It's a new day and I've been catching up with people's posts and comments in the aftermath of Monday's General Synod debate which concluded with a visitation from the depths of the House of Bishops incompetence – their incompetence and fear when it comes to intimacy..
Intimacy
In the course of the debate, it became obvious that the bishops had difficulty with one word in this motion – intimacy. Intimacy means sex and we bishops do not want to appear to be encouraging people to have sex, and especially not same-sex sex (or at least not sex between men because that is a particularly disgusting thought for conservatives and they have all the money and the growing congregations) and because although we don’t really believe this (well, maybe some of us bishops do) but conservatives believe the Bible is literally God’s word and every word is true and has to be obeyed and especially the bits that suggest God is disgusted by gay sex.
Friends, that may be a caricature, but caricature is the only way I can deal with it as a gay man who thinks sex is good and Godly.
A thought came to me
The bishops are not in control of what we the people do sexually. From a young age, what the bishops said I could or couldn't do sexually (not that I actually knew back then what they said) has never affected the decisions and choices I've made.
What I have done and do sexually and intimately is far too significant and deeply personal to me that I’ve never had a conversation with a bishop about sex, nor have I thought I needed to conform to their norms and protocols, especially when dealing with closeted gay bishops and other bishops who give no indication whatsoever that they understand the complex emotional and physical and sexual and intimate and addictive and desiring and - sometimes - deeply mutual and reciprocal experiences we human beings have when responding to our heart's desires and stirrings. Likewise with God, given that his sexual experience on earth as lived by his mother, father and son, seem to be extremely impoverished and limited compared with the life experiences of the rest of God’s creation.
I hope most of us who live prayerful, contemplative, reflective, self-aware lives live with freedoms and integrities and pleasures that, according to the Bible, were denied to Mary, Joseph and Jesus (but the Biblical record might not be complete or truthful!).
Defeated by 14 bishops
On two occasions in the course of the debate, votes were held on the adoption or rejection of amendments. The Synod voted to vote by Houses each time. If one or more houses votes against, the motion or amendment is lost.
Vote on Dr Jamie Harrison’s amendment
Bishops: in favour 17; against 7; abstained 6
Clergy: in favour 78; against 90; abstained 4
Laity: in favour 88; against 93; abstained 1
The amendment was defeated. The bishops voted in favour, clergy and laity voted against. The amendment was an attempt to re-rail the House of Bishops process.
Vote on Christopher Dallison’s amendment
Later in the debate Synod voted on the Very Revd Christopher Dallison’s amendment. The amendment had been devised in conjunction with the proposer of the main motion.
Bishops: in favour 12; against 8; abstained 8
Clergy: in favour 100; against 68; abstained 4
Laity: in favour 102; against 76; abstained 4
The amendment was approved by all three Houses. Note that 8 bishops abstained.
Vote on the original motion as amended
“That this Synod:
(a) affirm that all baptised, believing and faithful persons regardless of sexual orientation are full members of the Body of Christ;
(b) delight in the lives and ministries of LGBTQIA+ people in the Church of England;
(c) recognise a legitimate range of theological perspectives, held in good conscience, across the Church of England, on the right ordering of committed, faithful, intimate same-sex relationships, and;
(d) recognise that this includes views that affirm and views that reject the position that there are no fundamental objections to being in such a relationship and that such a relationship can be entirely compatible with Christian discipleship and ministry.”
Bishops: in favour 11; against 14; abstained 4
Clergy: in favour 93; against 79; abstained 0
Laity: in favour 101; against 83; abstained 0
The motion was defeated. The number of bishops who abstained dropped by, the number who voted against rose by 4. The number of bishops voting varied each time, 30 to 28 to 29.
Where do we go from here?
Nowhere, despite valiant efforts from Together in coming sessions of the soon-to-be-elected new Synod. How do you change the attitude of a House of Bishops? How do you change the method of appointing bishops?
Changing Attitude and Unadulterated Love
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