Orthodox Anglicans challenge bishop on homosexuality views

An orthodox Anglican group has voiced concern after the Bishop of Liverpool called upon the Church of England and the Anglican Communion to allow a variety of ethical views on homosexuality.

In a controversial address to the Liverpool Diocesan Synod, the Rt Rev James Jones expressed his support for a “range of ethical convictions” on the issue of homosexuality.

He told Synod: “Just as Christian pacifists and Christian soldiers profoundly disagree with one another yet in their disagreement continue to drink from the same cup because they share in the one body so too I believe the day is coming when Christians who equally profoundly disagree about the consonancy of same gender love with the discipleship of Christ will in spite of their disagreement drink openly from the same cup of salvation.

“This is I believe the next chapter to be written in the Church of England and the Anglican Communion.”

The bishop went on to speak of the Diocese of Liverpool’s partnership with the traditionalist Diocese of Akure in Nigeria and a separate partnership with the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia in the US, which saw the formal departure of a number of orthodox parishes over The Episcopal Church’s liberal shift.

He stated that it was “consistent theologically and ethically” to allow diversity of moral conviction on homosexuality within the Church of England.

In a statement, Anglican Mainstream said many orthodox Anglicans would be concerned by the scope of the bishop’s address and its implications beyond Liverpool Diocese.

“Bishop Jones is setting out a challenge to the wider Anglican Communion, especially those parts where there is growing impatience with ‘high profile’ English Bishops muddying the waters over the issue of homosexuality,” the group said.

“Anglican Mainstream, whilst acknowledging that Bishop Jones reflects a way of thinking which is gaining ground amongst some English evangelicals, considers it deeply flawed in terms of both teaching and practice.

“In terms of practice, such teaching fails to recognise that the deep logic of the gay/lesbian movement is the abolition of the Judaeo-Christian understanding of human identity, towards which acceptance of gay ‘marriage’ is a key step.”

The statement was issued by members of the group’s leadership, including convenor Dr Philip Giddings, Bishop of Lewes the Rt Rev Wallace Benn, the Rev David Banting, the Rev Paul Perkin, and Canon Dr Chris Sugden.

They warned against the temptation to pose the question as a pastoral problem, saying the endorsement of homosexuality equated to “false teaching”.

They said: “False teaching is not to be colluded with, but to be challenged - and overcome by patient and thorough exposition of biblical truth.”