SHARP divisions over sexuality mean that as many as 20 per cent
of the Church of England may become disaffected, it emerged last
week.
As the Church prepares to begin its "shared conversations", a
formal process aimed at reconciling Anglicans with differing views
on sexuality, it is being acknowledged that the fundamental nature
of the division, rooted in different understandings of scripture,
identity, and obedience, is likely to prove too much for those at
both ends of the spectrum to agree to differ.
The difficulty appears to have been acknowledged by David
Porter, the Archbishop of Canterbury's director for reconciliation,
according to a Changing Attitude blog published last week.
The blog on the liberal site was later taken down, but its
contents have been re-posted by Anglican Mainstream, at the
conservative Evangelical end of the spectrum.
The Church Times has seen the booklet prepared for the
conversations. It says that separation is "far from a foregone
conclusion". It acknowledges that Anglicanism has a history of
"tolerance and capaciousness" and mentions the possibility that "we
find ways to articulate a shared vocation so that the deeply held
differences about sexuality become less important than the desire
to work together for the sake of witness".
On the other hand, it also mentions that there have been, in
history, "unsustainable" tensions, such as those that led to the
departure of those who formed the Methodist Church. It suggests
that it is possible for people to leave to join another Church
"with the affirmation and love of those they leave behind".
The question, it suggests, is "whether the current differences
around human sexuality are of the kind which can be accepted as
legitimate within the Church, or whether it is impossible for some
to remain in the same Church as others whose views are so different
as to imply, as they see it, a radically different faith".
The Church's leadership has spoken publicly, and frankly, about
the extent of the division over sexuality. In November, the
Archbishop of Canterbury said that, within the Communion, "our
divisions may be too much to manage." He has acknowledged that, to
some, the Church's position on sexuality was "akin to racism",
while others feared that, were it to change, it would be guilty of
"apostasy".
It is widely acknowledged that there exists a great deal of
anxiety at both ends of a polarised debate. Conservative
Evangelicals fear being branded as bigoted if they honestly share
their theological convictions about same-sex relationships.
In October last year, the conservative group Reform called on
its members not to participate in the conversation. It warned that
the process was "deeply flawed" and that they would be asked to
"accept a redefinition of what will and will not lead to salvation
- as though there could be two gospels, equally valid".
Changing Attitude is supportive of the conversations, but has
expressed several concerns about the process, and is warning those
who participate that they do so at their own risk.
"Those who are ordained, especially those who are in a
relationship or a civil partnership or married, need to think very,
very carefully before they take part, and certainly before they
reveal anything about their personal life," the director of
Changing Attitude, the Revd Colin Coward, said on Tuesday.
"They risk finding themselves in a conversation with a
conservative bishop who might choose to take action against them,
or in the presence of lay and ordained people who might choose to
take action under the CDM [Clergy Discipline Measure]. Nothing can
be done to protect people in those circumstances."
Efforts are being made to quell some of these concerns. All
participants will be expected to observe the St Michael's House
protocol, created at Coventry Cathedral, where Mr Porter,
overseeing the conversations, is director of reconciliation.
A key principle is that information shared in the conversations
should not be used to the disadvantage of a participant outside of
the conversations. This would act, effectively, as an amnesty. It
is understood that the Bishops have signed up to this protocol. The
conversations will be run by professional, external faciliators
with experience in conducting conversations at the highest levels
of government.
Shared conversations took part in the College of Bishops in
September, exposing some of the challenges involved: it is
understood that some of those present did not engage fully in the
exercises. The two days allowed proved inadequate, and the regional
conversations will now take place over three days, with two
overnight stays.
Division among the Bishops is nothing new. It is now being
reported that 22 abstained from the vote on the pastoral statement
on same-sex marriage last February.
Who is taking part?
Each of the 13 regional conversations will involve 50 people,
chosen by the bishops of the three dioceses represented. Each must
include equal numbers of clergy and laity; equal numbers of men and
women; 25 per cent under 40 years; and at least two
"representatives of LGBTI views" from each diocese. No list of
participants will be published, but they will be encouraged to
"cascade" information. Where they wish to do so, this can be
through talking to the press. They must do so, however, within the
bounds of the Protocol, which precludes attribution. There will be
a public fringe event at the General Synod next month, on 12
February.