Prayers, Process, and Powers: B2 or not B2, that is the question (Part 1)

Andrew Goddard writes: As the Report of the House of Commons Privileges Committee makes clear, beneath the high drama of Boris Johnson’s recent resignation as an MP there lie important questions of principle about procedure and power. These can get lost in the soap opera focus on personalities but they are crucial. When there are questions … Continue Reading

Prayers, Process, and Powers: B2 or not B2, that is the question—summary

Andrew Goddard writes: The proposed Prayers of Love and Faith, once finalised, will need to be given an official status and made available for use in the church by some particular legal route. The options for this (full texts available here) are laid out in Canons B2 (authorisation by General Synod), B4 (authorisation by Convocation, Archbishops, … Continue Reading

Facing our Disagreements on Living in Love and Faith

Andrew Goddard writes:  in the first of three articles, I highlighted the challenges that now face the post-LLF process in ‘squaring the circle’ of different commitments made in our understanding of blessing, the nature of marriage, and our agreed sexual ethic. In this second one, I explore the question of our disagreements and what might … Continue Reading

Can we square the Living in Love and Faith circle?

Andrew Goddard writes: In his recent critical profile of Archbishop Justin Welby, Giles Fraser recalls interviewing him in 2012 when he wrote of the then Bishop of Durham whose name was becoming prominent as a likely successor to Rowan Williams, On the subject of women bishops he speaks of the need to square the circle, reconciling … Continue Reading

What are the bishops claiming about marriage?

Summary: By setting out what the bishops (and their legal advisors) are now claiming about marriage in our society, this article argues that there are significant changes in their account which have not been clearly explained or defended. It traces how the church has viewed marriage in society generally through history and summarises how the … Continue Reading