regard the transitional period proposed to be given by the Government for the Roman Catholic adoption agencies “to adapt” to the requirements of the Sexual Orientation Regulations as:
1. a time in which faith groups are expected to rewrite their teachings so as to conform with the Government’s own agenda;
2. time to fall in line with the idea that the Government has reversed the long-standing principle that it should not be illegal for someone to act in accordance with his or her conscience; or
3. something else?

Mrs Alison Wynne (Blackburn) to ask the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:
Q18. In the light of fears that the introduction of the proposed Sexual Orientation Regulations for England, Wales and Scotland will severely hinder freedom of conscience, what representations has the Archbishops’ Council made, or will it now make, to the Government concerning those regulations?

Mrs Sarah Finch (London) to ask the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:
Q19. In view of the threat to freedom of conscience posed by the introduction of Sexual Orientation Regulations, is the Archbishops’ Council pressing for urgent further consultations with the Government, in order to preserve one of the most precious freedoms we enjoy in this country?

Mrs Sarah Finch (London) to ask the Presidents of the Archbishops’ Council:
Q20. What consultations is the Archbishops’ Council having with other faith groups in the United Kingdom, with a view to joint discussion with the Government to preserve our freedom of conscience?

Answer
With permission I shall answer this with questions 18, 19, and 20.

Last June the Archbishops Council submitted a carefully argued response to the Government’s consultation paper on the proposed regulations. The Government had already accepted the principle that some special provisions were needed to safeguard the manifesting of religious convictions. The issue at stake was how widely those provisions should be drafted to reflect a proper balancing of conflicting rights. Since then, Archbishops’ Council staff have stayed in close touch with the representatives of other churches and religious organisations. There has also been a series of exchanges with Government ministers and advisers.

The Regulations for Great Britain have yet to be published and will in some respects be different from those already approved by Parliament for Northern Ireland. It remains to be seen therefore, precisely what the impact will be on churches and religious organisations generally. But the decision already announced in relation to Roman Catholic adoption agencies has rightly caused concern about the State’s willingness to impose requirements on voluntary organisations that are in conflict with the religious convictions and consciences that are the inspiration for their work. Whatever view is taken of the Roman Catholic policy on adoption, there are deeper issues here about the rights, liberties and dignities of independent bodies in relation to the State. To use the law to make it impossible, after a transitional period, for a religious organisation to carry on doing work that is manifestly for the common good is a new and troubling development.

The Archbishop of York to reply as Chairman of the House of Bishops’ Standing Committee:

Mr Robert Hammond (Chelmsford) to ask the Chairman of the House of Bishops:
Q22. Noting how some of the words and actions of the celebrities in the Big Brother house, although apparently not intended to be, were perceived by the media and public as being racist, is the House of Bishops aware that some of its words and actions (like those of other Church leaders) about same-sex relationships may be perceived by the media, public and gay and lesbian Christians as being homophobic, and assuming that this is not its intention, what action is being taken to change this perception?

Answer
I think there are three issues here. First, just as with Big Brother we have to be realistic about the editing process in the media which often presents a polarised binary narrative of them and us. In such circumstances our words and actions are oversimplified as being either pro-gay or anti-gay, thereby distorting the message. Second, the distinction is made within the Church between orientation and practice is a distinction which is lost to many outside the Church who might employ the term “homophobic”. Finally the House is committed to listening process as outlined in subsection 3 of Resolution 1.10 of the 1998 Lambeth Conference and is also committed to “minister pastorally and sensitively to all irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals” as outlined in subsection 4.