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From Anglican News-
My vicar took a risk last night. He decided that, following our monthly church meal (yesterday was fish and chips), the topic for discussion should be same sex marriage.
In the light of the Pilling Report and the British Government’s decision to legalise gay marriage, he wanted to ensure church members clearly understood the Church of England’s position on the issue. He also wanted to use the church’s monthly gathering over dinner as a safe space where members could share their thoughts, hopes and concerns about the subject.
Church members were first presented with certain facts: by March same sex marriages will be legal in the UK; the Church of England is prohibited by law from conducting same sex weddings or blessings; current Anglican teaching/theology worldwide defines marriage as exclusively between a man and a woman; the Anglican Communion has repeatedly condemned the victimisation of, or violence against, members of the gay community.
More here-
http://www.anglicannews.org/comment/2014/02/fish-and-chips-and-sex-at-church.aspx
From Ekklesia-
As the Church of England discusses the Pilling report on sexuality, it has come under pressure from certain other Anglican leaders, who claim that accepting the proposals would show a lack of commitment to biblical teaching and global Anglicanism. But the rationale for these claims is flawed.
Though the report has various weaknesses, it rightly recognises that there are diverse views in the church on same-sex partnerships and these differences should be handled constructively.
“We believe the Bible is the authoritative Word of God and trustworthy to tell us the Truth. Unfortunately, some in the Anglican Communion members no longer believe the Bible is the infallible Word of God,” wrote Archbishop Stanley Ntagali of the Church of Uganda, one of the leaders of the Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), after the report was published.
“We are very concerned that our mother Church of England is moving in a very dangerous direction. They are following the path the Americans in the Episcopal Church took that caused us to break communion with them ten years ago,” he warned. “The Church of England is now recommending that same-sex relationships be blessed in the church... We will resist them and, with our other GAFCON brothers and sisters, will stand with those in the Church of England who continue to uphold the Bible as the Word of God and promote Biblical faith and morality.”
However theologians and churchgoers in general do not agree on whether the Bible rules out committed and faithful same-sex relationships. Indeed some believe that to obey Ntagali would be to go against biblical teaching and betray Christ.
More here-
http://www.ekklesia.co.uk/node/20129
From The Church Times-
THE College of Bishops has accepted the recommendations of the Pilling report, but has warned that the Church of England may never agree on the issue of sexuality.
In a statement released on Monday after a day of discussing the report, the College of Bishops said that a series of "facilitated conversations" on homosexuality needed to take place within the Anglican Communion.
"This should continue to involve profound reflection on the interpretation and application of Scripture. These conversations should set the discussion of sexuality within the wider context of human flourishing," it said.
More here-
http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2014/31-january/news/uk/pilling-report-bishops-accept-recommendations
From ACNS-
The College of Bishops met on 27th January, 2014 to begin a process of reflection on the issues raised by the Pilling Report (GS 1929). The College expressed appreciation to Sir Joseph Pilling and to all members of the working party for the work they have done on behalf of the Church.
We are united in welcoming and affirming the presence and ministry within the Church of gay and lesbian people, both lay and ordained. We are united in acknowledging the need for the Church to repent for the homophobic attitudes it has sometimes failed to rebuke and affirming the need to stand firmly against homophobia wherever and whenever it is to be found.
We are united in seeking to be faithful to the Scriptures and the tradition of the Church and in seeking to make a loving, compassionate and respectful response to gay men and women within Church and society.
We recognise the very significant change in social attitudes to sexuality in the United Kingdom in recent years.
More here-
http://www.anglicannews.org/news/2014/01/statement-from-englands-college-of-bishops.aspx
