That is not a belated acknowledgement of the misery caused to the thousands of Anglicans un-churched by progressive bishops but further homage to a vocal minority whose purpose is to redefine Christianity so that, for them, it legitimises personal preferences.
Living with sex and faith would be a more apt title.
While brotherly love is implied, there is no love in the Church of England House of Bishops for defenders of traditional marriage who strive to uphold the faith as received. Instead the Church of England’s two most senior figures apologise to the comparatively few LGBT+ people for causing them ‘huge damage and hurt’. What of the hurt and damage caused to others? Not a word. Not a care.
It makes no sense.
Archbishop Justin Welby claims that Living in Love and Faith enables us to "explore God's will for the Church". Most Christians thought that was already clear from scripture and tradition.
The Bishop of London, the Rt Revd Sarah Mullally, has been appointed to chair a small “next steps” group of bishops, whose task is to encourage people to use the Living in Love and Faith material and move the Church towards decisions on key matters to do with sexuality.
If they adhered to biblical teaching there would be nothing to discuss so presumably the bishops have already decided on change.
The liberal, feminised Church of England is dying but no effort is spared in satisfying the demands of a handful of people who seek same sex marriage in church when in reality there is little demand for such a monumental change.
The number of opposite-sex couples getting married has fallen to the lowest level in history according to official figures. In 2017, the number of same-sex couples married through religious ceremonies was 43.
Taking a leaf out of the Islamophobia handbook of how to stifle any opinion but their own, gay activist Jayne Ozanne and member of the government’s LGBT Advisory Panel said that while she welcomed the publication of Living in Love and Faith, the Church of England ‘must not excuse or legitimise homophobia in any form’.
Ms Ozanne claims the the Bible's teaching on sexual ethics is homophobic!
The Christian faith has been all but abandoned by C of E bishops.
If they had inherited the faith of our forefathers they would not be seeking to abandon scripture and tradition, something the bishops in the Church of Wales did under the former Archbishop of Wales Barry Morgan, a policy eagerly continued by his successor who promised more of the same but faster.
Church in Wales bishops, desperate to appear relevant to society, have already decided, contrary to members' wishes, that same sex unions are more important than the Word.
But the Church in Wales is virtually dead.
The 2019 Annual Report and Accounts identified a number of significant risks in their 2019 risk register including the following 'most significant' Operational Risks:
Bench parity was achieved in Wales with the appointment of a woman bishop living in a same sex relationship, much to the delight of the LGBT activist bishops of St Davids and Llandaff.
To aid the bishop of Llandaff as she "leads her diocese" and "fulfils her roles in the Church in Wales and beyond" the diocese is currently advertising 'an exciting opportunity' for an Executive Assistant to the bishop with a salary between £28,694 and £32,465 (Grade D) to 'deliver a variety of operational services to support'.
The duties include 'acting as a first point of contact, co-ordinating and supporting meetings, preparing briefings, processing correspondence and arranging logistics to ensure that the work of the Bishop is efficient, effective and responsive to changing requirements'.
Another factotum to add to the 'Organisational structure of the Church in Wales no longer appropriate for the needs of the organisation'.
Postscript [20.11.2020]
"Churches holding to Bible’s teaching on sexual ethics likened to Holocaust deniers and rapists by LGBT activist Jayne Ozanne." - The Christian Institute
