A former vice-chair of the Conservative party has compared some conservative Christians to the militant jihadist group ISIS in an article calling on the Church of England to 'fully embrace the 21<sup>st century'.
Michael Fabricant, MP for Lichfield, told the Church 'to take a tough line on its less progressive elements' as he suggested it is time for the worldwide Anglican Communion to split.
'Simply opting for more of the same for the sake of unity amongst a diverse Communion – some of whose views differ little from ISIL – is a choice of quantity over quality,' he wrote in the Telegraph.
'Perhaps the Church should take a tough line on its less progressive elements: get with the times or get out. The longer the Anglican Communion shies away from modern liberal values, the greater the chance that its British, American and Commonwealth Churches will become mere shells of their former selves.'
The Tory MP admitted he is an 'agnostic' but added 'there is much to admire about the Church of England' and said he wants it to thrive.
'Embracing liberal Christianity may actually halt the fall in the Church of England's congregation numbers as well,' he wrote.
'Religiosity may be declining in the UK but it does not have to be this way. Perhaps if the Church's teachings were more in-step with the population at large that would in turn lead to more churchgoers.'
He added: 'Surely the most important thing is that the core teachings of Jesus, based around love and charity, are heard by all? If some in the Communion want to break away and follow a more conservative version of Christianity so be it, but let the Church of England and the Anglican Communion fully embrace the 21st century.'
But at the same time the Church faces diametrically opposing calls over its next steps from the conservative Anglican grouping GAFCON UK.
After a report the CofE's ruling body threw out keeping a conservative line on sexuality, GAFCON responded by suggesting a 'better way' for a Church that 'now finds itself in disarray'.
In a statement after the biannual general synod, the fringe body with links to a number of the more conservative Anglican provinces in the global south, laid out seven principles for 'a better church future'.
Claiming the traditional Anglican Communion had failed, they called 'orthodox Anglicans' to unite around GAFCON's own statement of faith as an alternative and rival body of churches.
They called for firm boundaries excluding those who reject church teaching even it is 'costly'.
