Few evangelicals took any notice. Most were convinced that they were powerful enough to stop any change taking place. In those minds any change would need to be doctrinal or liturgical -- either of which would require the agreement of two-thirds of each of the three Houses in Synod.
Read moreMeanwhile, the bell is tolling.
Donald R Clarke
Tunbridge Wells, Kent
SIR -- The "dossier" reported on by Gabriella Swerling makes for shocking reading, with accounts of inadequate consultation and coercion of clergy and parishioners in Cornwall.
Read moreMy second story is a fantasy, though I'd like to think perhaps there is a parallel universe where all of this is a reality. It's late March 2020 and Justin, Archbishop of Canterbury, reads out a statement to the nation from his private chapel in Lambeth Palace. 'Today I speak to you of the grave concern about the precious liberties not only of the Church but of the common man and woman.
Read moreThe investigation team is aware of the courage it has taken for the many people it has spoken to, to come forward and share their experiences. Support has and will continue to be offered to those who have shown courage in coming forward. Survivors who contacted the team have been alerted to the outcome.
Read moreSecond, I lament a loss of coherence. It is indisputable that the vast, rambling and antiquated structure of the Church of England needed changing. But somehow, despite huge labours, the sought-after, smooth, digitised organisation run on best business practice has not materialised. From deep within the intricate machinery of governance we hear the noise of grinding gears and clashing cogs.
Read moreThe Church of England currently allows blessings for gay couples but only permits church weddings between a man and a woman.
A significant majority of the priests surveyed (62.6 percent) said the church should change its teaching on the immorality of premarital sex, with 21.6 percent accepting all fornication and 41 percent saying sex outside marriage is fine for people in "committed relationships."
Read more2. We strongly support all efforts to combat and eradicate child sexual abuse, including those
being taken through the IICSA process. The Church's record on this matter is a source of
significant shame and there can be no room for complacency in correcting that lamentable
state of affairs.
Of course it is not a problem for us to use an expression that is not itself found in the Bible. "The Trinity" is not a biblical phrase, for example, but it is a fully biblical doctrine. But when we think of "walking together", we would do well to attend first, however, to what the Bible actually says about "walking". And it says quite a lot. In the ESV, 341 verses use some form of the word "walk". Some translations obscure the walking language, speaking for example of a way of life.
Read more"The Archbishop went on to talk about unity and mission, as does every denominational leader who is trying to keep the sinking ship afloat with one hand while drilling a hole with the other. Gospel unity and Gospel mission are sublime, vital, life-giving and God-glorifying realities. But redefine sin and you've redefined the atonement and you've removed the message of God's mission.
Read moreA notice on the Church of England website explains that the outcomes of these conversations will "feed into discussions" at meetings of the College and House of Bishops in the autumn.
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