Press release from the Church of England
LLF Next Steps Group Meeting on 12th October 2021
03/11/2021
The Next Steps Group agreed that the next interim findings from the LLF Questionnaire should be circulated for the December House of Bishops meeting, particularly with a view to assessing the extent and diversity of participation.
Members heard about and agreed to the production of a short film that will encourage churches to engage with LLF. A small group of people who have taken part in the LLF Course will be filmed in conversation about their experience.
The Group noted the importance of offering new members of General Synod an induction to LLF and took action to ensure this would happen at the November 2021 group of sessions.
In early 2022 Diocesan Synods will be invited to participate in the LLF journey of learning, listening and discerning together. The group agreed to produce materials to enable Synods to do this as appropriate for their context. A key question would be: what kind of church do we want to be and what is the role of Diocesan Synods within that?
The Next Steps bishops concluded by reflecting together what it would look like for the group to have carried out their responsibilities as effectively and successfully as possible.
I am not sure I am on the same planet as the Next Steps Group. I thought LLF was about identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage, but it seems that they now feel that the key question for Diocesan Synods should be what kind of church do we want to be and what is the role of Diocesan Synods within that? Answering the first part is easy, it is where LGBTIQ+ people will be fully and equally included in the life and practice of the Church of England, when equal marriage, the blessing of our relationships and equality in ministry are… Read more »
I too am getting an awful sensation of mission drift.
I thought I knew what the plan was. Consult in 2021, analyse and report back in 2021, and then make some decisions. But now the Next Steps Bishops are going off in all sorts of new directions and initiatives, and adding complexity and delay to the process, which surely can’t be a good thing.
The so called key question does not flow out from the materials and was not the subject under discussion. The only link there is seems to be if you ask what kind of church is it now? The words coming to mind are not flattering – bullying, abusive, exclusive, judgemental….. The dragging on of the process and exclusive nature of the ever increasing groups suggests non of the attitudes currently around in the church are being addressed. I suspect LLF was never about a real and inclusive change. There is not the will, the integrity and desire to move beyond… Read more »
Sadly I fear that your diagnosis is spot on. The interesting thing to me is that none of those in charge of the C of E see the issue of sexuality as central to mission. It really is the last opportunity to hang onto some form of social credibility. To be frank I think it’s already too late. Disastrous.
Are diocesan synods the ideal bodies to consider what the role of diocesan synods should be? If there isn’t already a clear understanding of the role of diocesan synods then perhaps they don’t have one.