‘Why do bishops want to capitulate to culture?’

6 February 2023

This week, the Church of England’s General Synod will be discussing the bishops’ proposals to introduce new blessings for people in same-sex relationships.

Our Head of Public Policy, Tim Dieppe, spoke to BBC Radio Kent about what makes these proposals so troubling: “I don’t think anybody is [very happy with what the bishops have proposed]. It’s so obviously a compromise between two positions. The official teaching of the church remains clear: the official teaching is that marriage is between a man and a woman and that sexual relationships are reserved for marriage. That’s clear and has been the same for 2000 years or so – and Jewish morality was exactly the same. It’s always been counter-cultural, so why the bishops are worrying about trying to capitulate to culture, who knows? It’s been much more counter-cultural than today. And the bishops are proposing this silly idea that we go and bless things that we know are not what God wants.”

But what about the argument that the gospel is just all about love? “It is about love – and acceptance, and welcoming and forgiveness – but it’s also about purity and holiness and living as best we can according to the ways that God has for us. Yes, we love everybody, but that doesn’t mean we can marry everybody,” says Tim. The Bible – both the Old and New Testaments – make very clear that homosexuality is wrong; “We need to stick with what it says and what has always been the best grounds for human flourishing.”

6 February 2023
BBC Radio Kent

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