Has the glory departed from the Church of England?

A great tragedy has befallen the Church of England, whose Synod (parliament) has just completed a session in the ancient city of York. It could well be argued that, as a result of decisions made there, the lights have gone out and the glory has departed.

Having already conveyed mixed messages on sexual ethics and failed to rule out ‘marriage’ for same-sex couples, the body has now voted to provide special services designed to mark a person’s gender transition. And the Archbishop of York has effectively rejected the authority of the Bible.

When a motion called for politicians to “prioritise the common good of all people”, synod member Andrea Williams proposed an amendment inserting the words “as revealed in the Bible and taught by the church”.

She spoke of the need for the Bible to inform our understanding of the common good and proposed a further amendment calling for the protection of life, the promotion of marriage and family and the maintenance of Christian freedoms.

Bishop John Sentamu. See Photo Credits.But both amendments were rejected, with Archbishop of York John Sentamu replying: "If you’re going to serve the whole community, please don’t limit our language…The Word became flesh and sadly we are now making it Word, Word and Word again. Resist the amendments."¹

Conforming to the World

In an interview with Premier Radio, Andrea said it was “unkind – not gracious – to leave people in their sin,” adding that the Church had merely reflected the world and its standards by ingratiating herself to man’s demands, which of course flies in the face of St Paul’s teaching against being conformed to the world’s pattern of thinking (Rom 12:2).

She said she was “so upset at the lack of witness to the truth, beauty and glory of the gospel,” which was a message of healing, hope and transformation, adding that “Jesus welcomes us just as we are, but doesn’t leave us where we are.”

She said it was possible that the Church of England’s mission to the nation had been irreparably damaged, and that it was “absolutely shocking” that the Archbishops had failed to give a lead on the subject.²

Andrea Williams' amendment recognising the authority of the Bible was rejected.

Indeed, we are urged by Jude, Jesus’ half-brother, “to contend for the faith that was once for all entrusted to God’s holy people” (Jude 3). As Sam Gordon puts it in his new book, Cuckoos in the Nest (Christian Year Publications), “It is the written Word of God that he is focusing on. It is the truth of God, penned by men of God, under the control and illumination of the Spirit of God, for all the people of God.”

He goes on: “This truth has not been thought up by a handful of people sitting in a committee room…it has come from God. It is the good news that the holy God has revealed and made known to man…It has come from heaven.”

The Glory Has Departed

Andrea had earlier reminded the Synod of how, 64 years ago, the Queen had assented to a Coronation Oath acknowledging the Bible as “the most valuable thing that this world affords”. Clearly, its value has significantly diminished among today’s bishops.

However, most of the world’s 70 million Anglicans neither live, nor worship, in England – and the Synod’s latest suicide pact is unlikely to bring the whole house down because most of our African brothers, for whom many British missionaries gave their lives, will have no truck with it. And despite the diabolical vote, neither will a significant minority of C of E clergymen.

It is possible that the Church of England’s mission to the nation has been irreparably damaged.

One of them, a vicar known to me, told of a harrowing experience which conveyed to him that the lights had gone out in the Church of England, and the glory of the Lord had departed.

“At the very time the transgender vote was being passed, I was leading communion and in the middle of the consecration prayer when an altar candle went out. And it was in a glass container, so it was not blown out by a breeze.

“At the next service at another of my churches, when I was talking about the state of the nation, I noticed that none of the altar candles had been lit, which was highly unusual as the person in charge is so vigilant – and worse still, I saw petals and leaves from a large display of flowers suddenly fall to the floor!³ I was so overwhelmed that I cried and, at that moment, the Lord said to me, ‘Ichabod – the glory of the Lord has departed!’

“In 1 Samuel 4.21, the boy Ichabod was so-called because he was born after the capture of the Ark of God by the Philistines. In the same way, it would seem, God’s presence has left an institution whose leaders have denied his glory and his unchanging word.”

A Profound History…But What Future?

Jesus warned the early Christians at Ephesus that he would remove their lamp-stand if they did not recover their first love for him (Rev 2:5), and conveyed dire warnings of intense suffering to those in the church at Thyatira who tolerated teaching which leads to sexual immorality (Rev 2:20).

Far from being merely the result of Henry VIII’s pique at the Pope’s refusal to grant him a divorce, the C of E was largely a product of the Protestant Reformation – as can be attested by its thoroughly biblical ‘39 Articles’. As such, she has served this country – and indeed the world at large – with great distinction.

Christianity across the globe has been profoundly shaped by figures such as John Wesley, William Wilberforce, Bishop J C Ryle and John Stott, and the Church’s sons and daughters have taken the Gospel to the ends of the earth.

Historically, the C of E has served the world with great distinction – but a light has undoubtedly been snuffed out.

I owe a great debt to my own Anglican background, which was steeped in a biblical liturgy that proved a strong foundation when I finally put my personal trust in Christ. At All Souls, Langham Place, in London’s West End I was thoroughly grounded in the scriptures and even now I am proud to be associated with the Church’s Ministry among Jewish people, an Anglican society dedicated to the spiritual re-birth of Israel.

But a light has undoubtedly been snuffed out, and maybe God is calling those who refuse to bow the knee to Baal to “come out from among them”? As St Paul asks in this context, “What fellowship can light have with darkness?” (2 Cor 6:14-17).

References

1 Christian Concern, 7 July 2017.

2 Premier Christian Radio, 10 July 2017.

3 “The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.” (Isa 40:8)

'On Rock or Sand? Firm Foundations for Britain’s Future', edited by Bishop John Sentamu (SPCK, 2015, 258 pages, £9.99).

This essay collection features several members of the various symposia called by the Archbishop of York over the past four years to assess the effects of the recent economic crisis and the challenges facing the nation in areas such as welfare, education, poverty, health and work.

It examines the underlying values of our society and looks for hope amidst the shock and confusion caused by the shaking of our financial and political systems. How firm are our foundations today, and what can be done to make them more stable for the future?

Some of the contributors are well known, others less so, but all are experts in their fields, both as academics and practitioners. The Archbishop’s website offers background information on the authors and their work, but the book provides more depth.

Each chapter contains plenty of analysis with an abundance of facts and figures. For some, this might be heavy going and can be skimmed over to gain the general gist, but by the end of each section there are always principles affirmed and practical approaches suggested, clearly set out and theologically based.

Judeo-Christian values have historically been the lifeblood of the nation but in recent times the body has been bleeding profusely. It is now pale and weakened. A new infusion is required. Solutions to our nation’s ills are sought within the teachings of Jesus and a Christian vision for society based upon the value and well-being of individuals. Too often this has been defined in narrow economic terms. Rather, it is argued, we need a better understanding of real wealth and what it means for everyone in society to flourish.

"Judeo-Christian values have historically been the lifeblood of the nation but in recent times the body has been bleeding profusely."

Perhaps most thought-provoking is the section on ageing. Is living longer a blessing or burden? How does society respond to a greater life expectancy and value those of extreme old age? We are encouraged to look upon the elderly in terms of our own personal futures. One day we will be them. This challenges us to also put ourselves in the shoes of others we may not usually associate with - the poor, underprivileged, those out of work or seriously ill.

Overall, the book advocates a role for the Christian faith in all aspects of the nation’s life. Politics and politicians alone cannot piece together a shattered society. The Church must have a public role. At the very least it should hold up a mirror to society and show what it has become. But before the Church can earn the right to be heard it must demonstrate a clear understanding of what is needed.

"Sentamu suggests that, like the Old Testament prophets, it is essential for religion to speak truth to power"

As Sentamu suggests, like the Old Testament prophets it is essential for religion to speak truth to power (p6). The work of the symposia as outlined in this book provides the necessary clarity to discern what is sand and what is rock, as Britain decides what kind of future it wants to build. In an election year, here is a thoughtful contribution to the democratic debate.