Can Hereford change the church on sexuality?
By Ian Paul, Psephizo.
[…] Last week’s motion passed by Hereford Diocesan Synod was a classic example of salami tactics. The motion read as follows:
That this Synod request the House of Bishops to commend an Order of Prayer and Dedication after the registration of a civil partnership or a same sex marriage for use by ministers in exercise of their discretion under Canon B4, being a form of service neither contrary to, nor indicative of any departure from, the doctrine of the Church of England in any essential matter, together with guidance that no parish should be obliged to host, nor minister conduct, such a service.
Richard Frith, the bishop of Hereford speaking on Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday, claimed that all they were asking for was ‘clarification’ about what is permissible. But it is difficult not to see this as disingenuous, given that he must be very well aware of the extremely clear and detailed statement on what is permissible that was issued in February 2014, in (belated) response to the 2013 Equal Marriage act:
The 2005 pastoral statement said that it would not be right to produce an authorized public liturgy in connection with the registering of civil partnerships and that clergy should not provide services of blessing for those who registered civil partnerships…
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