On one hand, it’s disappointing both to conservatives and liberals that the Bishops can only state the obvious \u201d\u201c that people are divided over the issue of homosexuality \u201d\u201c and cannot give any clear lead on what the church should be teaching. On the other hand, it is encouraging that the diversity is recognized; that capitulation to Western cultural norms is not seen as inevitable; that the viewpoint of majority global Anglicanism is taken into account, and above all, that
\nthe Church of England\u2019s pastoral and liturgical practice remains unchanged during this process of facilitated conversation\u201d\u00a6No change to the Church of England’s teaching on marriage is proposed or envisaged.<\/p>\n
This presumably means that Pilling\u2019s most contentious proposal, namely that blessings of gay couples in church should commence at the same time as facilitated conversations, has been decisively rejected. It also appears not to leave the door ajar for the acceptance of gay marriage.<\/p>\n
There was fear among conservatives that those of their number among the Bishops would be marginalized, especially in the wake of the Bishop of Fulham\u2019s endorsement of Pilling. However it seems clear that some kind of stand – which may have been costly \u201d\u201c must have been made to ensure a collegiate pulling back from the brink. For that we can be grateful.<\/p>\n