Two prominent evangelical churches withhold funds to London diocese over same-sex blessings
By David W. Virtue, DD
A London Parochial Church Council has halted its contribution to the Common Fund in protest over the House of Bishops’ response to Living in Love and Faith. The Common Fund is money given by congregations in every parish in the Diocese of London to provide and support clergy.
Members of the PCC’s standing committee at St Helen’s Bishopsgate wrote to the Bishop of London, the Rt. Rev. Sarah Mullally, on behalf of themselves and their congregations expressing ‘grave disappointment and concern’ at the House of Bishops’ response to Living in Love and Faith.
“We regard both the House of Bishops’ Report and the Draft Worship Resources as unbiblical, contrary to the doctrine and teaching of the Church of England, and therefore entirely inappropriate,” they wrote, highlighting particular concern for the “pastoral damage from the House of Bishops decisions” to those in same-sex relationships.
In its letter, the PCC said it was “deeply disturbing” that “as the diocesan bishop. . . you expect that same-sex, sexual relationships will be blessed by clergy in the Church of England.” They added that “such steps will inevitably further affect our already broken partnership.”
At All Souls’ Langham Place, a flagship evangelical parish associated with the late John R.W. Stott, the directors there plan to suspend payments to the Diocese of London over the Church of England’s proposals to bless same-sex couples.
The PCC of the church expressed “concern and sadness” over the proposals in a letter to the Bishop of London.
The central London church said in a letter, that the proposals “abandon confidence in the goodness and authority of God’s Word” and “move the Church of England away from her historic formularies, which are foundational to our life together in London, England and as part of the global Anglican Communion”.
The prayers of blessing were proposed by the bishops in response to the Living in Love and Faith process, and are being debated at the Church of England General Synod in London today.
In her presentation to Synod on Monday, Bishop Mullally, claimed that the proposals offer a pastoral response to same-sex couples “without changing the Church’s doctrine of holy matrimony”.
In their letter, the PCC said that the proposals “undermine the Biblical call to discipleship” and “devalue the difficult road” that many Anglicans have gone down by abstaining from sex outside of marriage.
They go on to state that the prayers as currently drafted leave the church in “a very difficult position with regard to episcopal oversight”.
“As drafted, the prayers of Love and Faith now teach every sexually active unmarried couple that repentance is not needed.”
“If believed, this denies people the joy of stepping away from those things God has called sinful and into new life with him. We cannot participate in such a departure from biblical Christianity.”
ACROSS the globe, disappointment and outrage can be heard as provinces blast Justin Welby and his House of Bishops for acquiescing to a small group of homosexuals and lesbians who demand that their behavior be accepted. There is serious talk in some quarters that this is a bridge too far and schism is now on the table.
It was one thing for the Episcopal Church to ordain a known practicing homosexual; for the Mother Church to go ahead and allow blessings for people living in sexual sin, is quite another matter.
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