A response from Rev Canon John Dunnett, National Director of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), to the letter by 11 Church of England bishops dissenting from the House of Bishop's announcement on Monday commending Prayers of Love and Faith for same-sex couples and a process towards their authorisation under canon law:
I am very grateful to these bishops for critiquing the process by which the House of Bishops is pursuing their agenda for change.
It is not very often that bishops from the House of Bishops express their dis-ease at something being proposed by the rest of the House. The statement is significant because of what it says.
First, they name the deep disagreement that exists within the House of Bishops. To publicly acknowledge that is significant, given the seismic changes the House of Bishops is pursuing.
Second, they raise a question about the legitimacy of these proposals and the possibility that they are indicative of a departure from Church of England doctrine.
A specific point they make is that the legal and theological advice that the House of Bishops has received may not support the employment of these prayers.
In other words, they could be indicative of a departure from the doctrine in the Church of England. That's a massively significant concern.
Third, they talk about the bishops needing to have 'due regard to the obligations of good and proper governance'. In other words, this letter is saying that how the House of Bishops makes decisions matters as well as the decisions made.
One of the things we've been talking about for several years in the Church of England is the need to 'pay attention to power'.
There must be proper and fit use of power, not misuse and abuse of power. I wonder if there's a hint here that good process in respect of the use of power has not always been at the top of the agenda.
I share with the signatories the deep desire that we remain true to the gospel as entrusted to us.
