The Church of England Evangelical Council

G26 GAFCON – an Observer’s perspective, writes John Dunnett

CEEC Contributor — Fri, 13 Mar 2026 09:45:32 +0000

I’m drafting these words in Abuja, Nigeria from the G26 GAFCON Conference which I am attending as an Observer. This is the latest in a series of GAFCON gatherings since the first in 2008. Approximately 350 bishops and 120 others travelled from around the globe to be present (despite real travel challenges for some as a result of the US-Israel war on Iran).

What is immediately striking is the warmth of the welcome, the joy of the worship and the clear commitment to the authority of scripture. There is also a tangible graciousness in the way conversations are held and issues explored. At the same time G26 raises questions which need to be addressed if GAFCON is to offer any substantive support for those contending within the Church of England.

Some of the contributors have been outstanding: a video from Rick Warren challenged us to work missionally towards the 2,000th birthday of the church, an address by Michael Oh (CEO Lausanne Movement) reminded us that the bible is not ‘clay in our hands’ but the ‘bedrock under our feet’ and we were offered an insight into how the Lord is building His church in countries where Islam is the dominant faith.

The big news of this gathering is the launch of the Global Anglican Communion (GAC) and a new leadership structure: the Global Anglican Council. This Council replaces the former Primates Council, and now includes clergy and lay members. It also has a new governance ‘model’, in that the chair of the new Council (Archbishop of Rwanda) will exercise leadership without being primes inter pares.

The message from the stage was that GAC is neither a departure from the Communion nor a schism – rather a ‘reordering’ of the Communion from within. In practice, this will be most obvious in a commitment to withdraw from participation in the instruments of Communion (the Lambeth Conference, The Anglican Consultative Council, the Communion Primates and recognition of Canterbury as primes inter pares).

Viewing all of this from the perspective of the Church of England raises various questions.

First, what is not clear is how, and if, the launch of GAC will have a direct impact or relevance for those of us contending within the Church of England (we do however remain grateful for the ongoing commitment of GAFCON to support those contending within the C of E as well as those who have felt compelled to leave).

Second, I noted that the stage was dominated (perhaps even exclusively?) by men. This of course might reflect various cultural sensitivities, but if GAC is to be truly global then this needs to be addressed.

Finally, it continues to remain unclear how GAFCON and GSFA might relate going forwards. It is to be hoped that the launch of GAC will not exacerbate differences between them.

Above all – and despite the questions that the launch of GAC might raise – it is a joy to see so many Anglican bishops meeting with an agenda for gospel mission, biblical authority and the honour of the Lord Jesus.

John Dunnett – Observer at G26

The Abuja Affirmation can be read here

CEEC expresses ‘deep sadness’ at the death of Bishop Andrew Watson of Guildford

CEEC Contributor — Wed, 04 Mar 2026 10:51:44 +0000

On Tuesday 3 March, the Bishop of Dorking, The Rt Reverend Paul Davies, announced the death of The Rt Revd Andrew Watson, Bishop of Guildford. He died peacefully, surrounded by his family.

The news comes less than a month after Bishop Andrew announced that he had been diagnosed with terminal pancreatic cancer. On sharing his bleak prognosis with the wider diocese, he reassured them that he was “cheerfully persisting towards a good death”, and that his “faith in the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting, had only grown stronger”.

Bishop Julian Henderson, President, Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC), said:

“CEEC is deeply saddened by the news of Bishop Andrew Watson’s death.

“We give thanks for the life and ministry of our dear brother, Bishop Andrew, whose faithful service to the life of the Church of England, and to those he ministered to and shepherded, will leave a lasting mark. His leadership was marked by humility, wisdom, and a wholehearted commitment to the gospel of Jesus Christ.

“We pray for Beverly, their children, their friends and the whole diocese as they grieve his loss. We pray that the grace of God may prove sufficient for this time of grief and transition.”

Bishop Andrew was born in 1961 and grew up in Buckinghamshire and Hampshire. Andrew read law at Corpus Christi, Cambridge, returning in 1984 where he took a second degree in Theology whilst training for ordained ministry at Ridley Hall. He was ordained in the Diocese of Worcester in 1987 and served his curacy in Redditch. He subsequently moved to the Diocese of London, serving first in Notting Hill and then as vicar of St Stephen’s Twickenham.

In 2008, Andrew was appointed as Suffragan Bishop of Aston in the Diocese of Birmingham before his translation to Diocesan Bishop of Guildford in 2014.

In recent years, he has been a member of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC).

Bishop Andrew is survived by his wife Beverly, four children and three grandchildren, as well as his mother and three siblings.

You can read the announcement on the Diocese of Guildford website and you can sign an online condolence book here.

Living in Love and Faith brand ‘retired’, but the baton ‘passed on’

CEEC Contributor — Thu, 26 Feb 2026 15:55:14 +0000

The Living in Love and Faith (LLF) cause is still going strong, according to CEEC’s National Director, following the latest General Synod.

Following a five-hour debate of a four-part motion, two new groups will be established which will be chaired by bishops and will be tasked with carrying the LLF work forwards. Both the Archbishop of York and the outgoing programme board made it clear that the cause must continue.

Rev John Dunnett, National Director, CEEC, said:

“It is anticipated that the newly established groups will be pushed very hard by those wanting to pursue change to bring to the General Synod, as quickly as possible, some kind of proposal to amend the canons of the Church of England, so that clergy same-sex marriage will be a possibility.

“It’s also possible that the General Synod will find itself debating a motion, even as early as this July, exploring the proposal that intimate same-sex relationships are entirely compatible with Christian discipleship.”

People Are Coming to Church for the First Time – But What Next? Writes Allen McCluggage, The Word One to One

CEEC Contributor — Tue, 24 Feb 2026 14:03:21 +0000

CEEC recently asked if you’d noticed signs of a ‘quiet revival’ in your own context, and 63% of you said yes. People are coming to church for the first time, curious about Jesus, exploring the Christian faith. But I wonder if, like me, you’ve asked yourself: What next? How can we best help people who are new to Christianity take the next step?

Here are four themes we’ve noticed from our work at The Word One to One.

Helping Everyone Play Their Part

I love this story from a church in Northern Ireland. A woman new to church turns up one Sunday. A chat with the person she sits next to leads on to a coffee, then to the 321 course. Alongside, they read John’s Gospel together. Through friendship,looking at the Bible and getting to know the church family, wonderfully this lady comes to faith and is baptised. I love it because it sounds so ordinary, but God has been at work in an extraordinary way.

We can sometimes forget that the work of ‘making disciples’ isn’t just a job for church leaders. We might expect Ephesians 4 to say that leaders are given to do works of service. But it doesn’t say that. Leaders are given to equip God’s people for works of service, so that the whole body matures in Christ. This means that we are all called to play our part.

What also stands out to me from that story is the believer’s availability. They understood the pathways the church had created for those curious about Jesus and prayerfully chose to walk alongside someone through them.

If we’re church leaders, we can pray for our people to be available like this, with hearts ready to meet others and help them take steps towards Jesus. Resources such as A Passion for Life training videos and materials have proved a valuable way of envisioning and equipping everyday believers for this work.

And we can all ask ourselves the question: “In this season of life, how can I help others come to know and love Jesus?’

Offering Connection

Another thread from that story from Northern Ireland is the importance of relationships. Many who come to church for the first time are not just exploring faith – they are seeking connection. Whether they come back is not often to do with how polished the service is, but whether they are noticed, welcomed and known.

Inviting people into our lives through opening our homes, sharing meals, and making time for a walk or coffee, can feel unremarkable. Yet in an age marked by loneliness, this kind of a connection carries surprising weight. When people not only hear the gospel explained, but see it lived out, following Jesus begins to feel tangible and real.

Blend the Organised and the Organic

Structured evangelistic courses such as Alpha, 321, or Christianity Explored are a great option for churches, offering welcoming spaces for people to ask questions and explore the claims of Christ. But the question often follows: ‘What’s next?’

Often, discipleship flourishes where there is a healthy blend of the organised and the organic.

One natural next step after a course is to open the Bible together. Resources like The Word One to One, available as books or a free app, provide a simple, structured way to read John and Acts 1-to-1 or in small groups. There’s a double benefit. Christians grow in confidence as they read the Bible with others, trusting God to work. And those exploring faith deepen their understanding of Jesus, discover how to read the Bible for themselves, and are gently drawn into the rhythms of church life.

In South Wales, one church invites every newcomer for a coffee and the opportunity to read the Bible. Almost everyone says yes. They’re now preparing for twelve baptisms – and many of these new Christians say reading the Bible with someone was central to their journey to faith. ‘It doesn’t feel like revival,’ the church leader reflects, ‘but it feels a bit like what we see in the book of Acts – share the Word, and the church grows.’

Remember where the power lies

Of course these stories remind us where the real power lies in evangelism and discipleship. It’s not in the strategies we employ, the slickness of a course, or the intellect of the Bible sharer – but in the Spirit of God working through the Bible and His people to bring people to Christ.

In this “quiet revival”, God invites His church to faithful dependence on Him. As we pray, open His Word and invest in others, we can be confident that He will be at work, drawing people to Jesus and making His glory known.

Allen is The Word One to One’s Regional Field Manager in Ireland. Allen joined the team in April 2025 and is based in Belfast.

CEEC’s National Director resigns as Honorary Canon over Prayers of Love and Faith

CEEC Contributor — Tue, 03 Feb 2026 11:37:10 +0000

Reverend John Dunnett, National Director, Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) and chair of the Chelmsford Diocesan Evangelical Network (CDEN) has resigned his title of Honorary Canon in response to the use of the Prayers of Love and Faith at Chelmsford Cathedral.

Chelmsford Cathedral used the controversial Prayers of Love and Faith for the first time in a Sunday service on 16 November 2025. The Prayers of Love and Faith were commended for use in existing services by the House of Bishops in December 2023, although the legal basis and theological case for the Prayers has been repeatedly questioned.

Dunnett’s decision follows a letter sent in late November by CDEN to Bishop Guli and the Cathedral’s Dean, the Very Reverend Dr Jessica Martin, expressing “sadness and profound concern at the decision” to offer Prayers of Love and Faith at the Cathedral.

The letter, signed by more than 150 clergy and lay officers, outlined their concern that “this decision stands at odds with biblical (and Anglican) teaching on marriage and sexual ethics”. The signatories, comprising clergy, wardens, synod representatives and others, from the Diocese of Chelmsford said that the decision taken by the Dean and Chapter “leads us to feeling disenfranchised from the life and worship of the Cathedral” and called on them to reconsider their decision. Dean Jessica replied on 21 January to confirm that the decision will not be reconsidered or reversed.

Dunnett, who was made Honorary Canon by Archbishop Stephen Cottrell, while he was Bishop of Chelmsford, in 2020, explained:

“I have not taken the decision to resign from being an Honorary Canon lightly or enthusiastically. It has been a privilege to have carried this honour over the last few years. However, the Dean and Chapter’s decision to use the Prayers of Love and Faith at Chelmsford Cathedral has alienated many of us who hold to the historic and biblical Anglican doctrine.

“My fundamental objection, which is shared by members of CDEN, is that we believe the Prayers of Love and Faith to be endorsing something that is contrary to the teaching of the bible. We don’t consider that a commendation from the House of Bishops in this matter has any authority if it is at odds with Scripture.

“Because Dean Jessica has indicated that the decision will not be reconsidered, it would be impossible for me to retain the title with integrity.”

Dunnett confirms his ongoing commitment to the life of the wider diocese, as a worshipper and a giver, engaged with synods, and committed to the mission of the church within the diocese.

Can the Church of England bring healing to the nation? Ian Paul writes…

CEEC Contributor — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 11:21:07 +0000

Sarah Mullally, Archbishop of Canterbury elect, gave a new year’s address setting out some priorities for the Church of England. In it, she connected her new role in the Church with her experience of having been in the NHS, including her time as Chief Nurse.

“Good healthcare is incredibly important to me. It goes hand in hand with my Christian faith, inspired by Jesus’ call for us to love and care deeply for one another.”

Sarah makes an important point here – that those who seek to follow the example of Jesus as their Lord are called to serve others as he has served us (John 13.15). Christian proclamation of the good news of Jesus, to repent and believe, has always gone hand in hand with practical caring action.

And holistic care is key to clinical recovery; we are body-soul unities (as Scripture consistently teaches), and our bodies can only heal well in the context of communal care and even spiritual restoration. In fact, attending church is good for you!

And so she cites the ministry of a church in Hackney:

“Here, people from all over the world, from many different backgrounds, experience a warm welcome, a health check-up if they need it – and importantly, the love of Jesus Christ, who showed us how to wash the feet of others.”

They regard social engagement and explicit evangelism as sitting side by side in what they do – so you can find out about their Lighthouse work with the vulnerable or join an Alpha course to explore the Christian faith. Contrary to much negative comment in the C of E, this is typical of many evangelical churches.

Wanting to see people come to faith is not a contradiction to wanting to serve them – and in fact a shrinking church will be able to serve fewer people. We need to say both these things – though some of our leaders appear to baulk from the first, in case it sounds unpopular.

Sarah then extends the metaphor of healing to wider society:

“The role of the Church should be a healing presence in our nation, bringing people together at times of often intense division, caring deeply for those who need our help.”

This is surely vitally true – but it raises four essential issues.

First, the idea that we need less division and more ‘coming together’ in our society is hardly controversial. But does it actually mean anything? The danger here is that we state these truisms not for their content, but for their effect – making the Church sound positive and inoffensive. Jesus warned of the dangers of this (‘Woe to you when everyone speaks well of you…’ Luke 6.26) and thus offers a specific challenge to the established Church: how can we both be part of the structures of the country on the one hand, but say what is unpopular on the other? Unless we do so, we are not being true to him.

Second, as every nurse or doctor knows, an essential part of bringing healing is presenting people with the bad news of their diagnosis. Unless sick people are told their diagnosis and are willing to listen to it and act on it, healing can never happen.

This is precisely the metaphor Jesus uses for his ministry (Luke 5.32). He does not ‘find the truth on the margins’ (as some advocate) or ‘affirm people where they are’, but goes to the margins, tells people they are spiritually sick, and calls them to repent and believe in him. Are we willing to do the same? If not, can we really bring healing?

Third, healing division must surely mean being ready to speak the truth in difficult situations, rather than ‘agreeing to disagree’. Sarah has a good track record on this in her contributions to the assisted dying debate. But will we do the same on other controversial issues—the Church’s own stated opposition to abortion, its belief that marriage is between one man and one woman, ‘according to the teaching of our Lord’, on contested issues around sex identity—and so on?

Finally, I don’t see how the Church of England can claim to be an agent of healing of divisions while its own divisions continue to be unresolved open wounds. On sexuality and marriage, on questions of racial justice, on historic slavery reparations, on a narrow approach to climate change, and even on what the local church is for, and how it might be best resourced, we seem to be deeply divided still.

So I welcome Sarah’s comments for the new year and a new term as Archbishop of Canterbury. And I hope and pray we will face into the necessary issues that need resolving if we are to fulfil this vocation.

Revd Dr Ian Paul, member of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC)

‘Groundhog Day’ as the House of Bishops meet

CEEC Contributor — Thu, 18 Dec 2025 12:19:08 +0000

The House of Bishops met on Tuesday 16 December and discussed the proposals they intend to bring to General Synod in February. The press release issued by the Church of England at the end of the day indicated that the bishops were unable to make any definitive decisions. They have therefore agreed to do some further work between now and January on a letter to the Church summarising Living in Love and Faith and setting out their position.

This meeting followed their previous one in October, where bishops acknowledged the theological and lawful impediments to clergy same sex marriage and standalone services (see our news article).

Rev Canon John Dunnett, National Director, CEEC, said: “Without wishing to sound negative, this rather sounds like an admission of ‘Groundhog Day’. The tectonic divisions caused by LLF continue to rumble through the Church of England. General Synod, Diocesan Synods and parishes are experiencing it – sadly, it is now eroding the collegiality of the House of Bishops and their ability to lead.

“It is hard to imagine that taking more time is going to enable the bishops to square a circle. Our hope and prayer is that the House will have the courage to attempt a different approach – to recognise the depth of division LLF has caused in the church, and either halt the project, or revisit CEEC’s proposals for the creation of differentiated ‘spaces’ within the church that will help secure orthodoxy for the future.”

The House of Bishops will meet again in mid-January to decide on what will be taken to General Synod.

Why the cupboard is bare – Martin Davie writes in response to the reflections by the Dean of St Edmundsbury

CEEC Contributor — Mon, 15 Dec 2025 11:30:33 +0000

It is not my habit to comment on the contents of sermons in this blog. However, the Dean of St Edmundsbury, The Very Reverend Joe Hawes, used his sermon at St Edmundsbury Cathedral last Sunday to comment on the Living in Love and Faith process[1] and it seemed to me to be important not to let the points he made about this subject go unchallenged.

The Dean makes five points in relation to the LLF process, and I shall consider each of them in turn.

The first point he makes is that he feels able to affirm: ‘… with heartfelt certainty, that although I get it wrong pretty regularly and need to hearken to the Baptist’s cry to repent, who I am in my creation, is essentially what God intended. That I am not an aberration, a mistake on God’s part, but, like all of you, a gift from God, and trying in my life, to be a gift back to God through loving service.’

The question that this statement raises is who the Dean thinks God created him to be. If he means that his creation as a male human being made in the image and likeness of God is willed by God and is ‘very good’ (Genesis 1:31), I don’t think that there is anybody in the Church of England, even those who the Dean calls ‘hard line fundamentalists,’ who would disagree with him.

If, however, what the Dean means is that he was created by God to be a gay man then there would be many who would rightly disagree with him. This because, to quote Sean Doherty (who is himself same-sex attracted) describing his own realisation about how God had made him: ‘God did not create straight women, straight men, gay women and gay men. God created two sexes, with the capacity to relate to one another sexually.’ [2]

This truth is taught in the creation accounts in Genesis 1 and 2 and, as Paul notes in Romans 1:26-27, it is also taught by nature in the sense that the observation of human biology teaches us that human beings have bodies that are designed to engage into the kind of ‘one flesh’ sexual union with a member of the opposite sex that has the capacity to produce offspring.

In the light of this truth the Pauline teaching that same-sex sexual attraction and the same-sex sexual activity that results from it are a result of the Fall makes perfect sense. If human beings are created to have sex with members of the opposite sex, it follows that desires and actions that are contrary to this must be seen not as a reflection of God’s original creative intention, but as a result of the distortion of the created order consequent upon demonic and human rebellion against God.

The second point the Dean makes is that: ‘I, as a consequence of believing myself NOT to be an aberration, claim access to the deep and ancient wisdom about human relationships which scripture, tradition and sacrament teach us is marriage. The exclusive, faithful, lifelong journey which we believe is reflected in God’s covenantal relationship with us and Christ’s relationship with the Church.’

If what the Dean means here is that as a male human being, he should have the possibility of entering marriage with someone of the opposite sex, again no one would disagree with him. However, in context what he means is that as a gay person he can rightly claim access to marriage with a person of his own sex.

This argument is problematic, because as the Dean is surely aware, what ‘scripture, tradition and sacrament’ universally tell us is that marriage has been created by God as a relationship between a man and a woman, and not between two men or two women. In the words of Darrin Belousek in his study Marriage, Scripture and the Church:

‘Scripture, consistently, presents a single picture of marriage and approves a single pattern of sexual relations: male- female union. Jesus summarizes this witness: ‘the two’ of ‘male and female’ joined into ‘one flesh.’ The Holy Spirit has woven this pattern of holy union throughout Scripture, from Genesis to Revelation, in the form, function, and figure of marriage. Tradition, East and West, also has consistently taught a single standard of sex and marriage: marriage is man-woman monogamy; all sex outside man-woman monogamy is sin. This doctrine has been taught always by the church, beginning with the apostles’ testimony to Jesus teaching; It has been proclaimed throughout the worldwide church, among all people in every place and epoch, as God’s will for sex and marriage; it has been articulated by apologetic writings and theological treatises, transmitted through baptismal catechesis and canonical discipline, celebrated in monastic vows and nuptial rites.’ [3]

What this means is that someone who calls a same-sex relationship ‘marriage’ is not acting in accordance with the ‘deep and ancient wisdom’ offered by Scripture and the Church universal but is instead rejecting that wisdom.

If we ask why the Dean thinks that this wisdom should be rejected, the answer is that he holds that the result of the belief that marriage can only be between people of the opposite sex is that ‘gay clergy have been condemned to lives of loneliness, self-denial and self-loathing.’ The problem with this argument is that there are innumerable counter examples of same-sex attracted people (both clergy and lay people) who have lived in the light of the Church’s traditional teaching, either as people who are single (and sexually abstinent), or as those married to members of the opposite sex, and whose lives have not been marked by ‘loneliness, self-denial and self-loathing’ as a result.[4] The evidence shows that the claim of inevitable misery which the Dean makes is simply untrue.

The third point the Dean makes is that there is nothing ‘life giving, holy and good’ about the compromise that has resulted from the LLF process in which only limited forms of blessing (not including weddings) are allowed for same-sex relationships, and in which those in same-sex sexual relationships are not allowed to be ordained.

Those who accept the traditional Christian wisdom concerning marriage and sexual ethics would agree with the Dean that the compromise which has allowed blessings but not marriages is neither life giving, nor holy, nor good. However, from their perspective this is because if, as Scripture and tradition have always taught ‘all sex outside man-woman monogamy is sin’ then any blessing of a same-sex sexual relationship (whatever form this takes) is necessarily wrong for the simple reason that you cannot rightly ask God to bless sin.

The current compromise is wrong not because, as the Dean thinks, the Church of England should have permitted same-sex marriages to be solemnised, but because it has permitted the blessing of that which Scripture and tradition teach is contrary to the will of God. It is not that the Church of England has not yet gone far enough, but that it has already gone too far.

On the issue of the prohibition of the ordination of those in same-sex sexual relationships, what the Dean fails to recognise is that this also follows on from the traditional Christian wisdom concerning marriage and sexual ethics. The simple point here is that, to quote the 1662 Ordinal, the clergy are called to provide ‘wholesome examples and patterns to the flock of Christ.’ Those who are living lives of unrepentant sexual sin cannot provide such examples and patterns and therefore they cannot rightly be ordained. This necessarily excludes those in sexually active same sex relationships from ordination because ‘all sex outside man-woman monogamy is sin.’

The fourth point the Dean makes is that:

‘The Jesus I encounter in Scripture is one whose teaching and practice challenged tradition, treated women, gentiles, the excluded, with compassion and respect. I find nothing inconsistent with his teaching and practice and the full inclusion for which so many long, and towards which in this regard, the Church seems unable to make progress.’

On this point the Dean is right to says the testimony of the gospels is that Jesus’ ‘teaching and practice challenged tradition’ and that he ‘treated women, gentiles, the excluded, with compassion and respect.’ However, what he fails to recognise is that testimony of the gospels regarding Jesus’ teaching about the continuing validity of the Torah, including its prohibition of homosexual activity as an ‘abomination’ in Leviticus 18:22 and 20:13 (Matthew 5:17-20), and about what makes people unclean in the eyes of God (Mark 7:14-22/Matthew 15:10-20) precludes the idea that Jesus accepted same-sex sexual relationships.

In the words of Michael Brown:

‘Jesus spoke very clearly not only in reaffirming the standards of sexual morality taught in the Torah, but also in stating decisively that all sexual acts outside of marriage are defiling and sinful, to be listed side by side with evil thoughts, murder, theft, false witness, and slander, among others.’ [5]

Furthermore, in his teaching on marriage and divorce in Matthew 19:3-12 and Mark 10:2-12 Jesus reiterates the teaching of Genesis 1 and 2 that the God who made human beings male and female ordained marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman (‘a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife’ – Matthew 19:5).

Taken together this gospel evidence makes it clear that we cannot appeal to Jesus in support of same-sex sexual relationships or same-sex marriages (which is what the Dean means by ‘full inclusion’), since we would be going against his recorded teaching.

The fifth and final point the Dean makes is that:

‘… although it is true that the Church which marries the spirit of the age will end up a widow, I find myself increasingly wondering about how the Church of England can still claim to speak for a nation which has made leaps and bounds towards the inclusion and celebration of its gay and lesbian citizens, while remaining demonstrably institutionally discriminatory against them.’

The question raised by this statement is whether it is the job of the Church of England to ‘speak for the nation’ in the sense of giving expression to its values and convictions. Surely this depends on the extent to which these values and convictions align with the will of God? If this is not the case, as with current British acceptance of same-sex relationships, then the Church’s role has to be to declare that this is the case and call the nation back to obedience to God and it cannot do this if its own teaching and practice have become compromised by listening to the world rather than to God.

In summary, what we have seen is the each of the five points made by the Dean are unpersuasive and that they therefore do not provide a basis for continuing further with the LLF process in the New Year.

This fact is important because from a liberal perspective what the Dean says in his sermon is not idiosyncratic. As anyone who has followed the debate about sexual ethics in the Church of England will be aware, the five points the Dean makes are the key points that liberals in general have been making throughout the LLF process and in the decades leading up to it. What the Dean is offering in his sermon is the basic liberal argument for the Church of England continuing the LLF process until it reaches the point of unreserved acceptance and affirmation of gay and lesbian relationships and same-sex marriages. However, as we have seen, the argument does not hold water. The cupboard is bare. The emperor has no clothes.

This being the case, when the House of Bishops meet next Tuesday [16 December] the decision that they should rationally make is that the LLF process should be brought to an end and should be replaced instead by an initiative to promote the understanding and acceptance of traditional Christian sexual ethics across the Church of England and to support the important work being undertaken by Living Out and the True Freedom Trust to help those with same-sex attraction to discover the joy and fulfilment which come from living as obedient disciples of Jesus Christ.

[1] Nic Tall, ‘Dean of St Edmundsbury Speaks Out on LGBT+ Inclusion,’ at: https://togethercofe.org.uk/dean of-st-edmundsbury-speaks-out-on-lgbt-inclusion/.

[2] Sean Doherty, The Only Ways is Ethics – Part 1 :Sex and Marriage (Milton Keynes: Authentic, 2015), p.10.

[3] Darrin Belousek, Marriage, Scripture and the Church (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2021), KindleEdition, p.284.

[4] See, for example, Doherty, Ch.1, Rosaria Butterfield, The secret thoughts of an unlikely convert (Pittsburgh: Crown and Covenant, 2014) and Ed Shaw (ed), A Better Love (Epsom: Good Book Company, 2025).

[5] Michael Brown, Can you be Gay and Christian? (Lake Mary: Front Line, 2014), p.132.

You can read this blog and others by Martin Davie here.

CEEC launches daily Advent Reflections campaign

CEEC Contributor — Thu, 04 Dec 2025 11:53:58 +0000

The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) has unveiled its first-ever Advent Reflections series, offering daily inspiration in the countdown to Christmas.

Across the 24 days leading up to Christmas, CEEC will share a verse, a thought, and an image or animation, culminating in a special message on Christmas Day.

The campaign is being shared widely on Facebook, Instagram, and X, inviting people to pause, reflect, and reconnect with what is at the heart of Christmas.

“This Christmas, we wanted to create something that speaks directly to our mission and values – sharing the good news of Jesus with all. The Advent Reflections campaign is one way in which CEEC can help do that, by reaching those online with a message of hope this Christmas”, said Rev Canon John Dunnett, National Director, CEEC.

Four CofE vicars highlight why their churches are turning to the Ephesian Fund

CEEC Contributor — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 09:59:44 +0000

The Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) has released four short films promoting the Ephesian Fund, featuring vicars from churches across the country, which have chosen to channel their financial giving through the initiative.

Launched in November 2023, the Ephesian Fund was created in response to the House of Bishops’ decision to depart from the Church’s historic and biblical teaching on marriage and sexual ethics, and to commend the Prayers of Love and Faith. The fund enables churches and individuals to direct their giving, including parish share, towards ministries that affirm an orthodox evangelical understanding of Christian doctrine.

The new films tell the stories of four churches that have opted to use the Ephesian Fund. They feature:
• Revd Madi Simpson, leading a church in a small market town in Cumbria
• Revd Santhosh Thomas, vicar of a young church in Wimbledon
• Revd Sally Baily, vicar of a multicultural congregation in West London
• Revd Ian Somasundram, serving a church in the North-East.

Speaking about the Ephesian Fund, Revd Canon John Dunnett, CEEC’s National Director and a Patron of the Ephesian Fund, said:
“The key thing we want churches to know is that the Ephesian Fund can work for any church in any context, and we hope these new films help to demonstrate that. Our hope and prayer is that the Ephesian Fund will give churches and individuals confidence that their giving is supporting orthodox evangelical ministry and advancing the gospel. We want to support churches who want to give in good conscience, and we believe the Ephesian Fund will help them do so.”

All churches and ministries receiving money from the Ephesian Fund must endorse the Ephesian Fund Basis of Faith.

To watch the films, please click here. For more information, please visit the Ephesian Fund website.