CTE block appointment of fourth president because the nominee is in a same-sex marriage

Nov 23, 2019 by Jill

by Hattie Williams, Church Times:

‘Empty-chair’ to replace Quaker candidate Hannah Brock Womack.

THE appointment of a new President of Churches Together in England (CTE) has been blocked because the nominee is in a same-sex marriage.

There are six Presidents of CTE, the Churches’ ecumenical instrument. They include the Archbishop of Canterbury and the RC Archbishop of Westminster, Cardinal Vincent Nichols. The fourth presidency became vacant in October 2018, when Billy Kennedy finished his four-year term.

In May, Hannah Brock Womack, an active Quaker, was formally appointed to the position by the fourth presidency group: Quakers in Britain; the Lutheran Council of Great Britain; the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England; German-Speaking Lutheran, Reformed, and United Congregations in Great Britain; and the Church of Scotland.

On learning that Ms Womack had recently been married to a woman, however, a majority of the member Churches of CTE, through its enabling group, voted in September to request that the fourth presidency group “refrain from enacting its Presidency, leaving the Fourth Presidency as an ‘empty chair’ for the current term of office”.

The CTE was due to publish its decision in a statement today: “Over recent months CTE has been engaging with the reality of living with diversity, acknowledging that although so much unites us as Churches, we remain in disagreement over certain issues.

“Prompted by Hannah’s recent equal marriage, an ongoing process of discussion, listening and prayer has begun, recognising that churches hold different views regarding human sexuality, and that for many this is a very emotive and painful subject.”

Ms Brock Womack said on Wednesday that she was “very disappointed” but not surprised by the decision. “I have a sense of sadness and frustration, but not shock. I was brought up in a mainstream Church, I understand the issues surrounding human sexuality, but I am very disappointed, and I hope we continue to talk to each other about this. We are not going anywhere. It is a strange place to be in.”

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