Senior Anglicans launch bid to find 'middle way' over homosexuality

Senior Anglican figures have launched a new bid to unite the Church of England over divisive issues such as gay marriage.

LGBT activist Jayne Ozanne, formerly of Accepting Evangelicals, edits the blog

ViaMedia.News is a blog edited by LGBT activist Jayne Ozanne and will publish weekly articles from senior Church figures in an "attempt to bridge the divides that separates many in the Church".

"ViaMedia.News aims to bring the historic Anglican perspective of the 'Via Media' [the Middle Way] to debates that are current in the Church of England" a statement officially launching the website read.

The statement said writers would avoid "divisive positions" and will "bring a unique perspective to areas of controversy".

Ozanne told Christian Today the site is "an important new initiative in the life of the Church of England as it looks to provide insightful weekly articles that bridge divides on issues that are affecting our world, our nation and our Church".

"All too often we sadly only hear from those at the polarized ends of debates," she said. "This new weekly blog will seek to give a clear voice for those in the middle ground."

Launching the site David Walker, Bishop of Manchester, wrote on "rediscovering 'good disagreement'".

The Church of England is currently undergoing "shared conversations" on the topic of homosexuality and the role of LGBT Christians within the Church.

In his opening post, Walker said the term is useful "to identify that there can be a meaningful (perhaps even transformative) outcome to a conflict that does not involve either one side winning or the achievement of a largely agreed compromise".

"Good disagreement, whatever the topic, is in its essence relational" wrote Walker.

"It represents the conclusion of a process in which the other has been met as a fellow human being and Christian, even if we might still think that they hold views incompatible with both our sense of the canon of scripture and the trajectory of God's Kingdom."

The bishop praised Archbishop Justin Welby's efforts at relationship building ahead of the Anglican Primates conference in January. He said this was a key to allowing the Primates to "make an explicit commitment to continue in fellowship".

The blog already features posts from Ozanne and Dr David Ison, Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, who earlier this year signed a letter to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York calling for repentence for its treatment of LGBTI Christians as "second-class citizens".

Other regular contributors will be Dr Angus Ritchie from the Centre for Theology and Community and Simon Butler of St Mary's, Battersea.