It was announced today that the Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell will become the next Archbishop of York. Stephen Cottrell is the current Bishop of Chelmsford.
Earlier this year, Rev. John Parker resigned as governor of a Church of England (CofE) primary school in the diocese of Chelmsford over concerns about a young child being allowed to transition gender in the school. John Parker also resigned as vicar in the CofE, citing the diocese’s support of transgender ideology in the primary school as the final straw.
The diocese, and the Bishop, unequivocally supported the ‘gender transition’ of a primary school child.
Bishop Stephen Cottrell had previously told John Parker that his Biblical views on sexuality were not welcome in the Church of England and that he “could leave.”
Stephen Cottrell denied this on Twitter, and later in a formal Ad Clerum.
It then emerged that other clergy in the diocese had also been told that they could leave the CofE if they did not agree with the approach of the diocese on sexuality. A statement was released by GAFCON. It said:
“The truth is that Stephen Cottrell has, on more than one occasion, told clergy, including John Parker, that if we disagree with the approach the Diocese is taking on matters of human sexuality we should follow our consciences and leave. There were more than thirty clergy at one of the meetings.”
Stephen Cottrell has also suggested in the House of Lords that CofE teaching on marriage could change.
A church in Stephen Cottrell’s diocese that is hosting a carol service and nativity in which the words of carols have been changed so as to avoid saying that Jesus is Lord or King or Saviour. A diocese spokesperson has endorsed removing all references to Jesus as ‘Lord’ from Away in a Manger.
Andrea Williams, Synod Member and Chief Executive of Christian Concern said:
“Promoting Stephen Cottrell to Archbishop of York makes clear the direction of travel of the CofE.
“This is a Bishop who endorses gender transition in primary school children.
“Stephen Cottrell has told multiple clergy on multiple occasions that if they don’t like the approach of the diocese on human sexuality they can leave the CofE.
“Stephen Cottrell has attempted to deny this, but there are more than thirty clergy who know what they heard him say on multiple occasions.
“Stephen Cottrell has held out the prospect of the CofE doctrine of marriage changing.
“This is not a Bishop who respects Biblical truth when it comes to human sexuality or marriage.
“Several clergy in Stephen Cottrell’s diocese are out of communion with him because of his stance on human sexuality. One resigned over this. For him now to be appointed as Archbishop of York is a final insult to those who want to hold onto Biblical teaching in the CofE.
“It is now clearer than ever that the CofE is determined to act in total disregard of those who hold the basic truths that God created us male and female and that sexual expression is reserved for marriage between a man and a woman.
“Stephen Cottrell’s diocese is prepared to host a carol service and nativity which actually changes the words of carols to avoid saying that Jesus is Lord, King or Saviour. What will he endorse as Archbishop of York?
“The appointment of Stephen Cottrell as Archbishop of York is another marker in the sad and sorry decline of the Cof E and its willingness to depart from clear Biblical teaching.”
Just so sad. Let us pray for him.
Let’s not have any illusions. Cottrell is a false teacher – period. We have prayed for him for ages, but he seems ever more hardened against biblical truth.
More the reason for prayer?
Its the end of the Church of England as we knew it. I am curious to read GAFCON`s response to this nomination.
In my opinion, affirming catholicism is the most divisive movement in the Anglican Communion, with their “critical engagement with Scripture and tradition”, setting themselves up as judges over both, having a form of godliness but denying its power. I recall a young cleric at the Chelmsford Clergy Conference in the late 90s asserting that the communion service had nothing to do with the death of Christ.
This is, of course, indicative that the CoE has no actual bishops at all. Since obviously, real bishops would have taken their charge to drive out strange doctrine seriously, and this Cottrell fellow would have been disciplined and removed from ministry long ago.
You would think, from the way that the CoE imposes false leadership upon Christianity, that Christ had chosen apostles by going about the countryside, recruiting the children of the lesser aristocrats, who had all gone to the proper schools, had adopted the sexual mores of the Greek and Roman aristocracy, and then vetted them all with the Roman authorities and gotten approval from Herod.
And frankly, whichever of the recent Prime Ministers approved this needs a lesson in the meaning of the term “Conservative.”
I suppose the question is whether ‘bishops’ who do not meet the biblical criteria for elders or overseers of Christ’s flock are accepted by God in their roles. Do they have authority simply because they are part of a human organisation calling itself a ‘church’? Surely the Lord will hold them in derision (etc).
I understand even our own Queen of England approved this appointment. No wonder Gavin Ashenden stepped down as a Queen’s chaplain.
This is very very bad news indeed. In this appointment Justin Welby should be considered to have declared his position on Same-Sex relationships.
The direction of the Church of England has been declared and secured.
When I was thinking about Diocese’s to work in Chelmsford was completely out of the question because of Cotterell. This makes the whole Northern Province (and in my opinion the whole Church of England) out of the question, especially given Cotterell’s own view of his Episcopacy – “The bishop is the focus of unity for the Church, the person through whom the sharing in the apostolic ministry of Christ is continued, and the guarantee that the Church in this time and place is in continuity and communion with the Church in every time and place.
I have my views and opinions, of course I do, but I am also ‘Father in God’ to all of you; and all clergy and licensed ministers make an oath of canonical obedience to me, regardless of disagreement on some issues.”
There should be uproar over this appointment, I’m looking forward to hearing Church Society, Renew, The Church of England Evangelical Council, Rod Thomas and others who have a voice to make clear statements that this is a declaration of war against Orthodoxy. (The cynical (realistic?) bit of me is also waiting for Hell to freeze over.)
Well done Andrea!
I only ever agreed to obey the Bishop of Chelmsford in all things lawful and honest. There is a higher authority than the Bishop to whom we owe allegiance, especially when the so called Bishop is failing to banish and drive away all strange and erroneous doctrines
I understand that. But…. I think there is a question of integrity when entering into that situation when you already know they are apostate than when a new bishop turns up who is apostate. Personally I couldn’t enter in to new situations where I already know that the bishop is fully compromised.
But secondly, there is also the question of perception. Very few people understand that nuance which makes you look compromised even if in your head you’re not. And also, there is the point that someone like Cottrell doesn’t understand episcopal authority in that way a and will not apply it in such a way.
Unless you make your stand so clear and distance yourself publicly, I’m not sure what different it makes having ones conscience salved by the ‘all things honest’ clause.
Absolutely right. This announcement is pivotal and leaves no doubt whatsoever as to where Welby and his accomplices intend to drive the Church of England. In terms of strategy I see it as an important placement for driving through the ‘Living in Love and Faith’ document in 2020. The whole LLF project can have no reason to exist unless it puts at least a wedge in the door which will open up to gay blessings and then “marriage”.
So far as the C of E is concerned, these are the last days. Could there be one last battle to save it? Certainly not from the groups you mention. I don’t know whether their refusal to mobilise themselves on behalf of the truth is more to be pitied or condemned; it’s not lack of success by which they will be judged but refusal even to try.
I am concerned. As Justin Welby has shown, any priest who can’t keep his collar tab in his collar has no business in the Archbishopry.
Yes, Andrea is a modern-day Deborah. She has more balls than the effeminised, impotent bishops of the ‘Church’ of England put together. It’s no wonder to me that they all tacitly support what some are pleased to call ‘gender fluidity’.
I cannot have respect for anyone who approves of “gender transition” for minor children (aside from the rare cases of treatment for children born with ambiguous sexual characteristics). Between 95% and 98% of these children will accept their biological identities as they go through puberty. Drugs and surgery for these conditions before the child reaches an adult age are simply wrong.
It is a form of child abuse and one day (hopefully soon) will be recognised as such. The doctors involved ought to be deregistered.
It is shocking to me that people are willing to move a child toward treatments that are life-changing and early on irreversible over what they say and that child’s statements, as early as 8 years old and younger!
Has anyone known a child that young to change their minds? To go through periods of identity only to come out of them in WEEKS?
It’s not like humans are plug-and-play where one set of sexual organs can be swapped out for the other set, without consequence, easily reversible if the patient changes their mind later. The consequences are permanent, and there’s not a normal sex life after it’s accomplished. In fact, if you can find it, if you can stomach it, an actual, accurate description of what the actual result to the surgery IS is sickening, and requires medication and treatment for the rest of the patient’s life.
Plastic surgery can only do so much…
All of this for children. It is horrific.
It is not surprising that there are clergy who support “gender transition” in the Church of England.
It is not surprising that one of them would be elevated to Archbishop of York.
It is also not surprising, even to be expected, that this clergyman (?) who supports “gender transition” and has been elevated to Archbishop of York would deny that he ever said such a thing, even though he did it multiple times in front of witnesses. How can he serve as a Trojan Horse of progressive ideas if his motives are known?
Just another day in the life of the Church of England.
An old classmate of mine who is now a retired school teacher strongly supports gender transition. Oddly, she isn’t promoting her own grandchildren. She is willing to screw with other people’s children but not her own. Funny how that works.
Early in the process, proper questions to ask the couple with the child are: Is your husband the biological father? Are you sure? Did you complete the DNA test?
[…] of York designate, the Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell”With reference to the recent statement from a pressure group, the accusations made against the Right Reverend Stephen Cottrell are […]
Sickening. If you ask me the correct Christian response to this disgusting situation is to become very angry. The money-changers should be cast out of the Temple. It is useless sitting around on the sidelines and whimpering about praying for people. This is war, pure and simple. What is needed in the loyal C of E is a fighting spirit.
It would seem that rather than striking York Minster with lightning as He did in 1984, the Lord has decided to strike dumb organisations like Renew and Church Society. It should be no surprise given that they did very little in 1984 and have actually done very little since. Just stuttered with empty words and offered a few brave souls up over the trench into the firing line.
It’s a disgrace! Whilst I think it’s a mistake to defect to Rome, I concur with Gavin Ashenden’s conclusion that nothing is going to come of any Orthodox stand amongst the Evangelical Anglicans in England, may God have mercy as He hands us over in their failure to make the stands they should have.
““Stephen Cottrell has told multiple clergy on multiple occasions that if they don’t like the approach of the diocese on human sexuality they can leave the CofE…”
And many will hopefully take his good advice, and the Church of England will dwindle and dwindle until it finally disappears up one of its organ pipes..
[…] of a pupil at a CofE primary school in his previous diocese of Chelmsford there have been credible reports that Cottrell told diocesan ministers holding biblical views on sexuality they ‘could […]
[…] I wondered where the reassurance in these troubled times would come from. The Church of England has issued no public reassurance, no dependence on God, no day of prayer. Not that I personally needed it. I feel like they walked out on me years ago. That life; was another echo of days gone by. Nonetheless, other more isolated people may have been looking outwardly for some hope. Weren’t these meant to be ‘unprecedented’ times? Later I looked at the website for the Church of England. It was a useful resource for those who had a computer and wanted to search but what an opportunity they had missed to publicly speak to a nation that was suffering a certain amount of fear, and who were possibly searching for the meaning of life. Maybe some people were also wondering what had happened to ‘Their Best Life Now?’. [Link] […]