The Rev Rod Thomas, chairman of the Reform network of evangelicals, said some clergy and congregations may make the “radical” move of secession from the established church because of the liberal direction in which it is moving on women bishops and homosexuality.
He claimed the differences are now so great that there effectively two religions within the church, one liberal and one conservative, and that at least 25 parishes are already seeking “alternative oversight” because their bishop does not share their beliefs in tradition and the Bible.
He said he hoped this could be provided by creating new “religious communities”, by getting conservative bishops from other dioceses to provide oversight, or by employing retired English bishops to take over the care of those who did not want to be led by a liberal prelate.
Well isn’t it odd that there was nary a mention of the Pittsburgh decision in the UK press from Beckford, Gledhill and Butt, but look what the first two have been mixing up in their cauldron. All we need is a similarly sensationalised if not over-egged story from Ms Butt.
Hubble bubble.
And who on earth talks about ‘prelates’?
Pagentmaster,
Here you go.
I agree, the reporting does seem somewhat more sensational than the facts seem to suggest. For the moment. There are a lot more conservative evangelical churches than just 25. (And I’m not sure quite how the parishes could break away, but that might just be me).
#3 “And I’m not sure quite how the parishes could break away…”
That’s the point: they’re not going to break away. I think some of them are already outside of the regular structures of the Church of England anyway. But all of them are staying in confessing Anglicanism – they’re just seeking oversight from outside of the regular structures. It is not that significant in itself at this stage, I reckon. But once confessing Anglicans have a home outside of the CofE structures but inside Anglicanism, it is the symbolic start of something that others will certainly follow