The Possibility of Difference

 The bishops published their guidance and their prayers. My initial response is here, and it's ten minutes, but hey ho. If you don't have ten minutes, let me say - basically I'm not a fan. After years of trying to advocate for the equality of all people, of trying to get the question 'are we all equally human' on the table, the bishops have addressed the issue, they have answered the question. And their answer is -  No. No, we aren't all equally human. Oh, they're asking us to celebrate this historical moment, this time when the Church of England apologises to LGBTQI+ people, this time when it offers some thoughts and prayers for us, this time when the Archbishop of York can shed tears as he recalls a dead gay priest not being able to get married in church and know that it would be different now... But it wouldn't be different now. Because the Bishops' response to LLF (and everything that process brought) is to say - no change in doctrine. That is, ...

So the Church of England Bishops have decided what their 'offering' to General Synod will be - distrust. Following their meeting yesterday, news has leaked of their discussions and this morning the BBC carried this story:  ' BBC News spoke to several bishops present at the meeting who said the Church's teaching that Holy Matrimony is only between one man and one woman would not change and would not be put to a vote. ' It goes on: 'The refusal to propose a vote on allowing same-sex marriage is likely to anger campaigners for change within the Church. And: 'English bishops will recommend that some "prayers for God's blessing" for gay couples in civil marriages be adopted, the BBC expects.' The full detail is due to be released on Friday - but following the BBC story, the  CofE has panicked and issued a place-holding article to try to make this good news.  It begins: 'For the first time, under historic plans outlined today, same-sex couple...