Thursday, 13 February 2014
General Synod: Pilling Report
The audio recording of the final session on Wednesday dealing with the Pilling report is now available here.
The official report of the session says:
HUMAN SEXUALITY: REPORT FROM THE HOUSE OF BISHOPS’ WORKING GROUP (GS 1929) AND NEXT STEPS
Sir Joseph Pilling made a presentation to the Synod on the report from the House of Bishops’ Working Group (GS 1929).
The Bishop of Sheffield, Steven Croft, then spoke to the Synod about the process on the basis of the report.
Synod then asked questions to the process, which were answered by Bishop Steven Croft and Sir Joseph Pilling.
Earlier, on Monday, a number of other Questions relating to the report were answered by Bishop Steven Croft.
Answers given will be transcribed from the Monday afternoon audio recording soon.
Posted by Simon Sarmiento on Thursday, 13 February 2014
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The audio Report of the Wednesday Afternoon session of the General Synod of the Church of England, via the link above, is really worth being listened to. In accessing this short written report from Simon Sarmiento’s excellent summary of the proceedings, I intend to append, below, my own comments that I submitted to Simon’s ‘Thinking Anglicans’ Report – once they have been published – if they are! (probably tomorrow, N.Z. time)
Father Ron Smith, Christchurch, New Zealand
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Here is my comment, as posted on the ‘Thinking Anglicans’ site: – Quote:-
“A very heartening and sensitive recorded session of the G.S. on Wednesday afternoon!
“Sir Joseph Pilling was appropriately apologetic about his own apparent lack of expertise on the question of the dynamics involved, but was to be congratulated for having chaired a significant series of Commission meetings that, with its recommendation for facilitated conversation, both nationally and in the dioceses, will undoubtedly enhance the prospect of a more caring attitude in the C. of E. towards LGBT people.
“The Bishop OF Sheffield and Sir Joseph answered questions quite skilfully, with assurances that LGBT couples in monogamous relationships will be invited to take part in ongoing discussions.
“The request for input by acknowledged Biblical scholars (made by a Kings College Professor) was responded to with the assurance that this will be facilitated as, and where, possible.
“It was refreshing to hear one questioner admit to the fact that he was a gay priest, not committed to celibacy, asking whether he would be able to be heard in facilitated conversations without fear of being ostracised for being open. He was applauded by the Synod! The response by the Bishop of Sheffield was one of gratitude that the question was able to be raised, and the bishop’s hope was that there would be no intimidation of those clergy who were willing to be open about their own situation.
“This is an immense leap forward from the climate of enforced hypocrisy that had been evident in earlier attempts to identify clergy responses to the issue of homosexuality as it has been dealt with in the Church. ” – unquote
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