Less than a dozen Anglican Churches in the Church of England are considering a “new synod.” A few churches who oppose marriage equality will be meeting to discuss aligning with other anti-LGBT churches around the communion.
Ruth Gledhill writes in Christian Today (not the same as Christianity Today) reports:
Nearly a dozen evangelical churches in the Church of England that oppose gay marriage are to align themselves with the world’s leading conservative Anglican coalition.
About 12 parishes from three counties in the south of England are meeting this week to show support for the Jerusalem Statement, the statement of faith drawn up by the worldwide Global Anglican Future Conference, or Gafcon.
The meeting will be hosted by Rev Peter Sanlon, Vicar of St Mark’s, Tunbridge Wells in the Rochester diocese. They will discuss the possibility of a new Anglican synod to be set up if the Church of England moves towards formalising same-sex blessings or gay marriage, according to the Telegraph.
The Guardian has the story here.
Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, the Rev Dr Peter Sanlon, vicar of St Mark’s in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, said a split in the Church of England was a real prospect if its leaders continue to “water down” teaching on issues such as homosexuality.
Representatives of almost a dozen congregations are due to gather in Tunbridge Wells this week to discuss how they will uphold traditional teaching. They have no immediate plan to break away from the church but are forming “embryonic” structures in case the church continues to move in what they consider to be a liberal direction.