THE House of Bishops discussed the following steps within the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process on Thursday. They considered proposals on stand-alone services of blessing for same-sex couples, and the removal of restrictions that currently prevent clergy from marrying someone of the identical sex.
In a briefing document marked confidential, but which has been seen by the Church Times, the Bishops were told that an “emerging proposal” was to proceed with stand-alone services of blessing for same-sex couples without necessarily pursuing full synodical authorisation.
The document, written by the LLF programme director, Nick Shepherd, and the programme manager, Georgie Morgan, summarises the conclusions that emerged from a recent residential meeting of the three LLF working groups (News, 8 May).
Stand-alone services of blessing
THE group discussing the usage of the Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF) for same-sex couples really useful that restrictions on their use in stand-alone services ought to be removed for a “period of discernment of three years”.
In December the PLF were commended by the House of Bishops to be used, but only as a part of an existing service (News, 15 December 2023). The previous month, the General Synod had voted narrowly in favour of trialling their use in stand-alone services, but until now there was no concrete plan for a way this could be realised.
The expectation had been that stand-alone services of blessing would wish two-thirds approval from each house of the General Synod, following decisions made within the House of Bishops last autumn to make use of Canon B2 because the path to authorisation.
This would have effectively blocked such services for the remainder of the lifetime of this Synod. Although supporters of the prayers are in the bulk in each of the three synodical houses, they’ve been wanting the required two-thirds in each the House of Laity and the House of Clergy.
The document shown to bishops on Thursday, nonetheless, proposes a model that “allows for the choice of a B2 vote at the tip of the discernment process but doesn’t require it”.
Another proposal is that each the introduction of stand-alone services of blessing could possibly be decided by region.
This seems to dovetail with the suggestions made for the “pastoral reassurance” of those that oppose the changes. The group focused on this topic “agreed that the extent of reassurance required for the usage of standalone services of PLF was for ministers or parishes to request care from a bishop who shares their doctrinal views”.
This, the document says, would involve “the delegation of episcopal pastoral care and sacramental ministry”. In parentheses it adds that this might occur “on each ends of the controversy” — i.e. that alternative episcopal provision could possibly be made for individuals who support the changes but are in dioceses where the bishops don’t.
Permitting clergy to enter same-sex marriages
VARIATION on the regional level was also considered in relation to clergy entering same-sex marriages, though it was acknowledged within the document that, were this to happen, a “further level” of reassurance for conservatives could be required.
“There could also be a case to make at this point for transferred episcopal pastoral care and sacramental ministry,” the document said, with the prospect of making “three spaces within the Church: one for many who want to keep up the doctrine of marriage, one for many who wish to explore developing it, and one for many who don’t have the desire to make a transparent decision at the moment.”
The group charged with discussing pastoral guidance for clergy had, the document said, considered “what could be needed if some bishops decided not to use discipline to clergy stepping into same-sex marriage”.
The possibility of an announcement from the House of Bishops “affirming common ground” is raised, which could provide “clarity on language and a recognition of the validity of various approaches”.
Reactions
IN A video posted on social media on social media on Thursday, the national director of the Church of England Evangelical Council, Canon John Dunnett, suggested that the final result of discussions inside the working groups was that “clergy in some dioceses are going to give you the option to marry their same-sex partners, perhaps as soon as this autumn”.
This was, he said, “indicative of a change of doctrine” within the Church of England, and vowed that the CEEC would proceed to argue for “formal structural differentiation for those of who hold to the present Church of England doctrine and usually are not looking for change”.
A press release issued by Church House on Friday afternoon gave no substantive details of the House of Bishops’ discussions on LLF, but outlined the following steps in the method: the programme team and dealing groups are to “proceed their work before outlining a more detailed proposal to the College and House of Bishops in June”.
Ordinands
AFTER last weekend’s meeting of the working groups, a network of those that have opposed the introduction of the Prayers of Love and Faith, including representatives of CEEC, wrote to all of the diocesan bishops within the C of E, asking them to make provision for people being ordained this summer who objected to the introduction of blessings for same-sex couples.
“Our request is that you simply don’t insist that these ordinands have to make a choice from their conscience and their calling. Rather, we pray that the House could conform to a provision for these ordinands this Petertide by permitting ordination by a bishop who publicly supports the Church of England’s current teaching and discipline in relation to marriage and sexual ethics which the ordinands themselves accepted and agreed to live inside after they were really useful for training,” the letter says.
The signatories discover themselves as a part of the Alliance — a gaggle which emerged last yr and which comprises the leaders of quite a lot of groups, each Catholic and Evangelical in tradition, who oppose any change to the church’s approach to sexuality.
The signatories to essentially the most recent letter include the Vicar of Holy Trinity, Brompton, the Revd Archie Coates, and former Vicar of the church and current president of the Revitalise Trust, the Revd Nicky Gumbel.
The former Bishop of Blackburn and current president of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), the Rt Revd Julian Henderson, can be listed, together with the director of the traditionalist Forward in Faith group, Tom Middleton, and the chair of the Catholic Group in General Synod, the Revd Adam Gaunt.
The letter referred to a gathering of 80 ordinands which had taken place the previous Thursday (9 May), and suggests that “around 2000 clergy and licensed lay ministers have now expressed their support for the work of the Alliance”.
In February, among the ordinands connected with the “Orthodox Ordinands” spoke to the Church Times in regards to the “uncertainty” they felt about their future within the C of E, given their disagreement with the introduction of blessings for same-sex couples (News, 23 February).
Other ordinands, who’re in same-sex relationships, have reported being similarly uncertain about their future due to an absence of clarity as as to whether they shall be permitted to marry their partners.
In February, a spokesperson for the diocese of London confirmed that, for those being ordained this yr, the London College of Bishops and the Bishop of Ebbsfleet were “capable of offer appropriate provision reflecting the range of perspectives consonant with Anglican teaching and tradition”.
Other dioceses were contacted this week in light of the Alliance letter, but cited the continuing meeting of the House of Bishops as a reason why they might not yet comment on the Alliance’s request.
Last yr, the CEEC launched an initiative to supply alternative episcopal oversight for clergy and congregations that oppose the introduction of blessings for same-sex couples.
Funding
AT THE same time last yr, the CEEC announced the creation of the Ephesian Fund, into which churches were invited to pay their parish share, which could be disbursed to other churches against the changes.
On Wednesday, Canon Dunnett sent an email to incumbents at various what he described as “larger churches”, asking them to think about contributing to the Ephesian Fund.
The email accommodates an injunction to recipients that it mustn’t be made public, but has been seen by the Church Times. It says that the fund has received funds or pledges price over £2.5 million so far, and states an ambition of doubling this figure by the tip of next yr.
In the e-mail, canon Dunnett suggests that securing more support was needed to be sure that “our bishops are in little doubt as to how divisive this trajectory is and the way these further changes shall be received”.
