Ian Paul

Ian Paul is a theologian, writer and speaker. Associate Minister at St Nic's, Nottingham and Honorary Lecturer at the University of Nottingham. Mac user and chocoholic. Ian Paul on Google+

The Bishops on LLF: how good a diagnosis of our pain?

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Summary: the statement from the House of Bishops is much as anticipated in terms of drawing the LLF process to a close with none of the further promised changes being introduced but putting a new process in place to report to Synod sometime between February 2027 and July 2028. There is therefore much here to encourage those committed to current teaching and practice in contrast to most statements in the last three years or more.

But there are also concerns about the statement. These relate to the lack of pastoral provision and the possible restarting of a new process with similar goals albeit now following due process. More seriously, the statement makes starkly clear the depth of pain and division the LLF process has now produced across the whole church and particularly for gay, lesbian and same-sex attracted Christians whatever their convictions. However, in its account of unity and disagreement the statement fails to offer anywhere near an adequate analysis of why this disagreement has caused so much pain and ended as it has done.

There is also little evidence that the House collectively has a sufficiently clear sense of its episcopal responsibilities and how to exercise them better in future in the light of what has happened and where we now are. This means major concerns must remain that we are still some way from avoiding a repeat of the difficulties of the last three years when the bishops bring something back again to the new Synod to be elected this summer.

Andrew Goddard writes: After the House of Bishops met yesterday (14th January 2026), it issued an important statement on Living in Love and Faith (LLF) in the form of a 9-page, 41 paragraph “letter” which had the support of 35 bishops, 1 dissenter and 4 abstaining. This vote signals what the letter refers to as “a high degree of consensus” as evidenced in the accompanying press release with extensive quotations from the Archbishop of York and the bishops of Winchester, Sheffield, Chelmsford, Blackburn and Oxford (but none from the Archbishop of Canterbury-designate).

How John the Baptist points us to Jesus in John 1

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For the Second Sunday of Epiphany in Year A, the readings are 1 Corinthians 1.1–9 and John 1.29–42. You can find the video discussion of the epistle here and posted at the end of the article, and the video discussion of the gospel reading here and also posted below. Here is my written commentary on John 1.

One of my favourite films of recent years is Arrival. It begins with a prologue which appears to be quite distinct from the rest of the narrative, but it is only once you have seen the whole film that you understand what the prologue was actually telling you. The phrases, ideas and narrative in the prologue only make sense with the benefit of hindsight, and when you watch it a second time you keep saying ‘Ah, now I understand why that was included!’

The beginning of John’s gospel functions in the same kind of way. This Sunday’s lectionary reading for Epiphany 2 in Year A continues the seasonal theme of the manifestation of Jesus, often in veiled and allusive ways, in the gospel reading from John 1.29–42. The passage is full of suggestions, anticipations and allusions which only gain their full meaning in the complete narrative of the gospel.

Time is an important theme in the Fourth Gospel, and shares with many other aspects of the narrative a double meaning, both literal and symbolic. Thus Nicodemus comes to Jesus in the evening in chapter 3, and his spiritual sight is dim, whilst the woman at the well in chapter 4 comes at noon, and she can see perfectly clearly who Jesus is. The timing of the last meal with the disciples means that Jesus is sacrificed at the time of the Passover lambs, and Judas leaves the meal ‘at night’ (13.30) in the darkness of his rejection and betrayal of Jesus. In this episode, it is the ‘next day’ from the interrogation by the Jerusalem party in the previous verses—but counting the days on makes the miracle at Cana occur on the seventh day in the gospel’s counting (‘next day’ John 1.35, ‘the next day’ John 1.43, ‘on the third day’ John 2.1), a day of rest and feasting when the glory of Jesus is first revealed. This is the beginning of a new creation (compare 2 Cor 5.17).

Running on empty in the PLF journey?

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The following article by Andrew Goddard provides a historical overview and critique of the Church of England’s protracted and divisive struggle to implement the Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF) for same-sex couples. It argues that despite years of debate and shifting promises, the House of Bishops has largely failed to find a consensus, ultimately … Continue Reading