UK Evangelicals unsettled as Church of England announces near-future “decision” on same-sex marriage doctrine

by Karen Faulkner, Worthy News Correspondent

(Worthy News) –
The Church of England (CofE) has promised a “decision-making” process on sexuality doctrine, which may result in its approval of same-sex marriage by 2022, CBN News reports. The CofE Evangelical Council has said it will engage with the process but has warned of the need for obedience to Scripture.

In 2016, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the CofE’s most senior bishop, publicly apologized to the LGBT community for the pain the Church has caused them. At a press conference following a summit of Anglican leaders, Justin Welby said: “It’s a constant source of deep sadness that people are persecuted for their sexuality. I want to take this opportunity personally to say how sorry I am for the hurt and pain, in the past and present, that the church has caused and the love that we at times completely failed to show, and still do, in many parts of the world including in this country.”

Concerning forthcoming decisions on sexuality doctrine, the president of the Church of England Evangelical Council, the Rt. Rev. Julian Henderson, Bishop of Blackburn, emphasized: “While discussions about these issues are always welcome, the key question is not one of church procedure but whether we think that the teaching of Scripture is right. So we will engage, but this is actually about obedience to Scripture.”

In reaching out to those who have worries the CofE may be headed in a wrong direction, Henderson affirmed: “To all those in the Church of England who are unsettled by suggestions that the Church might decide, in the future, to depart from historic orthodoxy, we say: ‘We will uphold what Christians have always believed through history and what the overwhelming majority of Christians globally still believe.’” Henderson added: “These are not matters on which we can simply agree to differ, for reasons the New Testament makes clear.”

Following discussions on the issues, Church bishops will present their ideas to the CofE General Synod, which will make any final decisions, CBN News reports.

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