Most bishops will be aware that same-sex couples are already sometimes offered services of blessing by parish clergy in their local church, although these are not yet authorised. We believe that God’s blessing on same-sex civil marriages and civil partnerships is always bestowed on our loving relationships. In failing to approve equal marriage in the Church of England the Bishops continue to deny that God blesses the loving, faithful relationships of all LGBTQIA+ people.
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.
Faith as held by those identifying with religious institutions is clearly in decline, but the majority still identify with “faith”, though the content of their faith may vary significantly from what has hitherto been accepted as ‘orthodox’. It is, I think, what people believe in or do not believe in that is changing. I sense the majority of members of the Church of England no longer have a deeply internalised sense of the unconditionally present, loving, physical, dynamic energy of the divine, intimately present “Other”, what is identified as the Spirit of God and the integration of the human and the divine in Jesus in Trinitarian theology.
For several decades, energy and activity in the Church of England has been increasingly dominated by attempts to protect or advance or resolve disparate visions of the church, God and Jesus in a culture inhabited by various tribal groups. One half of the human race, women, have achieved a degree of emancipation and equality in the Church of England, but full equality is still some way off. Equality for LGBTQIA+ people remains a dream that isn’t going to be fulfilled in February. How long will it take for us to be fully heard, valued, welcomed and included? It will never be achieved, is the answer from some organisations and leaders.
How do I, do we, do you, do other people, think about God (and Jesus)? I know I think differently about God from other people. We all have our own conceptual version of God. Churches, bishops, theologians, mystics, men, women, gay activists, homophobes, misogynists, etc., each have their own version of ‘God’. Some claim their version to be the unique, unquestionable, authorised, ‘true God’’. ‘He’ isn’t. It’s their version of a truth. We think we ‘know’ God, but we don’t. We know God in the same way we know ourselves and other people – partially, incompletely, and elusively.
I could never be a member of a group or congregation where people were expected to believe what the leaders taught, beliefs to be accepted without question. When I was in parish ministry, if people chose to come to church with their own particular set of beliefs, or with very fluid ideas about God and Jesus and faith, or with no particular belief at all, that was fine – typically Anglican.
Andrew Goddard claims in a recent Psephizo blog that revisionists are responsible for the decision of a number of Global South Provinces and bishops to stay away from the 2022 Lambeth Conference. The Lambeth Conference resolutions passed in 1978 and 1988 and the Global South conference held in Kuala Lumpur in 1997 show that the Global South movement itself is entirely responsible, organising a homophobic and transphobic movement to sabotage any progressive developments. Archbishop Justin worked to restore to Lambeth 2022 the Gospel vision of love, wisdom, justice and truth proclaimed by Jesus. I pray for the College and House of Bishops and for the members of General Synod, responsible for translating the deepest Christian faith in God’s infinite, intimate, unconditional love into the life and faith of the Church of England, making present radical new Christian inclusion for LGBTQIA+ people.
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.
On Friday 30 September two meetings are being held at Lambeth Palace. A number of groups have been invited to send two representatives to meet with two bishops (members of the LLF Next Steps Group) and Eeva John. The Living in Love and Faith office has chosen not to publicise the meetings though they are not secret. In the morning, from 11.00 to 13,00, representatives of the General Synod Gender and Sexuality Group, Inclusive Church, OneBodyOneFaith, MOSAIC and Diverse Church will meet Bishops Jonathan Baker (Fulham) and Bev Mason (Warrington) and Eeva John. In the afternoon from 14.30 to 16.30, representatives from Changing Attitude England, Equal and the Ozanne Foundation will meet with Bishop Helen-Ann Hartley (Ripon), Bishop Sarah Mullally (London), also with Eeva John.
Being is the eternal, ever-present One Life beyond the myriad forms of life that are subject to birth and death. However, Being is not only beyond but also deep within every form as its innermost invisible and indestructible essence. It is accessible to you now as your own deepest self, your true nature. In general, the Christian church doesn’t teach this because its adherents and practitioners don’t know this.
