What's happening with the Church of England?

That's a good letter.
I do wish the CofE would remember that it all goes wrong when they forget their theology.

Lots of conversation about covid rules and such, and it really struck me very forcefully, what a lot of unimaginative rule-followers they all were. And very much in terms of follow what good progressives think, of course that's the only reasonable political position, etc.

If you want some rebellious ideas, the CofE is not the church to attend these days. (Maybe it never was, but there was a time when they produced some good thinkers,)

I was reading about this today, let me find the link.

here you go

viewfromthecrowsnest.net/2021/05/16/dr-bernard-randall-and-the-moral-bankruptcy-of-the-cofe-leadership/

The CofE is a broad church, but the upper levels have been captured by the Woke Brigade. Where I go is a prime example. I'm just waiting for them to mention 'cis women' in a sermon so I can walk out.

This is the letter (with at least 2000 signatures, many/most of them clergy) which raised opposition to the new service of affirmation for someone’s new gender, back in January 2019:

www.responsetohob.co.uk/

Does anyone know whether anyone else in the Church of England has spoken up on trans activism (either for or against)?

There was a letter opposing the new service that was signed by a number of ministers, it was made public as I checked whether my local vicar had signed. I can’t remember where it was published though.

The employer is the school, as he’s a school chaplain. Most likely it’s a condition of his employment that he holds a licence from the bishop, but the church will neither be paying nor employing him.

That’s true of most chaplains in secular institutions. Parish priests/vicars etc are a bit different: they’re considered ‘office holders’ not employees in law and they get a ‘statement of particulars’ not a contract. What this means legally is all a bit fuzzy but in general they have both more autonomy and fewer employment rights than an employee would. They generally have their pay etc sorted out by the diocese.

soundcloud.com/the-critic-magazine/should-the-government-ban-gay

This was an interesting discussion to listen to about 'conversion therapy' (although not directly related to CofE policy)

That's appalling Justhadathought.

The Bishop of Liverpool was in the council chamber a few years ago when the then mayor of the city, Joe Anderson, ranted and raved at the invited speaker, on the subject of single sex toilets. He sat with the trans activists, and stood to applaud the abusive rant, as did the rest of the council.

I was actually shocked. No signs of trying to remain neutral and open to both set of guests. Not al all.

For what it's worth, I am 100% for same sex marriage (and wish the CofE would change their standpoint on this but they won't anytime soon) but have to be incredibly careful what I say on gender identity

I suspect that there many of AGP's within the older C of E community, this is why. those who have been cross dressing for decades, and now emboldened, yer still want to retain their cultural and social capital via the anglican church

The C OF E has stopped being an inspirational, faith based community, and has become a woke political commentator.

Sympathy to SchoolChaplain, and Bernard Randell and everyone else caught up in this mess. It's bad enough for anyone at risk of losing their job, being shunned by their friends and threatened by zealots etc. But how much worse when the church you love and trust turns against you.

Our local parish has a transwoman curate. I’ve stopped going and probably won’t go back again now. I grew up going to very high church C of E girls’ schools and getting lectured by male chaplains preaching to school halls of girls; we even had one who gave sermons about how he opposed female ordination and as for lesbianism....beyond the pale! Turning up for a service at the local parish to find a middle aged transwoman sermonising took me right back to those days. No female C of E vicar or chaplain I’ve ever heard has quite that kind of tone. It’s difficult to abandon decades of male privilege and male style in public speaking, I guess. As a bi woman who’s very aware of how women still struggle in the church (maternity leave anyone?) and how homophobic it still is, it sticks in the craw a bit that suddenly they’re all for the kind of woman who isn’t really a woman.

The church has gone woke under Justin Wellby. There's a new project called Living in Love and Faith, aimed at getting people to discuss "identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage". Note which is first. From what I've read so far, there is an assumption that we all accept the idea of gender identity, it's coming very much from the "be kind" angle and there's no hint in the book that anyone might question it.

I just can't understand how the CofE could support these ideas - surely to accept transgenderism is to say that God sometimes gets it wrong?

Premier Christianity have published the full text of the chaplains sermon:

www.premierchristianity.com/opinion/i-was-accused-of-being-a-terrorist-read-the-sermon-that-school-chaplain-claims-lost-him-his-job/4335.article

I've name changed for this post as there can't be that many of us in the UK so it's a bit outing and I don't want it linked to my other posts.
I'm a school chaplain. We have been warned by church leaders to be very careful what we say on the back of this case.
For what it's worth, I am 100% for same sex marriage (and wish the CofE would change their standpoint on this but they won't anytime soon) but have to be incredibly careful what I say on gender identity.
I think I could be more open on my views on gender idealogy if I were in parish, but the schools (including church schools) have all been stonewalled.
It seems so strange that my views on same sex marriage are too liberal for the CofE to officially accept, but I'm deemed unacceptably conservative and bigoted for believing that there is a difference between sex and gender and that sex is fixed.

Can't find the twitter stuff- maybe someone else can... The conservatives for women site has an article about it too...

www.conservativesforwomen.org/women-in-the-church-of-england-whistleblow-about-gender-ideology

I know a female vicar and she says one of her friends wrote to the safeguarding bishop about forced speech, safeguarding children and caring for the families of male transitioners who had experienced domestic abuse and was told to 'be kind' to the transitoners (no concern for women and children affected).

@StillFemale
There was something on twitter from some CofE female clergy objecting to the guidance (now in use) as they said it was coercive control and a safeguarding risk when the church has such a history of male clergy abusing children, will try and find it

My C of E vicar has preached on this subject. He is very vocal that God created people either male or female.

The CofE is (forgive me) a very broad church.ministers vary enormously in what they believe in and teach.

Jayne Ozanne has been very vocal.

The CoE had a proposal for some sort of renaming ceremony for trans people a couple of years ago, there was some unexpected push back from clergy and members so I think idea was shelved - more here www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jan/29/church-england-plan-welcoming-trans-people-under-fire-clergy-lay-members-bishops-withdraw-guidance
There’s clearly elements within the CoE pushing the trans agenda, (including it seems D Hayton). It’s unclear how high that goes.