Unconditional love

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.

Bishop Martyn Strangelove to the rescue, or How I learnt to Stop Worrying and Love LLF

Bishop Martyn Strangelove to the rescue, or How I learnt to Stop Worrying and Love LLF

We have to find a way of pouring the energy of the groups campaigning for justice and equality for all in the progressive coalition and in the lives and energies of individual LGBTQIA+ people and our allies into the parishes and congregations, churches and cathedrals, where the Mystery of unconditional, infinite, intimate divine love manifest in the life and teaching of Jesus is celebrated despite the years of attrition.

Time to challenge toxic theology and poisoned prejudice in the Church

Time to challenge toxic theology and poisoned prejudice in the Church

We need to get this toxic theology out of the Church
The theology and behaviour of the Anglican Church is intolerable
Clinging to faith is increasingly problematic
The Church is making the faith less and less attractive with a theology that messes people up
Bad theology is in the bloodstream of the Church
Passionless sex is very problematic

CEEC plot to impose an abusive, prejudiced, discriminatory, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic culture on the Church of England

CEEC plot to impose an abusive, prejudiced, discriminatory, misogynistic, homophobic, transphobic culture on the Church of England

The Church is living through a period of great uncertainty as to whether the Jesus we worship and the God he reveals is a model for unhealthy, abusive teaching and practice or a creative, evolutionary model opening us to and drawing us into unconditional love.

"I have come that you may have life, life in all its fulness"

"I have come that you may have life, life in all its fulness"

Unless spiritually and mentally and conceptually we are drawn towards and become immersed in an open-minded, open-souled, open-hearted, unconditionally loving presence, the dream of God will not come to be. People will reject Christianity and walk away from the Church. They will find healing and truth wherever men and women recklessly, generously pour ointment on feet, where tears and love flow and the broken hearted are healed.

Harry Williams – Life Abundant or Life Resisting?

Harry Williams – Life Abundant or Life Resisting?

In the sermon Life Abundant or Life Resisting? published in The True Wilderness Harry Williams asks whether our Christianity makes for a better and happier world or does not. He believed that quite often it does not - that Christianity in many of its forms is not a good but an evil thing. I think the theology of Living in Love and Faith draws on an unhealthy conception of God. The Christian story, it says, “is about our rebellion, disobedience and refusal to depend on one another and on God – a disorder which has infected the whole of creation. This results in a form of Christian teaching that makes the Church of England an unhappy place for me, a gay man.

Collegiality and Tutufication

Collegiality and Tutufication

Canon Mark Oakley has coined a new word, saying “we need a brave Tutufication of the Church, allowing bishops more creativity, freedom of speech and honesty about what they believe, with a commitment to never let religion compromise justice.” I believe the entirety of the Church of England needs a far more radical ‘Tutufication’. For a start, the Church needs bishops who with the courage and independence of mind to individually Tutuficate themselves. Today’s House of Bishops is composed of men and women with none of the Christian conviction, courage, radicalism, independence of mind, freedom of heart and soul, playfulness and energy that fuelled Desmond Tutu and transformed people open enough to respond to his proclamation of God’s unconditional love, energy, truth and justice.

Christian wisdom for the Covid-19 epidemic

Christian wisdom for the Covid-19 epidemic

God the Mystery of Unconditional Love pervades all human life and experience. We are infused with the divine, immersed in the divine presence, the love, energy, passion, compassion, and intuitive, innate wisdom that is the invisible, mystical essence of creation in evolution. A model Christian response to the Covid-19 crisis would endeavour to nurture our inner resources inspiring us open to the flow of divine energy within and between people, nourishing our capacity to love unconditionally, openly, compassionately and creatively, filled with real presence.

The 40th anniversary of a feral priest’s priesting

The 40th anniversary of a feral priest’s priesting

Forty years ago today I was ordained a priest by Bishop Mervyn Stockwood in Southwark cathedral. I have never marked the anniversary of my priesting before. This year I’ve become acutely aware that I am unable to mark the anniversary in the traditional way. What does it mean for me to be a priest now - a priest unable to preach, lead worship or preside at communion?

True and untrue images of God in the church

True and untrue images of God in the church

Prayer is a two-way process. We are making something of the Mystery of God in our prayer and prayer is making something of the Mystery of God in us. At least, this is what can happen when it is ‘true’ prayer, remembering Ken Leech’s phrase, prayer that is truly open and radical, taking risks, allowing the Mystery we call God to impact us, our preconceptions and prejudices, our emotions and energies.