Some articles that attempt to analyse what is happening.
Bowman Walton High Stakes, Three Facts
Andrew Goddard The Anglican Communion: Consensus, Conundrum, Consequences, Conversation and Confession
Colin Coward The Primates’ meeting – a busted flush?
Economist Why the Anglicans’ meeting matters
BBC Caroline Wyatt Anglican communion’s ‘bitter divide’ over gay rights
4 CommentsUpdated Monday morning
There is a comprehensive set of links to media coverage of the letter over here.
Earlier items in previous article [scroll down]
BBC Sunday radio programme available here.
‘Last roll of the dice’ for the Anglican communion – item on Good Disagreement book from 18:25, item on Letter from 29:16
Also a short video report by Caroline Wyatt is here: Church ‘should repent’ over treatment of gay Anglicans
And a BBC World Service extended news report [starts about 5 minutes in] including comments from Bishop of Leeds Nick Baines, retired Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, and Jayne Ozanne
Guardian Harriet Sherwood Senior Anglicans call for repentance over sexual discrimination
Telegraph Patrick Foster Church must repent for ‘treating gays like second-class citizens’
Michael Sadgrove Gay Anglicans and the Primates’ Meeting: the open letter
Brother Ivo Why I signed the Letter to the Archbishops
6 CommentsAn open letter has been sent to the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York, signed by 105 Church of England members including many senior figures.
More information, and the full list of signatories, is at this website including a press release which is also copied below the fold.
The website also provides an opportunity for anybody who wishes to do so to add their signature to the letter.
The full text of the letter is as follows.
48 CommentsThe Rt Hon and Most Revd Justin Welby
The Rt Hon and Most Revd Dr John SentamuJanuary 7th 2016
Your Graces
We the undersigned ask you, our Archbishops, to take an unequivocal message to your meeting of fellow Primates next week that the time has now come for:
- Acknowledgement that we, the Church, have failed in our duty of care to LGBTI members of the Body of Christ around the world. We have not loved them as we should, and have treated them as a problem to be solved rather than as brothers and sisters in Christ to be embraced and celebrated. We have made them feel second-class citizens in the Kingdom of God, often abandoned and alone.
- Repentance for accepting and promoting discrimination on the grounds of sexuality, and for the pain and rejection that this has caused. We, the Church, need to apologise for our part in perpetuating rather than challenging ill-informed beliefs about LGBTI people, such as the slanderous view that homosexuals have a predisposition to prey on the young.
We understand that the Primates come from a variety of contexts with differing ways of interpreting the Scriptures, but we urge you to be prophetic in your action and Christ-like in your love towards our LGBTI sisters and brothers who have been ignored and even vilified for too long.
Please be assured of our prayers for you at this time, and that the world will know by our words and actions that everyone who is baptised into the faith is of equal value in our Lord Jesus Christ.
Yours sincerely
Updated Saturday evening
See previous articles:
Martyn Percy calls on Archbishop Welby to issue an apology and follow up.
GAFCON prepares for the gathering of Primates
Two more articles about the primates gathering (updated earlier today)
The official website of the meeting is here.
Here is some more coverage that has recently appeared. No doubt there is a lot more to follow…
The Church Times has:
From Canada the Anglican Journal has Hiltz calls for spirit of openness at Primates’ Meeting.
UK national media coverage:
Telegraph
John Bingham
Justin Welby summit to tackle Anglican break up
‘Dire’ split looms as Anglican rivals use separate rooms at summit
Guardian
Harriet Sherwood Church of England fears gay rights talks could end global Anglican communion
and also How issue of gay rights has racked Anglican churches for decades
Andrew Brown The Anglican schism over sexuality marks the end of a global church
Economist
Resurrection?
Rowing, not rowing
Update
Mail on Sunday Jonathan Petre Senior Church liberals pile pressure on Archbishop to stop the ‘vilification’ of gay Christians
Ruth Gledhill Church must repent of “second class” treatment of gays, Anglican leaders warn Primates
For further details of this letter see next article.
And there is this article at Christianity Today written by David Ison Dean of St Paul’s: Anglicans need each other despite deep split over homosexuality.
7 CommentsWe reported on the proposed agreement between the Church of Scotland and the Church of England set out in the Columba Declaration here and on the response of the Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church here.
This week’s Church Times carries an article by Tim Wyatt on the agreement and the controversy it has provoked: Scottish Episcopalians query Columba Declaration. To this is attached an article by the Bishop of Chester, Dr Peter Forster, who was the Church of England co-chair of the study group that produced the declaration. In it he sets out the background to the study group’s report and the declaration.
Dr Forster’s article is also available on the Church of England’s blog: Growth in communion, partnership in mission.
5 CommentsJohn Bingham has interviewed William Nye for The Telegraph: The ‘silencing of Christians’ in the public sector.
Bob Morris The Constitution Unit ‘Living with Difference’: The Butler-Sloss Commission’s report reflects the interests of its members rather than the public interest
[also online at Law & Religion UK]
Giles Fraser The Guardian Doesn’t Bishop George Bell deserve the presumption of innocence?
Miranda Threlfall-Holmes Pope Gregory and #Primates2016 – diversity, sex, and church order
Jayne Ozanne Church of England Newspaper Resolutely passionate
Hannah Cleugh Church Times No need to patronise men with toughness
14 CommentsMembers of the new General Synod of the Church of England have been electing chairs of houses and members of various committees. There is a list of the results so far here, including these.
Prolocutor of the Lower House of the Convocation of Canterbury
The Revd Canon Simon Butler (Southwark)Prolocutor of the Lower House of the Convocation of York
The Ven Cherry Vann, Archdeacon of Rochdale (Manchester)Chair of the House of Laity
Canon Dr Jamie Harrison (Durham)Vice-Chair of the House of Laity
Canon Elizabeth Paver (Sheffield)
There are more results to come.
0 CommentsUpdated Saturday
First an article at ABC Religion and Ethics by Christopher Craig Brittain:
The Primates’s Dilemma: Game Theory and the Anglican Communion
…For a “Game of Mitres” is unfolding within and among the churches of the Communion. It is a contest over power and influence and over the future course of the international family of churches. It will determine who has the legitimacy to define the very nature of the Anglican tradition.
In essence, this is not a dispute over homosexuality, the authority of Scripture, or the uniqueness of Christ: it has become a power struggle over how the Communion is to be governed….
Second, another article by Martyn Percy:
Sexuality and the citizenship of Heaven
…But the problem we now face, as an Anglican Communion, is the eliding of ‘lazy’ labels that no longer do justice to the complexity of the issues and debates. ‘Inclusive’ has come to mean ‘liberal’ and ‘progressive’; ‘exclusive’ has come to mean ‘conservative’ and ‘traditionalist’; and ‘orthodoxy’ now claimed by all. So there is no escaping the need for some serious theological work in moving the Communion forward.
It simply won’t do to try and re-organise the Communion on an ‘Orthodox’ model, in the hope that this will somehow give Anglican Provinces more space to continue to be un-resolved and un-reconciled. Such a proposal may be politically expedient in the short term. But the longer term consequences – planting churches in one another’s Provinces to promote ‘traditionalist’ or ‘progressive’ causes, for example – would spell the end for worldwide Anglicanism in all but name. Episcopal oversight – to be authentically catholic – needs to be local and provincial for the care and cure of souls. We cannot have Archbishops presiding over congregations several continents away, planting at will. It would result in an ecclesial and legal catastrophe.
In some respects, the current proposals being touted – namely loosening our ‘bonds of Communion’ – are a collapse of confidence in the internationalism of Anglicanism. The so-called ‘Orthodox’ model of polity being propositioned for the Communion represents a failure of theological vision, ecclesial comprehension and moral leadership. Adopting the proposed ‘Orthodox’ model would be a disaster of epic proportions for the church.
As such, it is has some equivalence to the Munich Agreement of 1938, where Neville Chamberlain secured an armistice, with his famous piece of paper. But this was a ‘peace at any price’ – and the fee, ultimately, too costly. Chamberlain’s championing of his ‘concord’ transpired to be a weak political fix, born out of fear. It did nothing to challenge the cruelty and coercion that stalked Europe. Chamberlain’s ‘fix’ just gave the oppressors and aggressors further licence to act with impunity…
Updates
There have been several criticisms of Martyn Percy’s writings from conservatives, including
Andrew Symes Martyn Percy on sex and the Anglican Communion: 20 holes in his argument.
Ian Paul Martyn Percy’s non-sense poetry on sexuality
Martin Davie I wouldn’t start from here – a response to Martyn Percy
Martyn has written a response to Martin Davie’s criticisms and you can read that here, below the fold.
94 CommentsJonathan Petre reports in the Mail on Sunday: Repent or we quit say bishops in gays feud: Anglican church could split in challenge to Welby’s authority
Church leaders from Africa and Asia are threatening to walk out of a crucial meeting chaired by the Archbishop of Canterbury unless American bishops drop their support for gay marriage.
Archbishop Justin Welby last year invited the leaders of the worldwide Anglican Church to the summit in Canterbury next week in a ‘make or break’ effort to avert a permanent split over homosexuality.
The row has torn the Church apart for a decade – with conservatives accusing liberals of abandoning the word of God by backing openly gay bishops and marriages for gay couples – and the Archbishop wants to broker a deal to allow both sides to co-exist peacefully.
But insiders said a hardcore of eight to 12 conservative archbishops from Africa and Asia are preparing to quit the meeting on the first morning unless the liberal Americans ‘repent’ or the Archbishop throws them out…
The GAFCON website has been very active in the past few weeks, see the following links:
And Anglican Mainstream has links to further items at Canterbury Primates’ Meeting – news and commentary
74 CommentsPeter Wehner New York Times The Christmas Revolution
Howard Jacobson BBC News Magazine A Point of View: Why the world needs more sermons
Archdruid Eileen Feast of Holy Innocents – Power Under Pressure
Sarah Coakley ABC Religion and Ethics Angels and Dreams: Second Naivete and the Christian Imagination
Andrew Brown The Guardian If Nicky Morgan wants Christianity to flourish, humanism should be taught in schools
Archbishop of Canterbury’s New Year Message
Giles Fraser The Guardian Karl Barth taught us not to use religion to mask the stench of war
10 CommentsThe Crown Prosecution Service has released a number of letters written years ago in support of Bishop Peter Ball. This is because of a Freedom of Information request by the Telegraph newspaper.
The released documents are here.
The Telegraph news report is here: Establishment figures who helped disgraced bishop avoid prosecution for sex abuse revealed
Another news report by the BBC is here: Letters of support for sex offender ex-bishop Peter Ball released
And the Guardian has this: Archbishop and MPs wrote in support of bishop later convicted of sexual offences
There is a press release from the Church of England which is available here: Statement on Peter Ball letters released under FOI
29 CommentsIn response to the reported agreement between the Church of England and the Church of Scotland, David Chillingworth, Bishop of St Andrews, Dunkeld and Dunblane, and Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church, has written two articles, which need to be read together:
The Columba Declaration – ecumenical relationships in Scotland
…But the aspect of the Columba Declaration which will cause most concern to the Scottish Episcopal Church is the potential involvement of the Church of England in the ecclesiastical life of Scotland. The Church of England is not a Scottish Church nor does it have any jurisdiction in Scotland. The Anglican way is to recognise the territorial integrity of each province – they are autonomous but inter-dependent, The important question is whether, within that understanding of the relationship between provinces of the Anglican Communion, it is proper for the Church of England to enter into this agreement about ministry and ecclesiastical order in Scotland.. That is a matter which will have to be explored in future dialogue between the Scottish Episcopal Church and both the Church of Scotland and the Church of England.
Columba Declaration – time for a rethink
34 Comments…The question here is not whether the development of ecumenical relationships is desirable – for of course it is. The question is about whether that development can take place respectfully and in good order. The Scottish Episcopal Church now seems to be faced with the possibility that Church of England clergy will minister in Scotland under the authorisation of the Church of Scotland and without reference to the Scottish Episcopal Church. Yet the Church of England and the Scottish Episcopal Church are partner members of the Anglican Communion. The Anglican Communion in Scotland is expressed in the life of the Scottish Episcopal Church.
The Church of Scotland and the Church of England seem to have decided that their commonality as National Churches justifies them in setting aside other ecumenical relationships and etiquette. What would really help this situation – mitigating the damage already done to long-established relationships and avoiding further damage – would be for the two churches to decide to delay publication of the full document to allow time for consultation.
I appeal to them to do so…
It is reported, see here and also here, that the following letter has been sent to each member of the clergy by their diocesan bishop:
Pastoral Letter to the Clergy of the Church of Ireland from their bishops on same-sex marriage
29 Dec 2015SOME FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS AND RESPONSES CONCERNING SAME SEX MARRIAGE
l am writing to you in the light of the Marriage Equality Referendum in the Republic of Ireland and the subsequent legislation. It is recognised that in the Church of Ireland there are differing opinions and responses to the outcome of the referendum itself. Together with my episcopal colleagues, I seek to encourage a spirit of mutual respect and attentiveness to one another as we move forward together in a context of new civic realities and possibilities in the Republic of Ireland. There will be many new situations of pastoral sensitivity arising.
Hitherto the Church and the State in both jurisdictions have substantially overlapped in their definition of marriage. This is no longer the case in the Republic of Ireland.
We also need to understand that under current legislation, involvement of a member of the clergy of the Church of Ireland as a solemniser (Republic of Ireland) or an officiant (Northern Ireland) in a wedding is an expressly legal function.
The following are some questions that have already been raised:
Q. Will a member of the clergy who is on the Register of Solemnisers (Republic of Ireland) now be able to conduct a same-sex marriage?
R. This will not be possible while the Canons of the Church of Ireland stand as they are. The powers of conducting a marriage as delegated to an ordained minister in the Church of Ireland require that the marriage be conducted according to the rites and ceremonies of the Church of Ireland, and therefore the doctrine as reflected in those rites and ceremonies. The Church of Ireland does not have a liturgy of same-sex marriage.
Q. Are clergy permitted to conduct a blessing of a same-sex marriage?
R. There is no provision in the Book of Common Prayer or other authorized liturgies of the church for the blessing of a same sex marriage. In addition the service known as A Form of Prayer and Dedication after a Civil Marriage (pages 431 ff) presupposes the civil marriage of a man and a woman as husband and wife and cannot be used in this context.
Q. If two people who enter a same-sex civil marriage ask a member of the clergy to say prayers with them, how am I to reply and what am I to do?
R. It is not possible to proscribe the saying of prayers in personal and pastoral situations, nor would one wish to do so. In fact, in situations of rejoicing and crisis, such prayers often are at the heart of ministry. Any such prayers should remain consonant with the spirit and teaching of the Church of lreland.
Q. If I am asked to attend a same-sex marriage, should I go?
R. The decision lies with the individual who will bring to this decision criteria of friendship and conscience, following personal prayer and reflection.
Q. What is the situation if I, as a member of the clergy serving in the Church of Ireland decide to enter a same-sex marriage?
R. All are free to exercise their democratic entitlements once they are enshrined in legislation. However, members of the clergy, are further bound by the Ordinal and by the authority of the General Synod of the Church of Ireland. It ls essential that any member of the clergy seeking to explore entering into a same sex marriage should think carefully about the response of others, not only in the immediate locality. This is an extension of the reflection, often requiring restraint in a range of matters, expected of clergy who are both public and private people at the same time.
The bishops of the Church of Ireland, acting corporately and individually, are well aware that, in the eyes of many, for an ordained member of the clergy to enter publicly into a civil marriage would be regarded as divisive. The backdrop to this is that such a situation is contrary to what the Church of Ireland currently practices within its own framework of regulation. The situation is that State provision in the Republic of Ireland now differs significantly from that in the Church of Ireland. It is for this reason that we encourage a restraint for the sake of unity that is respectful of the principles of others in the mixed flock to whom clergy offer service and leadership in the things of God.
There has been a strongly worded criticism of this statement by Reform Ireland. You can read that response here.
20 CommentsHarriet Sherwood has another major article today. In The Guardian Saturday interview she writes about Married gay priest Jeremy Davies: ‘The bishops say we’re not modelling teachings of the church. Yes we are’.
This is a long article, but do read all of it.
59 CommentsNatasha Moore The Drum (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) In defence of the nativity play
Rowan Williams ABC Religion and Ethics Where Faith is Born: Seeing Ourselves Honestly, Seeing the World Differently
Giles Fraser The Guardian The story of the virgin birth runs against the grain of Christianity
Archdruid Eileen A Canon Backfires
Some (arch)bishops’ Christmas Messages
Archbishop of Canterbury
Archbishop of York
Presiding Bishop Michael Curry
Archbishop Fred Hiltz, Primate of Canada – Archbishop Hiltz has also recorded this video jointly with the Lutheran National Bishop of Canada
Bishop David Chillingworth, Primus of the Scottish Episcopal Church (video)
Bishop of Chelmsford
Bishop of Gloucester, Bishop of Western Tanganyika and Bishop of El Camino Real
Bishop of Gibraltar in Europe
Bishop of Leeds
Bishop of Lincoln
Bishop of Liverpool – The bishop also has a separate video message.
Bishop of Sheffield
Bishop of St Asaph
Bishop of Bangor
Bishop of Swansea and Brecon
Anglican and Roman Catholic Primates of Ireland
Archbishop Philip Freier, Primate of Australia
Archbishop Stanley Ntagali, Primate of Uganda
And some sermons
Bishop of Bath and Wells
Bishop of Chichester
Bishop of Durham
Bishop of Guildford
Bishop of Leeds
Bishop of Southwark
Bishop of Taunton
Kelvin Holdsworth, Provost of St Mary’s Cathedral Glasgow Midnight Mass Christmas morning
23 CommentsThis is the lead story on the front page of tomorrow’s The Guardian.
Harriet Sherwood C of E to fast-track minority ethnic clergy into senior roles
10 CommentsThe Church of England is to fast-track black and ethnic minority clergy into senior positions amid accusations of institutional racism.
A “talent pool” of specifically black, Asian and minority ethnic (Bame) potential leaders will be identified in 2016 for training and mentoring with the aim of increasing representation among bishops, deans and archdeacons…
Updated Thursday evening to add statement from the Scottish Episcopal Church
Press release from the Church of England and the Church of Scotland this morning
The Church of Scotland and the Church of England reach an historic agreement
24 December 2015
The Church of Scotland and the Church of England have reached an historic agreement that recognises their longstanding ecumenical partnership and lays the groundwork for future joint projects.
The agreement called The Columba Declaration is set out in a 15-page report by the Joint Study Group “Growth in Communion, Partnership in Mission”.
Rev Dr John McPake, co-chair of the study group and one of the authors of the report, said
“The Columba Declaration recognises the strong partnership that already exists and will help encourage and support new initiatives.
“We believe that approval of the Columba Declaration by our two churches will represent a significant step in the long history of their relationship, one that affirms the place we have come to and opens up new possibilities for the future.”
Arranged into four chapters, the report sets out the history of partnership between the two churches and the shared beliefs that allow for close cooperation between the churches, before exploring how the partnership could grow.
This year the churches established the Churches’ Mutual Credit Union as a response to concerns that low-income families needed access to low -cost banking and loans. And that’s just one of the areas where the two churches already are collaborating.
The Church of Scotland’s Church and Society Council and the Church of England’s Mission and Public Affairs talk regularly about everything from poverty to refugees. As well as recognising one another’s ministers, the churches exchange views on ministry and come together for example on initiatives such as Fresh Expressions. The Church of Scotland also sends a representative to the General Synod while the Church of England sends a representative to the General Assembly.
In a joint statement prefacing the report, joint study group co-chairs Rev Dr John McPake and Rt Rev Peter Forster, Bishop of Chester write:
“Our hope is that joint affirmation by our two churches of the Columba Declaration would:
Affirm and strengthen our relationship at a time when it is likely to be particularly critical in the life of the United Kingdom;
Provide an effective framework for coordinating present partnership activities and for fostering new initiatives;
Enable us to speak and act together more effectively in the face of the missionary challenges of our generation.”
The report emphasises that joint ecumenical work should also include other churches and especially the Episcopal Church of Scotland [sic] and the United Reformed Church. At the same time it acknowledges the “distinctive partnership in the gospel to which our two Churches are called within the United Kingdom, rooted in our shared history and in our parallel and overlapping roles as the churches of our respective nations.”
The report will now go to the Church of England’s Synod in February and by the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland in May for approval. A debate is scheduled at the Synod on Feb 16, 2016.
Here’s the full text from the report of the Columba Declaration
THE COLUMBA DECLARATION
38. In the light of our common mission and context (chapter 1), our agreement in faith (chapter 2) and our significant opportunities for growing in partnership in mission (chapter 3), we recommend that our churches make the following Declaration.
We, the Church of Scotland and the Church of England, make the following acknowledgements and commitments, which are interrelated.
a) Acknowledgements
(i) We acknowledge one another’s churches as churches belonging to the One, Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ and truly participating in the apostolic ministry and mission of the whole people of God.
(ii) We acknowledge that in both our churches the word of God is truly preached, and the sacraments of Baptism and the Holy Communion are rightly administered.
(iii) We acknowledge that both our churches share in the common confession of the apostolic faith.
(iv) We acknowledge that one another’s ordained ministries of word and sacraments are given by God as instruments of grace and we look forward to a time when growth in communion can be expressed in fuller unity that makes possible the interchangeability of ministers.
(v) We acknowledge that personal, collegial and communal oversight (episkope) is embodied and exercised in our churches in a variety of forms, as a visible sign expressing and serving the Church’s unity and continuity in apostolic life, mission and ministry.
b) Commitments
We commit ourselves to grow together in communion and to strengthen our partnership in mission. Through this commitment, we hope to enrich our continuing relationships with other churches in the United Kingdom and around the world. We will welcome opportunities to draw other churches into the activities and initiatives that we share.
As part of that commitment, we will continue to:
(i) pray for and with one another;
(ii) welcome one another’s members to each other’s worship as guests and receive one another’s members into the congregational life of each other’s churches where that is their desire;
(iii) explore opportunities for congregational partnership, formal as well as informal, in those cases where there are churches in close geographical proximity;
(iv) enable ordained ministers from one of our churches to exercise ministry in the other church, in accordance with the discipline of each church;
(vi) identify theological issues that arise from growth towards fuller communion and be prepared to allocate resources to addressing them;
(vii) work together on social, political and ethical issues that arise from our participation in public life and be prepared to allocate resources to joint initiatives for addressing them.
In order to assist our churches in living out the acknowledgements and commitments of the Columba Declaration, we will appoint Co-Chairs and members of a Church of Scotland – Church of England Contact Group, whose purpose will be to coordinate the different activities that make up our rich relationship and develop new initiatives where these may be needed. The Contact Group will meet at least annually and will report annually to the Council for Christian Unity in the Church of England and the Committee on Ecumenical Relations in the Church of Scotland.
[This text is copied from the Church of England website (which has no hyperlinks) with links taken from the Church of Scotland website. – editor]
———
Some press reports
John Bingham Telegraph Church of England and Church of Scotland forge pact
BBC News Churches of Scotland and England reach first formal pact
———
Update
The Scottish Episcopal Church issued this statement today:
35 CommentsResponse to Columba Declaration
December 24, 2015A spokesperson for the Scottish Episcopal Church says “We have noted the announcement today about the Columba Declaration agreed between the Church of Scotland and the Church of England.
“We welcome the opportunity for the further ecumenical discussion referred to in today’s press statement and look forward to being able to consider the full text of the report when we receive this. We fully understand the desire of the Church of Scotland and the Church of England as national churches to discuss and explore matters of common concern. However certain aspects of the report which appear to go beyond the relationship of the two churches as national institutions cause us concern. The Scottish Episcopal Church, as a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, represents Anglicanism in Scotland, and we will therefore look forward to exploring the suggestions within the report more fully in due course.”
Updated Thursday
Following the publication last week of his essay – Sex, Sense and Non-Sense for Anglicans – the Dean of Christ Church, the Very Revd Professor Martyn Percy, and a Vice President of Modern Church, appeared on BBC Radio 4’s Sunday programme…
For more details of this interview, and another one on BBC Radio Wiltshire, dealing mainly with the case of Canon Jeremy Davies, see Modern Church vice president responds to unchallenged homophobia on Radio 4 Sunday programme.
Thursday Update
Following the Radio 4 broadcast, there were numerous complaints to the BBC about what one of the participants had said, and the failure of the interviewer to challenge him on it. Those who complained have all received the following response from the BBC:
Many thanks for getting in touch with us about an item on BBC Radio 4’s “Sunday” programme on 20 December. Recognising your unhappiness, we have reviewed the programme and have discussed listener feedback personally with the senior editorial team responsible at Radio 4.
To explain, the discussion in question was broadcast in response to an essay written by the Very Revd Prof Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford, on the debate within the Anglican Communion about the treatment of LGBT Christians.
“Sunday” is a live programme and, regrettably, this discussion ran out of time before it was possible to clarify some of the views expressed. As a result, some listeners may have gained the impression that Canon Dr Chris Sugden equated homosexual behaviour with child grooming.
We have spoken with Dr Sugden subsequently, and he has assured us that this is not the case and that he was actually conveying what he believes to be one African perspective on the churches’ and the states’ attitudes to homosexual behaviour, based on his conversations with senior religious leaders from different African countries.
We apologise for any offence caused by a lack of clarity on this point during the live broadcast. As was explained in the programme, “Sunday” will be returning to the issue when the leaders of the Anglican Communion meet in January, and exploring it in more detail.
Thanks again for getting in touch and allowing us to clarify.
Kind Regards
BBC Complaints
www.bbc.co.uk/complaints
Another article on Anglican Mainstream from Chris Sugden, published on the same day as the broadcast, also deals with this matter: Background to the Uganda Bill on aggravated homosexuality
43 CommentsIt is becoming clear that in the lead up to the Anglican Primates’ gathering, further pressure will be brought to bear on African churches and nations on the subject of their laws on sexuality. Both President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron have made direct threats from their positions of enormous power to African states that funds for their education and health budgets will be removed if the laws are not changed. To this call is now being added calls from the Episcopal Church, the Church of Canada, the Dean of Christ Church and lobby groups.
At this Christmas season, where would Jesus be found – in the courts of the rich and powerful intimidating and bullying the poor for whom their families and children are their security in countries with no welfare systems, or in the slums of Kabare in Kenya and Kampala in Uganda? Pope Francis has made clear where he stands.
There are many myths and misunderstandings on this topic to which this article addresses itself…
Mark Hart Church Times Evangelism: maybe talk less, but do more?
Richard Moy Men Only? A charismatic crisis in New Wine/HTB leadership
Tim Wyatt Church Times Fill the hungry with good things
Paul Bayes, the Bishop of Liverpool, Huffington Post UK Peace From the Middle East
Jody Stowell Independent As a vicar, here’s what I think when you all pile in at Christmas after a year of church avoidance
Kelvin Holdsworth 12 tips to get people to come to Christmas Services
David Walker, the Bishop of Manchester, Church Times O come, all ye (occasionally) faithful
29 CommentsThe outline timetable for the February General Synod of the Church of England has been published today, and is copied below. The full agenda and other papers will be published on Friday 22 January 2016.
GENERAL SYNOD: FEBRUARY 2016 GROUP OF SESSIONS
Timetable
Monday 15 February
2.30 pm – 7.15 pm
2.30 pm Opening Worship
Presentation of officers (Prolocutors of the Convocations of Canterbury and York, Chair and Vice-Chair of the House of Laity)
Report by the Business Committee
Presidential Address by the Archbishop of Canterbury
Legislative Business
Enactment of Amending Canon No 34
Mission and Pastoral etc (Amendment) Measure – First Consideration
Initial presentation on the Shared Conversations followed by Q&A
*5.45 pm Questions
7.00 pm Evening worship
Tuesday 16 February
9.15 am – 1.00 pm
9.15 am Worship in small groups followed by Group Work on Evangelism
11.30 am Presentation from the Archbishop of Canterbury, Chair of the Evangelism Task Group, followed by a ‘take note’ debate on a Report from the Evangelism Task Group
2.30 pm – 7.15 pm
2.30 pm Presentation from the Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland
Debate on the Report of the Church of England – Church of Scotland Joint Study Group
Diocesan Synod Motion: Parochial Fees
*5.30 pm Motion on the proposed Enabling Measure
7.00 pm Evening worship
Wednesday 17 February
9.15 am – 1.00 pm
9.15 am Holy Communion
10.45 am Diocesan Synod Motion: Impact of Sanctions on Benefit Claimants
Update on Renewal and Reform – (Presentation by Task Group Leads followed by Q&A)
2.30 pm – 5.00 pm
2.30 pm Renewal and Reform:
Resourcing Ministerial Education: debate on a motion from the Archbishops’ Council
Renewal and Reform:
Resourcing the Future: ‘take note’ debate on a Report from the Archbishops’ Council
5.00 pm Farewells
*5.15 pm Prorogation
Contingency Business:
Diocesan Synod Motion: Blood and Organ Donation
