There is something missing in the public conversation about human connection and community identified by Catharine Viner in a recent Guardian article. I observe that human connection and community are also missing in the Church of England. Discovering this essence would be a valuable outcome of changing attitudes, helping people develop lives well-lived and enriching all our lives, engaging with unadulterated love and living life in all its fulness.
Stephen Kuhrt’s book Safeguarding the Institution concludes with two radical proposals.
A wider clear-out of the Church of England’s senior leaders is desperately needed, a ‘circuit-breaker for the Church since, at present, most new bishops inevitably adopt the ethos of the group they are joining. A new type of bishop is required to replace the “one single characteristic overwhelmingly found in the bishops of the Church of England.
And “the single most controversial issue within the Church of England”, equal marriage. The official position must be brought into line with current practice, accepting and endorsing “gay marriage”. This is overwhelmingly favoured by the general public and the majority of churchgoers.
Stephen Kuhrt’s book ‘Safeguarding the Institution: How the Culture of the Church of England Facilitates Abuse argues that the running of a properly functioning church involves confronting issues and problems rather than avoiding them. The question “why are we doing this?” has been unconsciously present in most of the meetings Stephen has had with bishops and archdeacons. Every time they have been unwilling to discuss matters of principle and truth. It is the most terrifying question they can be asked.
I had a long, vivid dream two weeks ago.
It was a dream about my experience of visiting churches and what I find. I’m engaged in conversations with various friends about the state of the Church today. A small core understand my awareness and ideas. The majority do not. When I engage people in conversation, they struggle to comprehend what I’m saying.
What I am not finding is a clear awareness that life in all its fullness is the essence of healthy, flourishing Christian life, fuelled by unconditional, infinite, intimate love, goodness, wisdom, and truth.
I’m trying to map the many dimensions of change and concern that impact my life every day. I want to change and expand and bring into conscious awareness the multiple challenges confronting us, here and now, in space and time, stories for me as an individual, for humankind corporately and for the Anglican Christian community of which I am a member.
I had a dramatic introduction to AI recently. We are used to the idea that our fellow humans might intentionally mislead or manipulate us, but the idea that computer programmes can now do the same is deeply unsettling. Christianity’s operating systems and mechanisms, it’s theology, Biblical formulations and commentaries, teachings and practices, are in a seriously bad condition, unhealthy spiritually, morally and theologically. Human leaders, politicians, bishops, don't seem to have the maturity or ability to see and understand the dramatic changes that have taken place.
This is the third blog exploring the essence of Adrian Thatcher’s latest book, Ending Abusive Theologies. Adrian says the story he has outlined so far shows that It is possible and necessary to speak of God in a different way, as Love - love without qualification, exception or restraint. The first Christians made it possible by seeing the life of Jesus as the life of God among them and so interpreted it as both divine and as love.
How do we prioritise and pursue amendment of the Marriage Canon to includer same sex couples? I believe pressure has to be exerted on every bishop within their diocese by pursuing Together’s vision of creating a network in every diocese, effectively re-creating what Changing Attitude had achieved in the early 2000s.
It has become clear that the task for those of us campaigning for the full inclusion of LGBTQI people in the Church of England is to pursue amendment of the Marriage Canon and extend marriage in church to same-sex couples. It’s time we LGBTQI+ members of the Church of England and our tens of thousands of allies across every diocese held the bishops to account for their indifference to our presence in every diocese, to our integrity and spiritual gifts, to our fidelity to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and to our incredible patience and endurance as the toxic, abusive culture has been uncovered in recent decades.
How do we turn the practical reality of Church of England parishes, churches, clergy and laity already providing a national network of inclusive, affirming congregations celebrating full inclusion into a vote in General Synod to change the Canons and rules that prevent lesbian and gay couples (and clergy in particular marrying and being married in church? It has to be a campaign that focuses time, attention and energy on the bishops.
