There are disagreements within the people of God.
There are disagreements about same-sex relationships and about the Christian understanding of marriage. There are disagreements about gender identity.
There are disagreements nationally and, doubtless, there will be some within our own congregation. If there are not, we would not be being honest.
We want to be a church which has good news to bring to everyone in society on matters of identity sexuality, relationships and marriage.
LLF aims to help us address areas of ignorance. We want to be faithful to Scripture and listen to those who have different perspectives. LLF wants us to approach it in the following four ways
- We will need to acknowledge prejudice and love unconditionally.
- We will need to admit hypocrisy. When it comes to sexuality, we are all weak, fallible and in need of the grace of God.
- We will learn to be vulnerable.
- We will listen to others, and not to attempt to control them. It is the Spirit of God who brings about transformation in our thinking.
The Church in the USA tore itself apart some years ago on these issues. My cousin is a vicar in the USA and for some years his church, along with others, severed its links with their Bishops and their diocese. It was a dreadful time. Can we handle our disagreements better?
The authors of LLF have an extensive and in-depth understanding of the Bible. Its teaching really matters to them. They write: “The Bible holds a central place in our accounts of how we hear the voice of God.” They also have a great love of people. If we are to think Christianly about these subjects, both have to be at the top of our priority list.
We will engage with the course in the autumn, along with the other churches of the diocese. There is a wide range of digital resources, including films and podcasts. I hope you will be willing to be part of this difficult journey.