Welby seeks to forestall a conservative backlash after same-sex marriage approved in Scotland

Jun 20, 2017 by

by Hattie Williams, Church Times:

THE Archbishop of Canterbury has warned Primates and Moderators not to interfere across Provinces over the issue of sexuality, after the decision of the Scottish Episcopal Church (SEC) to approve same-sex marriage sparked a backlash from conservative Evangelicals in the Anglican Communion.

The Archbishop and Primate of the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA), Dr Foley Beach, announced the appointment of Canon Andy Lines, in Edinburgh, on Thursday, on behalf of GAFCON, immediately after the General Synod voted by a two-thirds majority in favour of revising Canon 31 to allow clerics to marry same-sex couples in church (News, 8 June).

“I do not consider the appointment of a ‘missionary bishop’ to be necessary,” Archbishop Welby wrote to the Primates. “The idea of a ‘missionary bishop’ who was not a Church of England appointment would be a cross-border intervention, and, in the absence of a royal mandate, would carry no weight in the Church of England.”

But Canon Lines said on Tuesday: “Although GAFCON and the Global South have recognised that the ACNA is fully part of the Communion, the other Instruments do not recognise this. That means that this would not be border crossing, as I do not intend to operate episcopally, except with permission, within the structures of the Church of England and Scottish Episcopal Church. . .

“What is important here is that where a denomination departs from the Christian faith as revealed in the scriptures, intervention is actually required.” His appointment had been “sad”, but “critical” to serve opposing members of the Scottish Episcopal Church, he said.

Archbishop Welby reminded Primates that the Church of England had made no changes to its liturgy regarding human sexuality, and that its take-note report had been rejected by the General Synod in February.

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