Nearly a hundred clergy in the London diocese, one of the most traditionalist in the country, have signed a letter demanding the same rights for priests to hold civil partnership ceremonies in their churches as they have to celebrate the marriages of divorced couples.
The Government ended the prohibition on civil partnerships in religious buildings at the end of last year, but the Church has told its clergy that they cannot register their churches for the ceremonies unless the Church’s governing body first approves the change.
Read it all (subscription required).
[blockquote]Nearly a hundred clergy in the London diocese, one of the most traditionalist in the country, have signed a letter demanding the same rights for priests to hold civil partnership ceremonies in their churches as they have to celebrate the marriages of divorced couples.[/blockquote]
London: One of the most traditionalist in the country? What planet does this reporter live on?
The full article can be read without subscription at the more proletarian Daily Mail: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2095251/Nearly-100-clergy-revolt-Church-ban-gay-weddings.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
Archer,
Since “traditionalist” has a rather broad meaning, I suspect the journalist is on safe ground with this. +Chartres of London has been one of the main bulwarks against creeping liberalism in the Church of England:
* He has stated publicly and repeatedly his personal opposition to the ordination of women to the priesthood (hardly a popular stand amongst the powers-that-be).
* He has publicly championed the traditional definition of marriage, e.g. in the sermon at the Royal Wedding where he emphasised marriage as being “between a man and a woman”, to the evident displeasure of the ABC.
* He has not hesitated to use church discipline to restrain any move by liberal clergy beyond what is permitted by church law. The most well known example is in 2008 when a “wedding” was celebrated between two gay clergy at St Bartholomew the Great in London. +Chartres ordered an archdiaconal investigation and sent a very strongly worded letter to the priest in charge. Go to http://www.peter-ould.net/2008/06/18/richard-chartres-plays-very-hard-ball-indeed/ for a copy of the letter and you will see what I mean.
* Orthodox congregations have found over the years that they can operate in his diocese without fear of persecution or harassment by liberals, as long as they comply with church order. This contrasts strongly with the situation next door in Dio. Southwark, where the orthodox have to be continually on their guard.
* His diocese is one of only two that voted down the women bishops measure during the recent local synods. Of course, that is a reflection of his laity rather than himself, but it is indicative of good leadership.
Yet it is clear that there is a minority of extremist liberal clergy in Dio. London who chafe at his restrictions and would like to ignore him, or get rid of him. Its hardly surprising that the leader of these 100 clergy is Giles Fraser, about as extreme a liberal as you can get.
Forget the particular issue. The simple fact is that, in a synodically governed church, all is up for grabs because all can be lobbied for.
MichaelA (#3),
Excellent points, and thanks for providing the non-subscription link in #2.
To your five points in #3, let me add a sixth. Let’s not forget the tremendous impact played by the HTB/Alpha network of churches within the Diocese of London. IIRC, Nicky Gumble now has something like 15 London churches that look to Holy Trinity, Brompton as the hub of the network, a virtual mini-diocese within a diocese. Of course, in many ways, the Alpha movement, while biblical and orthodox, can’t be described as “traditionalist,” since it is so highly innovative. But in the context of this article and the Grand Canyon-size chasm between theological liberals and conservatives, it clearly is on the “traditionalist” side.
David Handy+
rugbyplayingpriest,
Oh that silly, silly Apostolic church, which was synodically governed (Acts 15)! And the early church. And the patristic church.
You are quite right, there is and always has been much lobbying. The judaizers, the gnostics, the marcionites, the pelagians, the arrians etc. Yet somehow the synodically governed church survives. It could only happen through a divine promise – I think its that one where Christ promises that the very gates of Hell itself will not prevail against his church! So, against all the odds, here we still are.
The Bishop of London has now published a response to the clergy letter. It is on T19 and worth reading.