Tag Archives: Church of England

Via press release from the Church Of England: A selection of readings and prayers of thanksgiving, dedication and asking for God’s blessing for same-sex couples can be used in Church of England services for the first time from Sunday, December 17, following approval by the House of Bishops. The final texts of Prayers of Love and Faith, commended for use …

The Christian Post reports: A bill aimed at officially severing the Church of England from the British government is set to be introduced in Parliament next month. The “Disestablishment of the Church of England” bill, scheduled to be introduced by Liberal Democrat lawmaker Paul Scriven on Dec. 6, was selected earlier in November from a bill ballot from private members …

The Roys Report reports: Soul Survivor Watford has formally suspended Mike Pilavachi, founder of a large Christian youth festival in the U.K., who’s facing allegations he spiritually and sexually abused young men under him. The suspension comes amid revelations that ministry leaders in the U.K. knew about allegations concerning Pilavachi for nearly two decades but did nothing. On Saturday, Soul …

The BBC reports: The Church of England has found hundreds of new cases involving allegations of abuse of vulnerable adults and children by clergy, Church officers and volunteers. The reviewers found 383 cases relating to abuse, that the Church says require further attention. The Church says this is its most extensive review of past abuse cases. The archbishops of Canterbury …

The Christian Post reports: Only 6% of people in the United Kingdom identify as Christians while 42% say they are non-practicing Christians, but one in three non-Christians say they want to know more about Jesus Christ, according to the report of a new survey, Talking Jesus. As many as 70% of those who identify as Christians are white Brits, who …

File this one under sorry not sorry: The Church of England will not be withdrawing guidance that said sex is only for “heterosexual married couples”. But the archbishops of Canterbury and York are “very sorry and recognise the division and hurt” last week’s statement caused. Justin Welby [photo] and John Sentamu say the statement “jeopardised trust”. It came ahead of …

“The Church of England has publicly reaffirmed that marriage is between a man and woman—and that sex belongs only within heterosexual marriage. I appreciate the church taking this strong stand with the Word of God, which is truth. “I’m going to the UK in late May and will be holding a series of evangelistic outreaches going from Scotland all the …

The Guardian reports: The Church of England has stated that sex belongs only within heterosexual marriage, and that Christians in gay or straight civil partnerships should be sexually abstinent. Bishops have issued pastoral guidance in response to the recent introduction to mixed-sex civil partnerships, which says: “For Christians, marriage – that is, the lifelong union between a man and a …

Just in from the red-caped Catholic loons: Each camp has its own theme and this year was dedicated to Catholic England, a topic that resonates with America’s British roots. Throughout the program, educational talks recounted the lives of England’s greatest Catholic heroes for the boys to admire and imitate. They followed the Irish monk Saint Brendan on his voyage to …

From the Catholic news site Tablet: The Church of England has passed a motion on welcoming transgender people at their General Synod. Members of Synod, meeting in York from 7 – 10 July, supported a call for the House of Bishops to consider preparing nationally commended liturgical materials to mark a person’s gender transition. The motion also recognises the “need …

The Guardian reports: The Church of England has called on the government to ban conversion therapy and has condemned the practice, which aims to change sexual orientation, as unethical and potentially harmful. At the end of an emotional debate in which two members of the C of E synod described their experiences as spiritual abuse, the church’s governing body overwhelmingly …

The BBC reports: A Church of England theological college has expressed regret after trainee priests held a service in the antiquated gay slang language Polari. The service at the chapel of Westcott House in Cambridge was to commemorate LGBT history month. The congregation was told the use of the lexicon was an attempt to “queer the liturgy of evening prayer”. …

The Church Of England is threatening to sue a British ad agency for declining to run their “Lord’s Prayer” Christmas ad in cinemas that will be showing Star Wars. According to a policy statement from the agency, they don’t place any political or religious advertising. And of course, Tony Perkins says this is our fault. Via email: The most disturbing …

I am considering outing gay @c_of_e bishops who discipline gay clergy who marry http://t.co/wtKDYO4oRv @LGCM @changingatt @LondonLGBTPride — Peter Tatchell (@PeterTatchell) July 24, 2014 Via Pink News: Gay hospital chaplain Jeremy Pemberton had his Permission to Officiate revoked by the Bishop of Southwell and Nottingham after he married his same-sex partner, while London vicar Andrew Cain said he “fully expects” …

The Guardian reports that the Church Of England has softened its stance on same-sex marriage, which becomes legal in England and Wales at midnight today. The Archbishop of Canterbury has signalled that the Church of England will mount no more resistance to gay marriage among churchgoers. “I think the church has reacted by fully accepting that it’s the law, and …

Yesterday the Church of England unveiled a proposal that would allow clergy to offer “blessings” to same-sex unions, even though gay couples would still be barred from actually marrying in their churches. Critics swiftly condemned the “blessing” proposal as contrary to the church’s teaching on sexual conduct. The proposal was among 18 recommendations put forward by a working group set …

Gay Star News reports on the latest bid to torpedo Britain’s marriage bill: Former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord George Carey is trying to wreck gay marriage in England and Wales by creating a new gold standard only straights can be part of – ‘traditional marriage’.  As a member of the House of Lords, he is proposing to amend the Marriage …

The Church of England today formally announced that it will no longer object to Britain’s same-sex marriage bill as it has become apparent to them that a clear majority of Parliament supports it. In a short statement, the established Church said that the scale of the majorities in both the Commons and Lords made clear that it is the will …

Britain’s right-leaning Telegraph reports: Despite vocal opposition from the Church to the Government’s plans to allow same-sex couples to marry, it is understood that senior officials have personally urged bishops to stay away from this week’s vote. They fear that a large bloc of clerics turning up to vote down the bill could rebound on the Church, reopening questions over …

Via the Guardian: The Church of England has agreed that gay clergy in civil partnerships can become bishops so long as they remain sexually abstinent, a decision that looks likely to reignite one of the Anglican community’s most bitter internal debates.  The decision was taken by the House of Bishops, the section of the General Synod responsible for church teaching. …