Benjamin John calls out the leaders within the Church of England who are responsible for promoting false teaching by submitting to the gods of the culture rather than the One True God of the Bible
The Archbishop of Canterbury recently commented about his changing views, admitting that he no longer believes the doctrine of the Church of England on sexuality.
A statement published by Lambeth Palace on behalf of the archbishop said:
Archbishop Justin was giving a personal view that reflects the position now held by himself, the Archbishop of York and many other bishops regarding sexual intimacy. He has been honest that his thinking has evolved over the years through much prayer and theological reflection – particularly through the Living in Love and Faith process – and he now holds this view sincerely. It reflects his commitment to continuing to welcome, love and include LGBTQ+ people more fully in the life of the Church.
These comments have rightly been met with a wide backlash from evangelicals in the Church of England. This is an Archbishop leading his people astray. This is an Archbishop saying “Enter through the wide gate to destruction” (Matthew 7:13-14).
But the reality is that Justin Welby and the Bishops have been saying this for years.
The headlines and controversy of the Prayers of Love and Faith has led many to forget the guidance published by the Bishops of the Church of England in 2018.
In 2018, following a motion by the General Synod, the Bishops published guidance on welcoming transgender individuals into churches.
The guidance stated that:
The Church of England welcomes and encourages the unconditional affirmation of trans people
It is important that the occasion should have a celebratory character
For a trans person to be addressed liturgically by the minister for the first time by their chosen name may be a powerful moment in the service
It even had suggested appropriate readings including:
Genesis 17.1–7, 15–17: God changes the name of Sarai to Sarah
Exodus 3.1–15: Moses is called to serve the God named I AM
2 Corinthians 5.14–21: In Christ, there is a new creation
Now for many evangelicals in the Church of England, it was the Prayers of Love and Faith that crossed their red line. I have never quite understood why more was not done about this guidance, other than an open letter being written to the Bishops (of which I was a signatory).
This guidance is wicked. It is leading people astray. It is celebrating people rejecting their bodies and who God made them to be.
By commending this guidance, the Bishops were idolatrously whoring the Church of England to a false god.
Whoredom and idolatry
Now calling this idolatry and whoredom might sound like strong language. But it is what the Bible uses to describe Israel’s apostasy:
And it shall be a tassel for you to look at and remember all the commandments of the Lord, to do them, not to follow after your own heart and your own eyes, which you are inclined to whore after. (Numbers 15:39 ESV)
Yet they did not listen to their judges, for they whored after other gods and bowed down to them. They soon turned aside from the way in which their fathers had walked, who had obeyed the commandments of the Lord, and they did not do so. (Judges 2:17 ESV)
“But you trusted in your beauty and played the whore because of your renown and lavished your whorings on any passerby; your beauty became his. You took some of your garments and made for yourself colourful shrines, and on them played the whore. The like has never been, nor ever shall be. You also took your beautiful jewels of my gold and of my silver, which I had given you, and made for yourself images of men, and with them played the whore… And in all your abominations and your whorings you did not remember the days of your youth, when you were naked and bare, wallowing in your blood (Ezekiel 16:15-18, 22 ESVUK)
They shall eat, but not be satisfied;
they shall play the whore, but not multiply,
because they have forsaken the Lord
to cherish whoredom, wine, and new wine,
which take away the understanding.
My people inquire of a piece of wood,
and their walking staff gives them oracles.
For a spirit of whoredom has led them astray,
and they have left their God to play the whore. (Hosea 4:10-11 ESV)
She saw that for all the adulteries of that faithless one, Israel, I had sent her away with a decree of divorce. Yet her treacherous sister Judah did not fear, but she too went and played the whore. (Jeremiah 3:8 ESV)
The Bible consistently warns against idolatry and describes it as whoring after false gods. This is what the leadership of the Church of England is doing.
The foolishness of idolatry
One of the most famous stories of Israel’s divided affections is Elijah and the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18).
Elijah challenges the prophets of Baal as to whose god will send down fire on their sacrifices. The prophets of Baal cry out to Baal and nothing happens. Elijah pours water all over his sacrifice and then the Lord sends down his fire.
He highlights the foolishness of idolatry and to think there is power in dumb mute idols (v27).In many ways this does demand mockery, but at the same time – this account should waken us up to the self-destructiveness of idolatry.
The self-destructiveness of idolatry
they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” … And they cried aloud and cut themselves after their custom with swords and lances, until the blood gushed out upon them. (1 Kings 18:26a, 28)
All false religions ultimately destroy us. We are promised salvation by the things in the world, but they will never satisfy, they will never deliver. They will never save.
Ultimately, they are works religions. Do this, do that, sacrifice this… and then god will hear you. The prophets cry out to Baal and think he will only listen and answer if they cut themselves. They need to sacrifice themselves in order for their god to act.
Likewise, the transgender idol is destroying broken people, leading them to “cry aloud and cut themselves”. So-called “gender transition surgeries” is just mutilating people’s bodies in what they think is their salvation. And they willingly do this. Those struggling with gender dysphoria genuinely believe their transgender surgeries will save them. They think the new name they choose will save them.
But it is a false god offering a false salvation. Whilst it is glorified in the media, the reality is something else.
There are many stories of detransitioners who are victims of this.
The same for those struggling with homosexuality. The lie says “to be true to yourself – to be fulfilled – you must follow these desires, you must debase yourself and your body.” There is little regard for the self-destructiveness of homosexual sex. Even the NHS guidance on Sex Activities and Risk highlights some of the dangers of engaging in sodomy.
Idolatry promises liberation and freedom but it actually destroys and the irony is that it is self-destructing. The prophets cut themselves. Gender dysphoric people are willingly mutilating their bodies. Our idolatrous society is self-destructing.
The hopelessness of idolatry
There is a sobering verse in this passage.
they took the bull that was given them, and they prepared it and called upon the name of Baal from morning until noon, saying, “O Baal, answer us!” But there was no voice, and no one answered. And they limped around the altar that they had made. …
And as midday passed, they raved on until the time of the offering of the oblation, but there was no voice. No one answered; no one paid attention.
(1 Kings 18:26, 29 ESV)
The devastating thing is this god does not care. Baal lures people away from the truth, into deception and self-destruction and then abandons you. We have marches in the street to the god of pride, waving flags and celebrating depravity, but it is a god that does not listen and does not answer.
Perhaps that is why there is so much pressure for society to celebrate this. They have what they want but deep down they know there is no salvation. Their guilt and shame remain. And to maintain the delusion that these practices are normal and good we must celebrate them. But it is a lie. And our society does know it. It is hopeless.
In our society of sexual chaos there are going to be many, many victims. And the Church needs to be there to point people to the God who heals and saves. Only in Jesus is hope and salvation truly found.
But sadly, instead, the Church of England has compromised with idolatry and is now playing the whore.
The Church of England deserves the Prayers of Love and Faith and the chaos we currently have. We cannot presume God’s blessing for our churches and ministries when our Bishops still haven’t repented for the transgender guidance. Until they repent the best we can expect is for us to continue spiralling in our depravity and for God to hand us over.
A gospel hope
The world is crying out for salvation and rescue. And it has suppressed its shame by turning it into pride. Deep down they know it is wrong.
As Christians we can say that God is the one who defines. He has made us male and female and that is good and to be celebrated. And that will be hard for some people because of the way sin has distorted their desires, but we keep loving and speaking truth into their life, knowing that there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). We know that God is changing us, he does change our desires, he does sanctify us, he does conform us into the image of his son.
The world is like the prophets of Baal, cutting themselves and crying out to a god who does not listen, a god who does not respond, but sadly thinking that he will.
Jim Pocta wrote powerfully:
“I, one who was transgender, one who thought from the age of 5 that God had made a dreadful mistake with my sexual identity, deeply wished I could be like other boys. I tried so hard to fit in but knew I couldn’t. My identity was established in my own mind and its conclusion was that I just couldn’t do what I was designed to do. Telling myself the story about myself wherein I was not really a boy, but was rather a girl functioned for me. Because If I’m not really a boy, I don’t have to give away the gift of my maleness to the world, a matter about which I was deeply insecure and felt inadequate in the first place. This narrative kept me safe!… The average trans woman is actually hungry to be a man. There is a desperate longing to be who they were created to be ontologically. Don’t underestimate just how much someone in these identity categories wants to be brought back into their objective identities. Their deepest longing is that “While I’m acting like I’m in one narrative I’m actually born for another.” Suppressing the Truth is actually knowing it we need to remember.”
We can proclaim this to the world. You do not have to live this lie, your desires do not define you.
The world is hurting and broken, searching for meaning, worshipping idols.
But Jesus says “Come to me, all who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (Matthew 11:28)
We worship the God of Elijah, who provided his own sacrifice in Jesus Christ, sending him to die for us that we may be reconciled to him. We do not need to cut ourselves or mutilate our bodies, or be good enough to be welcomed as sons and daughters of God because he has done it all through his Son. A genuine Christian welcome. That is what the Bishops should be proclaiming. That is the good news for our world.
