Appointing gay bishop 'risks splitting Church'

Monday, 5 July 2010

A leading conservative Anglican has warned the Church of England could split if an openly gay man is appointed Bishop of Southwark.

Dr Jeffrey John, the Dean of St Albans, is said to be among a number of clergy nominated for the post.

His supporters say Dr John is the right man for the job in a liberal diocese.

But traditionalist Canon Chris Sugden said his appointment would lose the allegiance of orthodox parishes and clergy. the rest

New row set to split Church of England as Cameron pledges support for openly gay cleric

My guess is that Jeffrey John will become the C of E's first openly gay bishop – with David Cameron's support -Damian Thompson

Urgent Call for Prayer from Anglican Mainstream
Reports in the press over the weekend indicate the urgent need for prayer with regard to the nomination of a new Bishop of Southwark. They follow earlier reports about the timing of the proposed changes to the Church of England’s discipline with regard to divorce being driven by the need to consider a particular candidate for Southwark. These reports are speculative but they remind us of the supreme importance of prayer over such appointments, and especially at the moment for the members of the Crown Nominations Commission (CNC) who choose the names to go forward to the Prime Minister and HM the Queen. It has been reported that the CNC is meeting today and tomorrow (5 and 6 July) to consider the Southwark nomination. Please pray, and encourage others to pray too, that the Holy Spirit will so control the meeting of the Commission that the person chosen is a godly person whose life and doctrine is fully in accord with the Church of England’s teaching and formularies, which means most of all in accord with the teaching of Holy Scripture. Pray also for the clergy and people of the Diocese of Southwark.

The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy:

For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own likings, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander into myths. As for you, always be steady, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfil your ministry [2 Timothy 4:3-5, RSV]

And may the Lord have mercy on His church.