Key Speeches from the Church of England debate on same-sex blessings

The other cheek has transcribed some key speeches from the Church of England synod (church parliament)t debate on same sex blessings. We’ll Add a part two shortly. the Synod passed a motion supporting the prayers for same-sex and other couples the bishops have proposed. the motion is here. Highlights of the prayers, and why they resemble;e marriage iare here.

Vaughan Roberts 

A high-profile evangelical Christian leader in the UK. He is rector of St Ebbe’s Church, Oxford and president of the Proclamation Trust. Roberts spoke at the start of the debate on the bishop’s motion.

Thank you Chair Vaughn Roberts, Oxford 191.

I’m grateful to the bishops and especially to Bishop Sarah for their hard and sacrificial work. They’ve sought to find a way for us to move forward, and there are elements of this motion I gladly support. 

I very much share the longing that lies behind it, that we should find a way in which we can stay together. But I cannot support this motion as a whole because I believe the approach it offers will not keep us united but will only drive us further apart. 

There is much we agree on: the vital importance of welcoming all, the recognition that there are many positive qualities displayed in same-sex partnerships, the challenge we all have of upholding Christian convictions differing as they may be, and applying them pastorally within the sexual maelstrom of our contemporary world. 

The fundamental issue that divides us is about sex. Until now, our doctrine has been clear. The place for sex in God’s design is within the marriage of a man and a woman leeway has been given about how that teaching has been applied pastorally, but the doctrine has been clear. 

But now for the first time, if these proposals proceed, we will be allowing clergy to bless sexual relationships outside of marriage between a man and a woman. And that will mean a defacto change in our doctrine, and we will be effectively naming as holy what we, along with the universal church down the ages, instilled the predominant view throughout the world, have always before now called sin. 

Let us be in no doubt whatsoever that that is a very, very serious step to take. And as we vote, we do so not just before a watching world or parliament across the road but before Almighty God. These blessings that we are invited to endorse will be given in his name. 

Can we honestly say that the biblical case has been made for such a momentous decision or, indeed, the ecumenical case? And before making that decision, let us think very, very carefully about the implications. This is no modest step.

As one bishop put it to me. As we seek to encourage some of our brothers and sisters, we will

massively discourage many others including same-sex attracted Christians like myself who believe it is right to live within the teaching that we’ve always heard, that sex is for the marriage of a man and a woman. 

And the message will be to many, not just same-sex attracted Christians, you need didn’t have bothered at a time when the hostility to the historic teaching of the church is increasing. 

Those who continue to uphold it will lose, as one friend put it, lose their cover, and many will lose their jobs. It’s hard to believe that any chaplains who hold to those convictions will be able to stay in post in hospitals, churches, prisons, schools. 

There will also be a deep fracture within the Church of England because many of us cannot go along with this and will be forced to distance ourselves from those who do. And that is not a political act. It will be an act of conscience. 

The Anglican Communion is already deeply divided. It is hard to believe that it would survive a step of this nature. At the very least, the historic role of the Church of England and the Archbishop of Canterbury within it. Very hard to believe that will continue. 

And let’s be clear, this is just a first step, massive as it is. Other provinces who began to go down this road have moved towards equal marriage. 

So the exhausting arguments will not be finished. If we make this decision, it will continue and the costs will be enormous emotionally, financially, missionally and above all pastorally. 

And the cost is heavy, especially for those gay same-sex attracted. I plead for a better way. 

I long for a reaffirmation of what we’ve always believed. If that is not possible, can we not seek to move towards a mediated settlement that takes seriously the very deep irreconcilable differences that are between us that seeks to find the maximum unity without theological compromise? I urge us to oppose the motion.

Bishop of Oxford

The Bishop of Oxford Stephen Croft, spoke in favour of the motion. His speech includes a discussion of a negotiated settlement with evangelicals and an endorsement of same-sex marriage.

Stephen Croft Bishop of Oxford 30 Thank you chair for calling me. I speak in favour of the motion.

Jesus says You will know them by their fruits. There’s some comfort there in that the task of discernment, according to Jesus, that is right and wrong, is often difficult. 

Jesus’ own discernment in the gospels is always surprising. Jesus finds ways of mercy and gentleness in every encounter, and these words on fruitfulness and Jesus’ actions are the foundation for a whole Christian tradition of discernment which stretches through Augustine and Ignatius to the present day. 

The scriptures are to be interpreted through the lens of love and of God and neighbour. Synod we need to recognise there is so much bad fruit in our present pastoral practice, rejection, harm, confusion, dishonesty, burdens that are too heavy to bear, and long-term fracture between church and the society we serve. 

I’ve been moved to tears by the personal accounts of this bad fruit which LGBTQIA+ people have sent to me since I published Together in Love and Faith in November. 

Conversely, it seems to me there is so much good fruit that flows from loving, permanent, stable same-sex relationships. I thank God for the LGBTQIA+ clergy and lay ministers and disciples I’ve been privileged to know I pay tribute to their resilience and dedication, and commitment to Christ’s core and the love and care they offer, and their fruitful, fruitful ministry. 

Both the pain and witness of the saints of God have caused me to revisit scripture and tradition and have changed my heart and mind on these issues. And I’m very sorry it took me so long to change. 

So I want us to agree and affirm these proposals today and I pray they will be a stepping stone on the journey. And for me, I hope and pray that [this] will lead to equal marriage in our church through this process and through what I hope is agreed in the coming months, people in same-sex relationships and those relationships will become more visible.

That in turn, I know will change other hearts and minds in the months and years to come. 

But we will not all change hearts and minds of course. 

I also want us to affirm today those who will continue to hold a traditional view of marriage. I believe we will need a careful exploration of a new and imaginative provision which will be needed in the light of these proposals. 

And as we continue to explore equal marriage in the future, a mediated settlement as Vaughn said a few moments ago, for I see fruitfulness also in those who disagree with me profoundly on this issue. 

I benefited greatly in recent years through being part of the St. Hughes conversation, an informal regular meeting of those in favour and those opposed to change on this issue. 

I know that the Church of England will continue to need the conservative reformed tradition moving forward and that tradition will continue to need the wider church. 

I’m particularly thankful for Vaughn who spoke earlier and who published a gracious response to my own essay. And indeed, uh, for St Ebbe’s in Oxford where Vaughn is rector and where Anna and I were married almost 45 years ago, we were very young. 

{laughter]

My vision for the Diocese of Oxford is that we will be a diocese where all are affirmed and cherished, where same-sex relationships can be cherished and those who hold the traditional view are honoured, respected, and loved. B y their fruits you will know them, says Jesus. We need to move forward in this debate but may love and joy and peace for all flow from the decisions we make today. 

Busola Sodeinde

Mrs Busola Sodeinde (London) moved a unsuccessful amendment to have the  “Secretary General of the Synod to consult personally the Primate of each Province of the Anglican Communion about the potential impact of the proposals in GS 2289 on its relationship to the Church of England.”

Thank you. Chair Busola Sodeinde, London 3 59. I’m a church commissioner for the charge of England and I sit on the Audit and Risk committee as well as several boards. I also sit on the PCC of my home church, HTB, which has 42% of its attendees from global majority heritage. 

I want to address the dependent racial injustice, disunity and racial segregation we may witness in the church if we were to introduce same-sex blessings without further evidential consultation and consideration. I’m originally from Nigeria, and I’m very proud of my heritage, though I was born in Leeds. I hold dual citizenship <laugh>. 

I spent 12 years in Nigeria, and it was there I had my confirmation. My grandmother lived in England in her early years. She spoke fondly of her attendance at St. Gabriel’s church in Cricklewood  at 18. When I came back to London and was alone, the first church I visited was St. Gabriel’s church. 

The diaspora living in the UK strongly identify with their roots. There’s a strong bond and connection, and we have a strong fellowship in our parish churches. I am worried that there may be an exodus of diverse communities from our parish churches, thus having a profound impact upon the racial diversity, which up to now, we have worked so hard to encourage.

Archbishop Justin has said that the decision made today will impact different churches differently, but we are in the dark. 

What is this impact? I’m concerned that we are in danger of shutting our ears, ignoring the 75% of the Anglican communion who looked to the Church of England as their mother church. The risk assessment in the L F F library, which was answered in the Q and A, said, the lack of research is a glaring gap in our knowledge. 

If we have a recommendation for the church, [it] is to have a robust assessment for the impact and negativity. They weren’t conclusive. They said We have a gap in the knowledge. It needs to assess the profound impact which any decision will have on the churches in Africa and Asia. Archbishop Justin Badi [leader of the Global South Anglicans}] has said that collectively they would act if the recommendations to commend these blessings are affirmed. 

It is not wishy-washy. They are true. Let’s not hide from it. There will be friction. The trouble is there’s an arrogance, which I recognise may be unintended, of one time colonialism, which insists that western culture is progressive. While dissenting voices in Africa and everywhere else is silenced. 

We’re ignored. Our DNA is different. Africa is different from the Caribbean, from the Windrush Cafe. And the purpose of this is “let’s do an audit.” Let’s ask every single province what’s the impact. 

Let us be transparent in our processes so that, as Synod, we can make a rational decision in July. We are welcome today, bishops of the wider Anglican Church. So can I offer my suggestion that let’s offer some reasonableness and I ask Synod to please accept my motion and make a consultation to take [the proposed] prayers [for consultation} before [they are] commended. Thank you. 

Archbishop of Canterbury

The Archbishop of Canterbury spoke in the debate on Busola Sodeinde’s amendment.

Justin, Welby 1 I’m genuinely torn by this. It is, the difference is we have here are small compared to those with many around the communion. This isn’t just about listening to the rest of the world. It’s caring. Let’s just be clear on that. It’s about people who die, women who will be raped, children who will be tortured. So when we vote, we need to think of that. 

This is not just about what people say, it’s what they’ll suffer. Yes, we’ve consulted, I’ve been archbishop for just over 10 years now. This week I’ve spent 30, 40% of each year with the communion. A Lambeth Conference, umpteen primates meetings, using whole holidays, ringing primates one by one and listening to them picking up the phone when people are shelled and caught up in wars, going and visiting them. 

I’ve gone to places that the government said you shouldn’t go because it’s too dangerous. And I’ve done that for the last 20 years and more. I’ve been held hostage in Nigeria and told I was going to be killed in the morning. This isn’t something I take lightly, you know, it’s the most painful thing I’ve ever known 

And I agree in many ways with the motion, apart from it’s in the wrong name. So I’ll put a solution forward. If this … if this motion is rejected, I will go to Anthony Poggo, the   Secretary General of the, ACC and ask him to finish off his current round of calls, which he’s been on since the papers came out. 

It’s not for William [Nye, the Secretary General of the Synod] to do wherever he is, I can’t see him, but um, it’s not for him to do, it’s not his job. He doesn’t know them. 

Anthony knows them by first name. Anthony’s been a refugee three times himself or it may be four first time at the age of two. He’s been brought up in Sudan and in Ni and in Kenya and in refugee camps in Uganda. He can talk to them as he should. 

So please reject this because I pick you to believe there is nothing in my life or heart or prayer that comes as high as the safety and the flourishing of the people I love in the Anglican Communion. 

And at the top of that, this comes Nigeria, which I’ve visited over 80 times over nearly 40 years, or Kenya, Malaysia, and parts of India. Pakistan, where I was in Peshawar last February, needing 2000 troops to protect us. Please reject this amendment. Not because the spirit’s wrong, I entirely agree with it, but because it’s wrongly structured, and we must also do right here as part of the church Catholic, as I said in my opening speech. Thank you.