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LGB&TI Anglican Coalition

LGB&TIAnglicanCoalitionResponsetotheChurchofEnglandHouseofBishops PastoralGuidanceDocumentonSameSexMarriage.Issued14February2014

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TheLGB&TIAnglicanCoalitionisappalledbytheHouseofBishopsrecentlyissuedPastoralGuidanceonSame SexMarriage,especiallyinthelightoftheArchbishopofCanterburyspresidentialaddressinwhichitwasstated thatdifferingviewsshouldbeacceptedinaspiritofgooddisagreement.Inthisdocumentweseenoacceptance ofdisagreementatall,butinsteadaheavyhandedandlegalisticimpositionofdiscipline. ThenewguidanceemphasisesthewellknownfactthatsamesexcoupleswillnotbeabletomarryinChurchof Englandchurchesevenwhenequalmarriagetakeseffect.Furthermore,despitetherecommendationofthe PillingReport,theprohibitiononblessingsamesexcouplesisreinforced.Whiletheseironexclusionsareinplace itissimplyludicroustospeakoftheChurchWelcominglesbian,gaybisexual,transgenderandintersex (LGB&TI)people,ortopretendthatthisstatementisinanysensepastoral. Theguidancealsoexcludespeoplemarriedtomembersofthesamesexfromordination,andforbidsLGBTclergy tomarrysamesexpartners.Thisiscruelandunjusttoclergywhohavefaithfullyservedthechurch,hithertowith thefullknowledgeandsupportoftheirbishops,anditwillimpoverishtheministrybydrivingawayLGB&TI ordinands.Onlythosewhoarepreparedtoliewillremain. Thestatementwasmadewithoutanyconsultationwithopenlygaypeople,andfailstoacknowledgethatsomeof thebishopswhoaresignatoriesareunderstoodtobegaythemselves.Thisheightensthecorrosivesenseof hypocrisyandcynicismwithwhichthisissueissurroundedintheChurch. Weareawarethatthepositiontakeninthisstatementwaspartlyorevenmainlydrivenbyfearsabouttheunity oftheAnglicanCommunion,andthatbishopswhowishedtotakealessharshlineweretoldthattheCommunion wouldnotstandforit.InsomelargeAfricanprovinceswhicharethreateningtosecedeoverthisissuethe AnglicanChurchhelpssupplythetheologywhichbackstheviolentpersecutionofLGB&TIpeople.Webelievethat itissimplyimmoralfortheChurchofEnglandtoappeasetheseprovincesbysacrificingtherightsandfreedoms ofLGB&TIpeopleinthiscountryoranyother,ortoplacethecauseofinstitutionalunityabovethecauseof justiceandhumanity. Thisguidanceiswrongintoneandcontent,andwillfurtherdamagetheChurchsmission,notonlytoLGB&TI people,buttoallpeopleofgoodwillwhorespectjusticeandtruth.Itmayseektocarrydisciplinaryauthority,but ithasnomoralauthorityandcannotcommandrespect.Wehopeandpraythatitwillbeswiftlywithdrawn. END Formoreinformationcontact: SimonSarmientoat:ss@justus.anglican.orgTelephone:07906445695

MemberGroups TheAnglicanCoalitionprovidesUKbasedChristianLGB&TIorganisationswithopportunitiestocreate resourcesfortheAnglicancommunityandtodevelopasharedvoiceforthefullacceptanceofLGB&TI peopleintheAnglicanCommunion. TheGroupMembersareasfollows: AcceptingEvangelicalsisaopennetworkofEvangelicalChristianswhobelievethetimehascometo movetowardstheacceptanceoffaithful,lovingsamesexpartnershipsateverylevelofchurchlife. http://www.acceptingevangelicals.org ChangingAttitudeisacampaigninggroupdrawnbyGodslovetoworkforthefullinclusionoflesbian, gay,bisexualandtransgenderpeopleintheAnglicanCommunion. http://www.changingattitude.org.uk TheEvangelicalFellowshipforLesbianandGayChristians(EFLGC),formedin1979,isagroupof womenandmen,mostofwhomarelesbian,gayorbisexualandcomefromanevangelicalChristian background.. http://www.eflgc.org.uk InclusiveChurchisanetworkofindividualsandorganisationsworkingtobreakdownthebarrierstofull inclusionatalllevelsoftheChurchofEngland. http://www.inclusivechurch.org.uk TheLesbianandGayChristianMovementisaUKbasedinternationalCharitywhichchallenges homophobiaandtransphobia,especiallywithintheChurchandfaithbasedorganisations. http://lgcm.org.uk TheSibylsisaUKbasedconfidentialChristianspiritualitygroupfortransgenderpeople,andtheir supporters. http://www.sibyls.co.uk TheTwo:23NetworkisanewnetworkofChristians,connectedbyLGBTissuesthataimstoincludeand encourageall to discover the love of God for themselves, pursue thecall of Christ and live in a way that cherishesothersjustasGodcherishesus.IthasdevelopedfromtheLGBTaffirmingministryofCourage. http://two23.net/