Anglican Church faces new split over attitude to gay relationships

[brooklynite]

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/11/church-of-england-faces-lgbt-rights-rebellionThe Guardian]:

The Church of England is facing a fresh crisis over its stance on gay relationships following unprecedented criticism by a group of leading retired bishops over its failure to provide leadership on the issue, and its marginalisation of LGBT members.

The highly unconventional intervention comes before this week’s synod, which will be dominated by rancorous divisions over sexuality. Officials hope the 500-plus members of the church’s general assembly will approve a recent report from bishops which upholds the traditional teaching that marriage is a lifelong union between one man and one woman.

But a rebellion is being orchestrated by supporters of LGBT rights who are dismayed at the bishops’ restatement of doctrine. The church insists that gay clergy must be celibate, and clergy are forbidden from conducting same-sex marriage services. An open letter from 14 retired bishops, led by Peter Selby, the former bishop of Worcester, and including Richard Harries, former bishop of Oxford, urges their successors to think again. They say serving bishops have sought to manage a conflict “rather than perhaps enabling or leading”.

The letter rebukes the former bishops’ successors for marginalising the views of LGBT members of the church. “Our perception is that, while the pain of LGBT people is spoken about in your report, we do not hear its authentic voice,” it says.

[VMA131Marine]

1. On this issue, the Episcopal Church in the US is leading rather than following

And they are ahead of their Anglican counterparts in the UK

[wryter2000]

2. Yes, we are

And we've been "punished" for it, but we're not backing down. As our Presiding Bishop says, "We're part of the Jesus movement." It's one of the main reasons I decided to go back to church after almost 40 years away.

Off to church in a few minutes.

[gopiscrap]

3. I have always appreciated the Protestant Episcopal Church in the USA

[hrmjustin]

4. Sometimes I hope we do split.

[wryter2000]

5. I think justice will prevail in the end

So much progress has been made already.

[kwassa]

6. I gave up on the Archbishop of Canterbury a long time ago ...

Gay marriage was legal in the UK before it was here. The Anglican church is trailing way behind society there.

After the dithering Rowan Williams, I was hoping for better with change. Didn't happen with Justin Welby. The entire church is dying on the vine, too. Only a tiny percentage of people go to the church each Sunday.

[muriel_volestrangler]

7. Church of England in turmoil as synod rejects report on same sex relationships

The Church of England has been plunged into fresh turmoil after its general assembly threw out a report on same sex relationships in a rebuff to bishops following almost three years of intense internal discussion and intractable divisions.

The C of E’s synod, meeting in London this week, voted on Thursday to effectively reject the report, which upholds traditional teaching that marriage is a lifelong union of a man and a woman.

Although there was a clear overall majority in favour of “taking note” of the report, it needed the support of all three houses – bishops, clergy and laity. The clergy narrowly voted against, by 100 votes to 93, meaning the motion was lost.

The de facto rejection of the report is a blow to the authority of Justin Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, who pleaded with the synod to accept the report as “a basis for moving on, a good basis, a roadmap”.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/feb/15/church-of-england-in-turmoil-as-synod-rejects-report-on-same-sex-relationships