Evangelicals within the Church of England have urged bishops to heed the “sense of grief, dismay and betrayal” expressed by Anglicans across the world at the leadership’s recent vote to bless individuals in same-sex partnerships.
The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) made the remarks following GAFCON IV, where over 1,300 Anglicans from 52 countries met to discuss their response to the CofE’s leadership’s rejection of biblical sexual ethics.
The CEEC urged bishops to “step back from the brink” to explore a “structural re-organisation without theological compromise”.
‘Repentance’
The evangelicals stated that “it is a consequence of God’s word no longer being treated as authoritative in parts of the Anglican Communion which has led to the current divisions” and are causing it to “cease to exist in anything like its current form”.
But the CEEC welcomed GAFCON’s commitment to “continue to stand with and pray for those faithful Anglicans who remain within the Church of England” and support “their efforts to uphold biblical orthodoxy”.
The CEEC backed GAFCON’s call for churches to promote good pastoral care and repentance for all “because repentance defines and shapes the Christian life and the life of the church”.
‘Undermine’
Earlier this month, it was revealed that increasing numbers of church leaders are lamenting that they can no longer recognise the Church of England’s leadership.
In London, ten clergy have formed a new deanery chapter because they are “compelled to resist all episcopal leadership from the House of Bishops on the grounds that their proposed prayers of love and faith undermine the Church of England’s doctrine of marriage such that we can no longer walk in partnership together”.
Revd Phil Martin, Vicar of St Botolph’s Aldersgate, said: “Since the House of Bishops has departed from the Bible’s teaching on marriage and sin and therefore from the true Gospel of Jesus Christ, change is needed. New structures are needed.”
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