Justin Welby should resign

Justin Welby's position is now untenable.

This week, the Archbishop of Canterbury rode roughshod over two millennia of established Christian theology to declare boldly, indeed recklessly, that sex could take place with his happy approval 'within a committed relationship' --- whether marriage or a civil partnership, gay or straight.

You can read his words here: ‘What the Archbishop of York and I, and the bishops, by a majority, by no means unanimous – and the church is deeply split over this – where we’ve come to is to say that all sexual activity should be within a committed relationship and whether it’s straight or gay. In other words, we’re not giving up on the idea that sex is within marriage or civil partnership.’ (See the story here).

Not the CofE's position

The first problem here is that this is not, in fact, the official position of the Church of England. A belated statement from Lambeth Palace - and the significant delay in issuing it perhaps indicates some consternation and mayhem behind the scenes - claimed Justin Welby was 'giving a personal view that reflects the position now held by himself, the Archbishop of York and many other bishops regarding sexual intimacy' but that 'his answer does not indicate a changing of teaching from the House of Bishops...' Indeed, as recently as December 2023, CofE pastoral guidance said that marriage was ‘a lifelong covenant between one man and one woman,’ and that ‘it is within marriage that sexual intimacy finds its proper place.’ This point has been made at greater length elsewhere by theologian Andrew Goddard.

Clear departure from Scripture and global orthodoxy

The second and far more serious problem is that, as we have indicated above, his off-the-cuff personal doctrinal innovations are a clear departure from the teaching of Scripture as understood and upheld by Christians of all denominations for the last 2,000 years.

That orthodox view continues to be the position of the overwhelming majority of Anglicans globally. It also remains the view of evangelical Christianity worldwide, not to mention Eastern Orthodoxy and Roman Catholicism. (And that includes the current Pope, who despite emphasising the need to welcome gay and lesbian people has nonetheless been clear that gay sex is 'a sin').

A betrayal of faithful, celibate LGBT people

Thirdly, Justin Welby betrays the many faithful celibate lesbian and gay people who have and are seeking to live lives in accordance with Scripture. Their voices - so consistently ignored by the Church of England in so many ways - must once again be heard loud and clear by Justin Welby and by all bishops, and en stands firmly alongside them to support and encourage them in what must seem a very discouraging and disheartening moment.

An absurd statement

Finally, his statement that 'conservative' believers (ie orthodox Anglicans) have 'a full and undoubted place in the Church of England' is absurd.

Of course they do - and the fact that he even needs to say such words reveals the surreal state he and other Bishops seem to have dreamt themselves into. At the same time, what weight can be given to his words when the House of Bishops has actually done its best to shut its ears to the concerns of such Anglicans?

This is despite their number in the Church of England. As the latest letter from the Alliance, the umbrella group representing CofE orthodoxy says, it continues to grow as a movement, and now has '2,360 clergy whose churches currently represent 42% of the Church of England’s average Sunday attendance and 53% of all under eighteen-year-olds within the Church of England.' It spans New Wine, the HTB Network, the Church of England Evangelical Council, Living Out, Renew, Church Society, 200 orthodox ordinands and numerous other groups and individuals.

Yet, as that same letter makes clear, the views of the Alliance are not being listened to. The Archbishop's words (which many will quite understandably find patronising and condescending) about a 'full and undoubted place in the Church of England' are scarcely mirrored by his actions and those of other bishops.

What a truly lamentable and sorry state of affairs. And it is grievous and heart-breaking to say that much of it is the direct responsibility of Justin Welby.

He should resign.