Churches Weekly Newsletter, 1 May 2022
The Church of England’s Living in Love and Faith course was offered as a Lent series in the Bowland and Ewecross Deanery, hosted by Settle Parish Church and led by me and Revd Sue McWhinney. The aim of the course is to encourage listening and discussion around the issues of relationships, sexuality and marriage.
Approximately 25 people from across the Deanery attended some or all of the six sessions, representing a broad range of life experiences and perspectives on the issues. Throughout the course we shared in break-out groups often with people previously unknown to each other, which brought together people of differing points of view. Despite sometimes sharp contrasts in perspectives, gladly a spirit of open engagement and tolerance of others was evident throughout, with ‘good listening’ being an underlying aim of Living in Love and Faith and the Church of England’s ‘Pastoral Principles’ which underpin it.
As one person said at the end of the course, ‘An interesting group of people attended, so we had some quite complex conversations’. Another said that it was ‘very helpful’ to be able to talk in a non-judgemental setting’, and another, ‘it was good to have the opportunity to be open about these issues in a safe space - the first time I have felt it appropriate to do so in 30 years’.
The sessions were based around video presentations which enabled worship and reflection, discussion of issues and bible studies. For many who took part, the ‘story videos’ were the most engaging part of the course, and at times challenging. These consisted of individuals or couples talking about their lives and relationships, often expressing challenges they’d encountered in the interface between their faith and church involvement and their sexuality, gender, or marital status.
As the course progressed it became evident that for most people who took part, their core beliefs about these issues may not have been much altered, but their understanding of other viewpoints was helped by hearing people’s life stories and how their experiences had shaped their beliefs.
Thus, whilst our experience of the course represents a growing openness to dialogue within the Church of England it also shows that we continue being far from achieving any unity of thinking on sexuality and same-sex marriage. Two responses at the end of our course illustrate this. One person said, ‘The Church needs to look beyond the bible and listen to people of different sexuality more’ whilst another affirmed that ‘The bible is our sole authority and is very clear on these issues.’ Some will agree with one or other of these statements whilst it is likely that others find ourselves somewhere inbetween them on a spectrum of perspectives.
Is unity of thinking on sexuality and same-sex marriage attainable within the Church of England? Our Deanery’s experience of Living in Love and Faith suggests that whilst perhaps the majority can ‘agree to disagree’ peaceably on these issues, ultimately as a Church we will continue to disagree. Some even feel this tension within ourselves. As one person said, ‘At the end of the course I felt in a dilemma: great sympathy for those same sex attracted and those wanting to be the opposite sex, and yet no peace should the Church follow society and ‘marry’ same sex couples.’
We have reported our ‘feedback’ on the course to Bishop Helen-Ann (who is leading our Diocesan engagement with Living in Love and Faith) and this will contribute to further discussions at General Synod level informing eventual decisions in the Church about same-sex marriage.
Of the experience of having shared in a Deanery-wide Lent course, the general consensus among those attending was that it had been good and worth considering repeating. Any ideas for next year?
Recent Comments