by Ian Paul, Psephizo
Christopher Landau was a liberal on sexuality—until he visited a gay bar in Chicago and talked to the people there about what their life was actually like. This made him go back to Scripture and theology, and understand why the historic Christian understanding of marriage was actually the only path to flourishing.
He believes that, in the conflict in the Church of England, the only way forward is for us to take serious Paul’s language in Romans 2 that ‘it is the kindness of God which leads you to repentance’. We must focus on kindness, not antagonism, but we also need to be clear where that kindness is going to lead people.
His Grove booklet includes a practical audit for the local church on whether they are expressing such a ‘compassionate orthodoxy’—but he also has interesting and surprising things to say about the current debate in the C of E.