College of Bishops

Life in all its fullness

Life in all its fullness

Changing Attitude England works in the context of an always evolving faith in God, ‘True God’ and in the essence of Jesus’ life and teaching. we will continue to pursue its vision of a God of unconditional, infinite, intimate love and of Jesus who says “I have come that you may have life, life in all its fullness” (John 10.10); of  the Archbishops’ commitment to “a radical new Christian inclusion”. The Church of England’s focus must be turned towards nurturing the essence of God’s unconditional, cosmic love in the hearts, bodies, minds and souls of all human beings. This is Jesus’ message, the truth of creation revealed in the Gospels, embodying a God of compassion, empathy, and unconditional Christian, universal love.

Are we heading for decisive Anglican indecision?

Are we heading for decisive Anglican indecision?

Can the hierarchy of the Church of England take us deep into the black hole, with courage deep enough to lead us into the unimaginable white hole through and beyond into an experience and reality named resurrection? I wish Synod would bring coherence and finality to a process that began with a profound vision, a radical new Christian inclusion, and with a trust that bringing people together would gradually transform and melt differences in the context of Christian love and prayer.

Mired in Love and Faith

Mired in Love and Faith

If the Church of England is unable to recognise God as manifested in the life of Jesus to be the presence of unconditional, infinite, intimate love in creation and evolution, a presence that all human beings are able to experience through the presence woven into creation of what Christianity identifies as the Holy Spirit, then the Church needs to reflect on what, from the Biblical witness to the life and teaching of Jesus in a twenty-first century understanding of reality, God might look like and where the Church has got God wrong.

The General Synod and effective Church Governance

The General Synod and effective Church Governance

The General Synod of the Church of England meets from 7th July for five days in York. There are a number of significant items on the agenda relating to issues affecting the well-being of our planet and members human race: climate change, Living in Love and Faith, safeguarding, and Church governance. Well, perhaps that last item isn’t of global or even personal significance, but it got me wondering: Who is responsible for the spiritual health of the Church of England and how does an institution with such an incredibly complicated structure better focus on what you and I might take to be the primary essence of being  Christian.

The essence of the Christian message - the primacy of God’s unconditional, infinite, intimate love

The essence of the Christian message - the primacy of God’s unconditional, infinite, intimate love

The place of LGBTQIA+ people in the Church is still unresolved. We are certainly not being granted equality in relationships or ministry. We are being denied equality in marriage. Homophobia and transphobia (and misogyny) continue to be protected as legitimate ‘Biblical’ expressions of ‘orthodox’ Christian teaching and truth. I believe we have arrived at a moment when the essence of Christian teaching has to be reframed to emphasise the primacy of God’s unconditional, infinite, intimate love the Gospels reveal in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, rooted in his core message, his teaching, actions and wisdom.

LLF, safeguarding, abuse and Radical New Christian Inclusion – where did that go?

LLF, safeguarding, abuse and Radical New Christian Inclusion – where did that go?

I anticipate that the work undertaken by the College and House of Bishops, integral to the Living in Love and Faith process and to the outcome at General Synod in February 2023, will be judged “incompetent, ineffective and unfit for purpose. This will be a tragic end to what has in many ways been an effective exercise. I hope I will be proved wrong, too pessimistic, but  Church that is unable to ensure that its safeguarding practice is so inadequate is unlikely to produce proposals that are adequate to the most basic of LGBTQIA+ expectations.

Living in Love and Faith - pure chance, serendipity, or the work of God’s Spirit?

Living in Love and Faith - pure chance, serendipity, or the work of God’s Spirit?

In the course of the Living in Love and Faith process Changing Attitude England has repeatedly told bishops that we want no more conversations about us without us. On Friday we were present with bishops, we spoke, we were heard, we have been included in the conversation. Three years ago we would never have anticipated that last Friday’s meetings would have taken place. The process won’t be finished by the February meeting of General Synod. We can hope at least for a confirmed direction of travel after Synod, knowing that proposals will take time to implement. We hope and pray that the College of Bishops and General Synod have the confidence to come to a strong common mind leading to the full inclusion of LGBTQIA+ people in the Church of England characterised by a radical new Christian inclusion that is both possible and essential.

Living in Love and Faith in crisis: the latest manifestation of abuse in the Church

Living in Love and Faith in crisis: the latest manifestation of abuse in the Church

Changing Attitude England believes a moment of crisis has been reached in the sixty year period in which the Church of England has been addressing homosexuality, lesbian and gay sexuality, trans issues and LGBTIQ+ issues. The Church is confronted with a moment when it is either able to engage fully with the presence of LGBTIQ+ people and create a healthy environment in which we are treated as adults and equals or it is unable to do so and continues to abuse us.

Bishops’ Reflection Group on Sexuality – what can we do?

Bishops’ Reflection Group on Sexuality – what can we do?

We LGBTI people have to live into the transformative freedom which comes from being immersed in God’s infinite, unconditional, intimate love. We are not going to transform ourselves or the church unless we embody this divine reality. The tyrannical, abusive God who many still worship has to be condemned to history as the source of prejudiced, toxic opinions and practice. Until we release ourselves from the tyranny of magical thinking, fundamentalism, co-dependence on abusive authority, we are not going to find the freedom, confidence and vision that will release energies to transform the place of LGBTI people in the Church of England and the parts of the Anglican Communion where tyranny reigns.

Jesus: The Unanswered Questions – Bishop David Jenkins’ Foreword

Jesus: The Unanswered Questions – Bishop David Jenkins’ Foreword

This morning, I began to re-read Jesus: The Unanswered Questions by John Bowden, published by SCM Press in 1988. The Preface by David Jenkins, then Bishop of Durham, were immediately prophetic. David Jenkins writes that John Bowden “has a passionate faith in God which is concerned with Jesus, truth, freedom and the possibilities of the future. The whole book is an expression of pilgrimage, a pilgrimage which is clearly embarked on in faith and to be pursued in hope.” David Jenkins concludes with this appeal, a mantra that the bishops of the Church of England would do well to have at the forefront of their minds as they meet next week: “So the future of a true Christian faith must lie with an exploration that persuades, a love that serves and a vision that combines an ever expanding realism with unquenchable hope.”