{"id":86317,"date":"2019-11-08T15:06:00","date_gmt":"2019-11-08T20:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=86317"},"modified":"2019-11-08T17:32:33","modified_gmt":"2019-11-08T22:32:33","slug":"david-ould-was-the-recent-newcastle-synod-decision-a-stitch-up","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/kendallharmon.net\/?p=86317","title":{"rendered":"(David Ould) Was the recent Newcastle Synod Decision A \u201cStitch-Up\u201d?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The FAOC set about the task of considering the topic of human sexuality. A number of additional people were added to the core group and they were sent copious amounts of reading to begin their work. But the FAOC never met, let alone produced the promised \u201ctheological and biblical resource\u201d on human sexuality. So it was a great surprise to many in synod that the two human sexuality bills arrived as private bills introduced by the chair of the FAOC <\/em>when the FAOC had no report to deliver to inform those debates (as was its mandate) nor, it appeared, had even met once to consider the matter.<\/p>\n

One member of synod reports what happened during the debate (the events of which have been corroborated by a number of sources also present):<\/p>\n

On the floor of Synod the Dean had the question put to her. \u201cWhy did this bill not come to us via the Faith and Order Commission?\u201d She paused, turned to Bishop Peter, and then replied haltingly (with some confusion in her voice), \u201cI understand that the Faith and Order Commission has been disbanded.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Surprise has been expressed to davidould.net that even the chair of the FAOC didn\u2019t know whether the body had been disbanded or not.<\/p>\n

And so the synod considered the matter. More than one person that we have spoken to have expressed a similar opinion on the mind of synod; that they are deferential to the bishop and will consider something that he approves of as something that should be approved. So it was with these two bills. While proposed by the Dean, they were understood by many to have the Bishop\u2019s clear backing. As one synod member put it to us, \u201cthe Dean is the Bishop\u2019s agent for getting things done\u201d. It may have been a private bill but the implication was that this was \u201cofficial\u201d and \u201cfrom the leadership of the diocese\u201d.<\/p>\n

Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Newcastle Synod Decision A \u201cStitch-Up\u201d https:\/\/t.co\/hPyscBKec2<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/xMYNj95g86<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 David Ould \u0646 (@davidould) November 7, 2019<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n