Thinking about your Anglican future?

In October 2021, this blog predicted that the bishops would bring proposals for same-sex blessings to General Synod in February 2023 – and that they would do it without a two-thirds vote of Synod. It was a call to pray and prepare.

The CEEC have worked hard to rally the troops, first to stop and then to find a ‘settlement’ in this theological quandry. In recent months they have been joined by others, forming ‘The Alliance’ whose recent letter has caused so much uproar.

Many, including Dr Martin Davie, have worked hard to set out the biblical teaching and doctrinal basis for the orthodox position. Rev Dr Andrew Goddard and Rev Ian Paul (see here) have worked tirelessly to set our the twists and turns of the synodical process and to challenge the bishops lack of transparency.

But now this day has come, it is not surprising that many are asking – “What now?”
Over the past two years, Anglican Futures has done its best to help every orthodox Anglican, wherever they are at and whatever their circumstances, prepare for this inevitable moment. To that end, and with a lot of help, Anglican Futures has been scoping out the territory and the feasability of different options for different people.
For some that will be the status quo, for others it will mean preparing to leave for one of the dioceses of the Anglican Network in Europe, or another denomination, and for others it could be anything in-between.

In short there are five options:
• Remain in the Church of England and rely on informal networks for fellowship
• Remain in the Church of England, rely on informal networks for fellowship and engage in some ‘irregular’ acts
• Remain in the Church of England and make use of the Pastoral Reassurance – delegated episcopal ministry offered by orthodox bishops
• Leave the Church of England and join another Anglican jurisdiction
• Leave the Church of England and join another denomination

These options are summarised in the downloadable table below, and this blog offers more detail on each option.

What are the Options

One thing is certain, while orthodox Anglicans may be united in their theological convictions, they will not all be of one mind as to what to do and when. One of the earliest Anglican Futures blogs “Of Frogs and Fish” was a plea to recognise the place of conscience and context in the decisions people make. Tensions may be high, but our godliness will be seen, not in the decisions we make, but in the way we speak about and treat those who choose differently.

How does the Church of England work?

Before looking at the pros and cons of different options it is worth stepping back to think about why the decisions of General Synod matter to the local congregation. This requires a working knowledge of the ‘connectivity of the Church of England’.

Some suggest that the incumbent of a local church can separate themselves and their parish from the spiritual influence of their diocesan bishop. Anglican ecclesiology, however, is clear that the diocesan bishop shares in the ministry of the local parish church and the clergy, whatever the church might say. The semi-independent approach that some Church of England parishes have taken in the past has been identified as a safeguarding risk , which along with the rather novel interpretation of the bishop as the focus of unity, reduces the likelihood of informal separation working in the future.

Similarly, using words like ‘impaired communion’ involves ripping the words from their original context and robbing them of any meaning. In ecumenical dialogue ‘impaired communion’ was a step forward in the relationship between, for example, the Roman Catholic Church and the Church of England. It was a means of recognising that though there were still important doctrinal disagreements it was possible to recognise one another as fellow Christians. It is by definition an agreed position between two bodies. For an individual or parish unilaterally to declare themselves to be in ‘impaired communion’ with another individual or church body, cannot hold the same weight of meaning. As the Bishop of London pointed out during the November 2023 General Synod:

“For some, the simple fact that I have led this process has meant that they see me no longer in communion with them. I want to assure them that I still believe that we are in communion with one another and, whilst I may no longer be invited to eat at their table, they will always be welcome at mine.”

So why can’t we just swop bishops?

It’s an obvious question. Many of the suggestions that have been put forward for structural provision (creating a new diocese or province) within the Church of England rely on the possibility of transferring the episcopal oversight for a parish, or member of the clergy, from one bishop to another.

The problem is that these questions were raised in the debates surrounding the introduction of women to the episcopate. The majority of options were considered and rejected. Anglican Futures explored why in three blogs:
1. “But we can have alternative episcopal oversight” (diocesan solution)
2. A Unicorn made of Fairy Dust (provincial solution)
3. Relying on overseas bishops
So, if it is not possible to isolate yourself from your diocesan bishop or swop your bishop, what options are left?

Option 1: Remain in the Church of England and rely on informal networks for fellowship

This has been the default option for many in the Church of England. Decades of episcopal neglect have led to the formation of numerous ‘informal’ networks, which offer pastoral and spiritual encouragement.

Lay people and clergy have looked to Diocesan Evangelical Fellowships, New Wine, Anglican Essentials Wales, ReNew, Church Society, HTB leaders, and numerous other networks for inspiration and leadership. Clergy have supported one another through accountability groups or by seeking a spiritual director.

Some of the pros and cons of this approach can be found in two blogs:
1. We are agreed we need to stay
2. My vicar wants to leave but I want to stay
3. Is the end nigh?

Option 2: Remain in the Church of England, rely on informal networks for fellowship and engage in some ‘irregular’ acts

The Alliance have recently announced they will create a ‘defacto parallel province’.

In Guarding the Good Deposit, CEEC said a provincial solution was needed “to maintain a community within the Church of England that will continue to uphold to apostolic teaching and practice in relation to sexuality into the long-term future.” Other options would, they said, leave ‘apostolic Anglicans without their, “own province with their own archbishops and bishops and with their own legal statutes and canons. Instead they would exist ‘by gracious permission only’ and in a place that could easily be challenged in the law courts. Moreover, they would be operating within provincial and diocesan structures that over the coming years might well become increasingly hostile to the apostolic community.”
The bishops have refused any form of transferred episcopal oversight and so CEEC/ The Alliance are now looking to provide some informal arrangements that will mimic some elements of a province.

Any parish or member of the clergy joining the ‘defacto parallel province’ remains under the authority of the diocesan bishop and is therefore bound by the laws and canons of the Church of England. Similarly, the CEEC ‘overseers’ will offer pastoral care and spiritual guidance to parishes and clergy, but they too remain under the authority of the diocesan bishop and bound by the laws and canons of the Church of England.

These issues, and others, are explored in the blog:
Parallel Province or Paper Province?

The CEEC have set up the Ephesians Fund, which appears to be designed to leverage the wealth of the orthodox to persuade bishops and dioceses not to move forward with the Prayers of Love and Faith or to provide a provincial solution.

Anglican Futures has set out some of the problems with this approach in two blogs:
1. “We can bankrupt the diocese”
2. Do we really want to inherit the family silver?

Option 3: Remain in the Church of England and make use of the Pastoral Reassurance – delegated episcopal ministry offered by orthodox bishops

The most recent form of ‘Pastoral Reassurance’ from the House of Bishops offered delegated episcopal oversight to parishes who do not share the theological convictions of their diocesan bishop. Bishop Martin Snow told General Synod not to ignore, “how significant that is. As bishops, even to contemplate the thought of having to, in some sense, having to pass care over to others is huge – please don’t take that lightly in any way at all.”

The pros and cons of such an arrangement are explored in this blog:
How reassuring is the PLF Pastoral Reassurance?

The Church of England is not the first part of the Anglican Communion to introduce same-sex blessings. In some, ‘societies’ or ‘communities’ have been formed to offer more formal support within the church. It is possible that evangelicals could create a recognised Society or Community to create a ‘space’ based on this delegated episcopal oversight,

The relative safety of a Society

The inherent problem of the ‘society’ model is that there is an implicit acceptance of the validity of the heterodox position. For this reason CEEC have always been clear that delegated episcopal oversight is not sufficient.
In an attempt to create greater separation, without the need for the Church of England to actually admit the blessing of same-sex blessings puts them outside the bounds of apostolic teaching, Anglican Futures suggested a legally based structure, NoGeoDoCE (A non-geographical diocese in the Church of England) for the orthodox to consider. It would enable parishes to temporarily transfer episcopal oversight, without permanently re-ordering the church. The details of the that suggestion can be found here:

NoGeoDoCE – In search of “Formal Structural Pastoral Provision”

While, most orthodox Anglicans long for structures that express the depth of the disagreement it is unlikely that the bishops will offer more. The Bishop of Leicester, Martin Snow told Synod, that while, “My desire is that such people should have a place within the Church of England, um, but inevitably if that’s to be the case there will have to be some shift from an understanding that says, ‘We cannot simply agree to disagree’.”

What if we choose to leave?

The first thing to say is that a ‘parish’ cannot leave the Church of England, even if all the clergy and all the congregation choose to walk out the door. The ‘parish’ is an entity in and of itself and just as it is unaffected by a vicar retiring or a number of families leaving. It continues to exist just the same and the assests must remain with it.

So, leaving requires a new church to be ‘planted’, with all the practical and theological implications of that.

Option 4: Leave the Church of England and join another Anglican jurisdiction

It is possible for a group of laity, with or without an ordained minister, to remain connected to the vast majority of the Anglican Communion through the Anglican Network in Europe (ANiE). ANiE is considered a proto-province by Gafcon and is an Associate Member of the Global South Fellowship of Anglicans (GSFA). It is currently made up of three dioceses, with about ninety congregations between them.

The Anglican Convocation Europe (ACE) – provides a home for all historic orthodox biblical confessional Anglicans, regardless of churchmanship, whether egalitarian or complementarian, by expressing gospel generosity within the bounds of the Jerusalem Declaration.

The Anglican Missionary Congregations (AMC) – a missionary body of Orthodox, Evangelical and Pentecostal Anglicans, which grew from a single Nigerian diaspora congregation in Manchester.

The Anglican Mission in England (AMiE) – a diocese committed to starting and strengthening churches for the salvation of many and the glory of God. They are complementarian by conviction.

There are smaller Anglican options to consider, for example, the Free Church of England and the Church of England (Continuing).

Planting is not simple, there is no enormous pot of money but as Archbishop Glenn Davies, who is leading the Diocese of the Southern Cross in Australia, said last week:

“There is a real enthusiasm and an enthusiasm to see church planting. Now, we’ve got no money, we don’t own any buildings, but that’s what the first century was all about too. You realise the church buildings didn’t come until the second century. I tell my people you’ve got to wait at least half a century before you get a building, unless the Lord blesses you with some resources to do so.”

These two blogs consider some of the issues involved with leaving:
1. I’m not sure I can stay
2. We are agreed we need to leave

Option 5: Leave the Church of England and join another denomination

Many lay people have chosen to leave their local parish church and find refuge in whatever bible-believing, gospel proclaiming church they can find in their local area. Some clergy are doing the same.

A change of denomination may represent a change in ecclesiology. Some Anglicans have realised their understanding of the church is actually more Presbyterian or Free Church, others have turned to the Roman Catholic Church or one of the Orthodox Churches. Joining another denomination can involve re-ordination or re-baptism, with all that that entails, so such decisions cannot be taken lightly.

Many laity are making a more pragmatic decision and while they are grateful for an orthodox place to worship, they are waiting and praying for an ANiE church to be planted in their area.

Has “the day” come?

There is no doubt that Monday’s vote was a significant moment. For some it will be ‘the’ moment. For others the bishops’ decision to repurpose the baptismal vows to mark gender transition for example was their moment and still others will find that the moment is still to come.

The only certainty is that the next twenty years will be messy. Whether you believe the end is nigh or you are convinced that the Church of England is ‘the church’ in England so should not be left, Anglican Futures is here to offer support to all clergy and laity as they navigate that mess.

One of the things that makes it so difficult to make decisions about the future is that it is rare for the clergy and congregation to all be on the same page at the same time. In a series of blogs, called “I’m just a lay person”, Anglican Futures set out some of the reasons people have different perspectives. While written from a lay perspective, they may also be helpful for clergy.

1. Understanding different perspectives
2. Calling and conscience

If you have questions or concerns please email susie@anglicanfutures.org or sign up to join the virtual Coffee Room or one of the Close to the Edge gatherings. Anglican Futures also run residential in-person gatherings, On the Edge, for those wanting to think further about these matters.

END

Thinking about your Anglican future?

ANGLICAN FUTURES
July 16, 2024

The Alliance described last Monday’s vote to endorse standalone services of blessing for same-sex couples as “a decisive moment”; the Church of England’s Evangelical Council chose to call it “a milestone”.

It is a day the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) knew could come.
In 2017, having discussed the issues at their Council meeting, CEEC published Guarding the Good Deposit – setting out very clearly the reasons why visible differentiation would be needed in the event of such a service being introduced and the different options structural options that might be possible. It is still well worth reading.

It is a day that Anglican Futures said would come.