Responding to today’s publication of the Church of England’s Charter for Relationships, Sex and Health Education, Andrea Minichiello Williams (General Synod member and chief executive of Christian Concern) comments:
“The Church of England has a God-given opportunity and responsibility to set the culture of its schools in line with the teaching of God found in the Bible. But instead, it consistently capitulates to the spirit of the age as, for example, expressed in statute by the Equality Act.
“This charter fails to protect teachers, governors and children who wish to state and uphold the Church’s own teaching on marriage and family.
“It also represents a missed opportunity to bring the good news of God’s purposes and pattern for human relationships to the confused and toxic environment in which the one million children they are responsible for are having to grow up.
“Bizarrely, the document starts by selectively quoting two verses of scripture that would radically undermine the position it goes on to state.
“Genesis 1:27 is first quoted: ‘So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them’ but the document omits ‘male and female he created them’ – a truth at the heart of the transgender debate raging in our schools and society.
“Then John 10:10 is quoted: ‘I have come in order that you might have life—life in all its fullness’ without citing the first half of the verse: ‘The thief comes only in order to steal, kill, and destroy.’ This refers to teachers who lead God’s people away from the truth.
“In this exact parable, Jesus’ message is abundantly clear: there is only one truth, to be found in him. His warning is stark to a church that would lead little ones astray – even using language of death and destruction.
“Surely it should not be difficult for the Church to boldly stand with Jesus and his teaching that is stark yet loving, liberating and life-giving. This is the firm foundation on which all education in our nation was once built.”