Church leaders have called on bishops in the Church of England to allow ‘pastoral provision’ for those being ordained this summer and going forwards, as an urgent priority.
Church leaders, who are part of the Alliance, issued a letter to all diocesan bishops in the Church of England, following a meeting with 80 ordinands last Thursday in London.
The Alliance is an informal partnership of leaders from networks within the Church of England, including the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), Church Society, the HTB Network, Living Out, Myriad, New Wine, ReNew and The Society.
John Dunnett, National Director, Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) and a Director of the Alliance, said: “During the meeting we heard directly from ordinands about the depth of concern they share in relation to Living in Love and Faith. How can we expect people who are committing themselves to a lifetime of ministry and service to make promises to a bishop who has indicated support for a departure from the Church’s doctrine on sex and marriage? This group of ordinands needs to be listened to. They feel powerless and without a voice in this whole process.”
In the letter, the Alliance asked that the bishops permit “ordination by a bishop who publicly supports the Church of England’s current teaching and discipline in relation to marriage and sexual ethics which the ordinands themselves accepted and agreed to live within when they were recommended for training – accommodating individual consciences in the midst of pastoral uncertainty”.
The Alliance has asked that the bishops “do not insist that these ordinands have to choose between their conscience and their calling”. The Alliance has also suggested that should further changes be implemented at the next General Synod in July, the impact will hit not only those getting ordained this summer but the whole pipeline of ordinands.
The letter has been signed by a broad group of orthodox leaders in the Church of England (full list of signatories below).
Fr Adam Gaunt, Chair of Catholic Group in General Synod
Emma Joy Gregory, Vice-Chair of Catholic Group in General Synod
Tom Middleton, Director of Forward in Faith and Secretary of the Council of Bishops of The Society
Busola Sodeinde, Church Commissioner and UK Global Majority rep
Ade Adebajo, Lay Chair of London Diocesan Synod, Chair of Lambeth Partners and UK Global Majority rep
Canon Dr. Addy Lazz-Onyenobi, Member of General Synod and UK Global Majority rep
Revd Dr. Rich Johnson, National Leader, New Wine
Revd Wole Agbaje, Head of Young Adults, New Wine
Revd John Coles, New Wine Ambassador
Revd Paul Harcourt, former National Leader, New Wine
Revd Canon Paul Langham, National Leadership Team, New Wine on General Synod
Revd Archie Coates, Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton and Head of HTB Network
Revd Nicky Gumbel, President of Revitalise Trust, HTB Network
Revd Sarah Jackson, CEO of Revitalise Trust, and Chair of HTB Network on General Synod
Revd Jago Wynne, Vice-Chair of HTB Network on General Synod
Revd Canon John Dunnett, Chair of Evangelical Group on General Synod (EGGS)
Jane Patterson, Secretary of Evangelical Group on General Synod (EGGS)
Rt. Revd Julian Henderson, President of Church of England Evangelical Council
Sarah Tett, Trustee of Church of England Evangelical Council
Revd Kieran Bush, Chair of the ReNew Planning Team
Debbie Buggs, Member of ReNew and Member of General Synod and of the Crown Nominations Commission
Revd Canon John McGinley, Church Planting Network Leader
Ed Shaw, Ministry Director of Living Out
Revd Canon Vaughan Roberts, Co-Founder of Living Out
Rt. Revd Keith Sinclair, Trustee of Living Out
Helen Lamb, Trustee of Living Out
Revd Dr. Lee Gatiss, Director of Church Society
All signatories are leaders of networks/organisations but are signing in their personal capacities, recognising they cannot claim to speak for everyone that they lead.
Around 2000 clergy and licensed lay ministers have now expressed their support for the work of the Alliance, and the ordinands present on Thursday included those from across the different networks.
