EFCW statement in response to the recent statement by the Bishop of St Asaph at Governing Body

 

The bishop of St Asaph addressing Governing Body         Source: CT/CinW

Statement from the Evangelical Fellowship in the Church in Wales:

At the recent Governing Body meeting the Bishop of St Asaph made reference to EFCW and previous communications with the Bench of Bishop’s in his answer to a question on Conversion Therapy. His answer can be found here or in the Church Times here. Our response is printed below.

The original 2021 letter to the Bench of Bishops (with their original statement appended) and subsequent correspondence which were referenced are linked underneath.

We regret the interpretation put upon the EFCW letter of June 2021 to the Bench of Bishops in the Bishop of St Asaph’s response to Question 1 at the recent September meeting of the Church in Wales Governing Body. This letter was written to the Bench in good faith, as part of an ongoing dialogue, and we are saddened that reference was made to it in a situation that did not allow a right of reply or clarification before the Governing Body, and in its subsequent publication and distribution. We wish to rebut the implication that EFCW (wittingly or unwittingly) endorses conversion therapy.

EFCW does not, and never has, promoted coercive or abusive practices. Nor do we promote or encourage “practices in which pressure is brought upon vulnerable LGBTQIA persons to submit to efforts aimed at the conversion of their sexuality including attempted exorcisms and worse”, which we also agree are abhorrent.

As evangelical Anglicans we uphold the authority of Scripture over every aspect of our lives, as detailed in Articles 6, 7, 19 and 20.  We are concerned that reducing the role of the Church to one simply of “welcome, acceptance and friendship” as the Bishop of St Asaph indicates, without the freedom to discuss the whole Canon of Scripture, or its application to daily life, would undermine the holistic pastoral care and discipleship journeys of those in our congregations. 

We would also wish to have protections allowing prayer to take place with people, at their request, in the way the Bishop of St. Asaph suggests, namely “that God’s grace can be operative in the situation, and that a person would know God’s guidance and blessing, without a defined outcome”.

Full details here.

GB question and Bishop Gregory's answer in 'Highlights' (Session Two).

No laughing matter

Archbishop Barry Morgan with Joanna Penberthy at her consecration.                                                                                               Source: ITV/Church in Wales

From ITV 21 January 2017 

Fateful words:

"This is an historic occasion for the Church in Wales, as well as a being hugely significant moment for Canon Joanna. It is marvellous that it is possible for us to appoint women, as well as men, to all three Orders of ministry and to regard that as now being the norm. What matters is not gender, but suitability, character, gifts - and that was why Joanna was elected as Bishop."
Dr Barry Morgan, Archbishop of Wales

"Suitability, character, gifts - that was why Joanna was elected as Bishop."

Those words must be ringing in the ears of anyone who really cares about the Church in Wales as their spiritual home. It is no longer a laughing matter. 

Once again the 'mushroom method' of management is being employed by the bench. Consequently worshippers remain in the dark regarding events in St Davids diocese as they were in the diocese of Monmouth which led to the departure of bishop Richard Pain. 

In St Davids diocese the bishop should have resigned in June after her position became untenable but there is no indication of an acceptable resolution for those she has offended, just extended sick notes.

In June senior clerics in St Davids diocese issued a statement: "Bishop Joanna is unwell and, on the advice of her doctor, will be away from work for the next month." The period of sick leave has been gradually extended. This time beyond the dates of the diocesan conference. On the advice of her doctor, bishop Joanna Penberthy will be away from work until the middle of October. 

The September 2021 edition of Pobl Dewi has been published without a prayer for the bishop. Perhaps that says something in itself!

A comment on a previous entry indicates that congregations and giving in the diocese are shrinking as a result of bishop Penberthy's tweets which caused offense to so many.

There is now a wider problem for the Church in Wales. In a statement reported in Christian Today, the Evangelical Fellowship in the Church in Wales (EFCW) claimed that there have been and will be "resignations from clergy, lay readers, worship leaders, church wardens, Sunday school teachers and parishioners. A number have withdrawn their regular giving to their churches." 

The EFCW had been consulting their members and were calling for the appointment of a bishop to "give voice" to those who believe in the traditional Christian teaching on marriage and sexual morality. 

Some hope given the treatment of traditionalists who were left with no pastoral or sacramental oversight after archbishop Morgan achieved his revisionist goals.

Offending worshippers appears to be all that the bench of bishops is capable of. 

They have treated loyal worshippers like pew fodder as they rail-rolled their zeitgeist legislation through Governing Body, the latest of which is to permit same-sex blessings.

The consequences are already looking dire.