THE Bishop of Leicester, the Rt Revd Martyn Snow, who’s leading the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) implementation process, is to be supported by a latest “programme board”, chaired by the Archbishop of York, it was announced on Wednesday afternoon.
Bishop Snow was one in all two lead bishops for the method until the Bishop of Newcastle, Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, stood down, referring to “serious concerns” concerning the way by which a latest theological adviser to the House of Bishops had been appointed (News, 1 February).
Efforts to seek out her alternative were unsuccessful; so a latest approach was considered by which, as a substitute of co-lead bishops, a board would support the work.
Most of its membership has now been announced, although one episcopal member continues to be to be appointed. Archbishop Cottrell will likely be joined by the Bishop of Stockport, the Rt Revd Sam Corley; the Bishop of Taunton, the Rt Revd Ruth Worsley, currently the Acting Bishop of Coventry; and the Bishop of St Edmundsbury & Ipswich, the Rt Revd Martin Seeley.
In addition, the chair and the co-chair of the General Synod’s House of Laity, Dr Jamie Harrison and Alison Coulter, and the clergy Prolocutors, the Ven. Luke Miller, and the Revd Kate Wharton, will function ex-officio members.
Three working groups for points of the LLF process are also being convened, to debate the pastoral guidance; the trialling of stand-alone services of blessing for same-sex couples; and provision for opponents (News, 8 March). The membership of those groups is yet to be announced. It is known that they’ve not yet met.
After the announcement of the membership of the board, a latest umbrella LGBT+ campaigning organisation,Together (News, 28 February), released an announcement. It said: “The leadership of Archbishop Stephen [Cottrell] gives us confidence that there’s a real will to make progress,” and praised Bishop Snow’s “readiness to work with all parties to hunt agreement on tips on how to proceed”.
The statement urges the Bishops to proceed with trials of stand-alone services, as voted for by the Synod in November (News, 15 November 2023), “with all haste”, and “interpreting the Canons pastorally slightly than legalistically”.
“We know of many couples who want to have fun their love within the sight of God, and who’re waiting,” the statement says. It also calls for “an end to the current hypocritical regime” barring same-sex civil marriage to the clergy.
On any settlement for opponents of the changes, the statement says: “We sit up for a continued dialogue by which only the minimum essential separation is made between churches, clergy and bishops throughout the one Church of England to permit conscientious freedom.”
