ET Editor: In light of my recent editorial, The Anglican rot set in long ago, and other articles I have written which called for all faithful evangelicals to come out of the Church of England, my friend Revd Dr Richard Turnbull asked whether he could respond. Here is what he has to say...
The Anglican rot began a long time ago. As an Anglican minister, formerly the head of an evangelical Church of England training college (Wycliffe Hall), I can vouch for the veracity of the Evangelical Times editorial. As debates around human sexuality come to the fore once again it is rather like dancing a waltz, zigzagging across the dance floor, from one direction to another. Sometimes in the Church of England the more liberal position seems dominant, on other occasions, the more conservative.
The House of Bishops of the Church of England is roughly 80-20 in favour of the blessing of same-sex unions, the House of Clergy and the House of Laity, approximately 50-50 with some hope that they would block further progress. There two fundamental problems which this scenario disguises. The first is that God cannot be divided. The Lord of heaven and earth does not divide 50-50 on any matter of faith or doctrine. The second, is that is raises the very nature of a church. If a church ceases to preach and proclaim the pure gospel then does it constitute a church at all?
