Core Issues Trust and members of X-Out-Loud came together in London from the 13th – 15th of November 2023 for the Church of England’s General Synod.
The Church of England Synod is a council of 478 voting members arranged into three Houses – the House of Bishops, the House of Clergy, and the House of Laity.
The Synod was called to discuss how to implement the ‘Prayers of Love and Faith’, as part of the Church of England’s ‘Living in Love and Faith’ course – its futile attempt at keeping harmony within the institution by giving their church leaders the option of going against scripture and undermining the church’s own doctrine to ‘bless’ same-sex relationships.
The amendment was narrowly passed, with the following votes:
• House of Bishops: 23 for, 10 against, 4 abstained
• House of Clergy: 100 for, 93 against, 1 abstained
• House of Laity: 104 for, 100 against, 0 abstained
This means that these prayers are to be trialled in services to bless same-sex couples. In spite of this, the Church of England claims that its doctrine has not been changed by this amendment. Marriage will continue to be between one man and one woman, and marriage shall remain the only acceptable place for sex. If anything, the prayers have undermined the Church’s doctrine, and have only widened the rift between those supporting orthodox values on marriage, sexuality and gender, and liberals.
The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON 2023) which represents 85% of the Anglican Communion of Churches worldwide stated that they have no confidence in Canterbury, severing ties with the Church of England due to their “departures from the authority of God’s Word [which have] torn the fabric of the Communion.” It is safe to say that the Church of England has forgotten scripture and has failed to deal with heresy to the point where the Anglican Church worldwide can no longer bear to regard Canterbury as it once did in high-esteem.
1 Cor 6:9-11 – Do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And this is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.
It was a shock to see scholars such as bible translators completely missing/ignoring this passage, manipulating the perfect Word of God to support their own agenda. The Greek word used for ‘homosexuals’ or ‘men who have sex with men’ is ἀρσενοκοίτης (arsenokoites) is translated literally as ‘men who bed men’ in a similar way to ‘a man who lies with another man’ in Leviticus.
To bring this to their attention, members of X-Out-Loud led by Dr Mike Davidson and Victor Novițchi stood up and recited this verse as the vote passed, provoking the speaker of the Synod to call for a recess.
X-Out-Loud also stood outside Dean’s Yard, Westminster Abbey each day raising awareness of our cause, educating the public, and letting Church of England members who support Judeo-Christian values know that we were, and will always be right behind them.
