'Restoring Hope to the Church' was the title of a recent Anglican national initiative featuring church leaders and parishes engaging with their communities. However, hope for the Church of England rests in whether it will turn away from the liberal agenda that has dominated it for so many years to the gospel agenda outlined in the Bible.
There is great hope coming from the mainly orthodox and growing Anglican Communion which appears determined to exercise biblical discipline on the New Westminister decision to allow same-sex blessings and the New Hampshire decision to appoint the first gay Bishop, Gene Robinson. Manchester Cathedral has been caught up in this crisis by agreeing to host a service in October for the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement.
In early September the Cathedral and Bishop's Senior Staff decided to withdraw permission for this service to go ahead. Their concern, expressed in their statement about withdrawing permission for the LGCM service, was based on pragmatism rather than principle. It was done because of fear of rocking the boat, given the emergency meeting of Primates in October with Rowan Williams. It said:
