Christian Today: 'The future for evangelicals in the Church of England'

Posted at Christian Today/Christian Daily/Europe:

Published December 30, 2023

If two people of the same sex turn up to a Sunday service wearing white, who got married in the registrar's office the day before, and just happen to have a few friends throwing confetti as they walk out the church, then how is the man in the street not going to see that as a change in Church of England's doctrine? Any person with common sense would have to say: you're kidding yourself, the emperor has no clothes!

This year the Church of England's General Synod backed prayers of blessing for same-sex couples and they were permitted for use in services for the first time on December 17.

Christian Today speaks to Rev John Dunnett, National Director of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), about the Church of England's new same-sex prayers and what they might mean for the future of evangelicals in the Church.

Thinking back to the start of the year, before these proposals were backed at the February Synod, did you suspect things would go this way or has it still come as a bit of a shock that the Church of England has now formally committed to this route?

The CofE has been debating for a number of years whether to change its understanding and practice around same-sex marriage. Given how things went with the Living in Love and Faith process in the last couple of years, the proposals that came forward in February didn't come as a great surprise.

Do you regard December 17th as something of a dark day for the CofE?

December 17th represents a line being crossed because for the first time, it is now possible to do something that hasn't been possible in the whole history of the Church of England. The historic Church of the last 2,000 years has until now said: this isn't possible because it's asking us to bless something the Bible says you can't bless. We all feared it was going to happen but I think a number of people will still feel profoundly dismayed now that it has.

Continue here.