You are here
CAIRO: English Bishops describe Church of England as "slow turning oil tanker" on Sexuality
They say CofE is facing a "critical time"
By David W. Virtue in Cairo
www.virtueonline.org
October 9, 2016
Four Church of England bishops at the 6th Trumpet Global South Conference say they will stand firm on issues of human sexuality even as their Church roils in pain and indecision on the matter.
The four bishops present were Paul Butler, Bishop of Durham, one of the five most senior English Bishops and a member of the House of Lords, Bishop Tim Dakin (Winchester), Bishop Julian Henderson of Blackburn, who is also chair of the Church of England Evangelical Council (founded by John Stott) and Bishop Keith Sinclair of Birkenhead.
"Thank you enormously for the invitation to us as evangelical bishops in the Church of England where we are wrestling with some critical issues," said Dakin, spokesman for the group.
"Please keep praying for the Church of England at [this] critical time. The Church of England is like an oil tanker which is slow and hard to turn; it does not make decisions in a hurry and sometimes that is a good thing."
Bishop Dakin said the bishops were present with the full knowledge of the Archbishop of Canterbury and also that not everyone has bowed the knee in the Church of England. "Many of us intend to remain faithful," he said.
Dakin praised Bishop Sinclair, who served on the Pilling Commission on Human Sexuality, of which the bishop said it was a "tough time. He bore a great deal of pain and went through tough times for his stand."
Dakin said Bishop Henderson, who is part of a Bishops' working group on Human Sexuality to bring proposals to the House of Bishops, is doing so "[because] we are not scuppered by people bringing antagonistic things to General Synod. We are determined that this issue shall be episcopally led."
Another notable English attendee was the Rev. Dr. Chris Sugden, of Anglican Mainstream. "We have also brought greetings from Renew and GAFCONUK who are praying for your time here.
The Rt. Rev. Glenn Davies Archbishop of Sydney brought greetings from the Anglican Church of Australia and the Diocese of Sydney, and said, "We have been following the Global South as a very significant part of the Anglican Communion. It has been very instructive to see the significance of North Africa for the whole of Christendom. Pray for us all that we be found faithful."
END
