Strange Gifts

Gafcon are bearing strange gifts.

In January, the ACNA bishops banned certain words so that it became heretical in their jurisdiction to describe someone even as being an SSA Christian (never mind a gay Christian). They soon found however that internal dissent wouldn’t be silenced. Even in their tightly run ship. 

And this dissent means that ACNA, which body of churches split off from the Episcopal Church in the US because of that body’s affirming attitude to LGBTQ+ people, is now itself too liberal for some Gafcon provinces. There is a struggle over how homophobic a Gafcon church should be. 

Even the conservative-leaning Andrew Goddard has had enough of this. He is critical of the ACNA bishops, but writes on the Fulcrum site of the Nigerian response to ACNA:

‘The word ‘homophobic’ is often misused to label traditional understandings and I normally therefore avoid it but it is, sadly, the only possible word that can be used in the face of such unacceptable language.’

He goes on to say:

‘Those who hold traditional understandings need to challenge and not kowtow to such views and patterns of speech wherever they are found.  In the words of Bishop Greg Brewer, a Communion Partner bishop within TEC, “This is an unmitigated tragedy that will bear no good fruit. It has already caused harm to the Side B Anglicans it targets. But the implications of this letter are far bigger than that. The letter expresses a hatred that is incompatible with the Gospel of Jesus Christ”.’

And the result of this? Strange gifts.

The Archbishop of Canterbury has taken this moment to step in and affirm one of the key tenets of the new LLF book as being fundamental Anglican doctrine. 

In November, I pointed out in the first part of my review of the LLF book, that chapter 10 has key material that goes further than any other Anglican work has previously done on affirming the equality of all people, especially LGBTQ+ people, and in saying that diversity is God’s gift in creation, not an evidence of the Fall. 

Now, as a Nigerian archbishop expresses views that I won’t quote or link to here, Justin Welby tweets:

All baptised, believing and faithful people, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ. I condemn the language recently used by the Primate of Nigeria.

His full statement goes further.

I completely disagree with and condemn (Archbishop Ndukuba’s) language. It is unacceptable. It dehumanises those human beings of whom the statement speaks.

I have written privately to His Grace The Archbishop to make clear that this language is incompatible with the agreed teaching of the Anglican Communion (expressed most clearly, albeit in unsuitable language for today, in paragraphs c and d of resolution I.10 of the Lambeth Conference 1998). This resolution both restated a traditional view of Christian marriage and was clear in its condemnation of homophobic actions or words. It affirmed that “all baptised, believing and faithful persons, regardless of sexual orientation, are full members of the Body of Christ.”

But we aren’t living in 1998. We are living in 2021, and although Justin quotes material from the past, we have a current context. LLF is that context, and that current context is being agreed to by bishops across the board.

Evangelicals like Steven Croft of Oxford and Pete Wilcox of Sheffield are quick to back the equality train:

I welcome and support this clear statement from Archbishop Justin. (Oxford)

Very grateful to see this strong statement. (Sheffield)

More catholicly minded bishops add their agreement:

I welcome and support @JustinWelby’s clear condemnation of the language used by Archbishop Ndukuba in his recent statement. I share his sorrow that LGBTI+ people across the world will feel less safe as a result. (The Archbishop of York)

An excellent and powerful statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury. (Worcester)

A necessary and very welcome statement. (Liverpool)

The bishop of Newcastle adds her agreement, as does the bishop-elect of Chelmsford in what is perhaps the clearest statement of post-LLF Anglican truth:

An important and very necessary statement from our Archbishop. (Newcastle)

I fully endorse Archbishop Justin’s statement disagreeing with and condemning the language used in the Most Reverend Henry C Ndukba’s comments about homosexuality. Whilst recognising there are different approaches to doctrine and practice across the Anglican Communion and rejoicing in our cultural diversity, the Most Revd Henry Ndukuba’s comments are at odds with our agreed teaching and our fundamental belief that all of us are made in God’s image; that in Christ, all are equal and there is no place for injustice. (Chelmsford)

It seems that in the face of such unpleasant bigotry, plain truth is easier to see. 

LGBTQ+ people are people. Simple. Those who make us less will be seen to be stuck in the culture of the past, and not be putting forward biblical truth. 

But there is a really important part of this emerging and suddenly commonly proclaimed truth that matters.

For equality is not just a matter of status - of being seen to be equal. It is a matter of rights - of being able to live equal lives with equal opportunities. 

If we as LGBTQ+ people are "full members of the Body of Christ", then why can my straight friends fall in love and marry in church and my fellow gay friends cannot? We are equal. Full members of the church. Fully human. Made in the image of God. Diverse, as creation is meant to be, as a body is - just as a hand is different from a foot but cannot tell a foot that it does not belong. 

If we are all "equal and there is no place for injustice", then where is the very real change and very real action that is needed to make these "very necessary" words live?

Right now, the LLF Next Steps Group is pressing forward for the kind of change they think LGBTQ+ people should have without really understanding what that means, because they just don't know what they don't know. I have written about this in my response to their February report. I am grateful that they are responding to issues I have previously raised, but we are not being treated as equals when LGBTQ+ people's lives are being decided by others who keep us outside of the rooms where decisions are made. That is not equality. That is not treating us like full members of the body of Christ. That risks (I'm sorry to say) just being a nicer version of the bigotry the bishops are today rushing to condemn. 

LLF must be more than a book. 

Living in love and faith must become a genuinely challenging reality and a truly radical new Christian inclusion, that turns tweets and reports into deeds. 

Dear Archbishop:

We are full members of the Body of Christ; please dare to cherish us as such.