by Andrew Goddard, Fulcrum
When those with power seek to pass legislation explicitly contradicting church teaching and thus face strong and united opposition from denominations across the Christian church, one tactic is to seek out one or two Christian leaders who are happy to disown their church’s teaching in order to provide support for the views of the political elite. It is, therefore, no surprise that Lord Alli of Norbury, in the week before the Marriage Bill is debated in the House of Lords, should seek out a bishop who might be willing to contradict the Church of England’s clear, consistent and critical voice, a voice which will doubtless be raised by bishops and others during the Lords‘ debate.
It is also, in one sense, no surprise that Lord Alli should turn to the Bishop of Salisbury given he has previously expressed his support for same-sex marriage. The tensions that intervention caused in the diocese and with partners in Sudan had, however, led him to reaffirm his commitment to “supporting marriage as it is currently understood”. It was therefore far from certain Lord Alli would get the response he sought. He was, however, supplied with a short two-page statement in the form of a letter, quickly made public, including on the diocesan website. This sets out “why I am sympathetic to the possibility of equal marriage and have a different view from that stated in the Church of England’s response to the Equal Civil Marriage consultation”. Unfortunately for Lord Alli, the statement is flawed in almost every area it addresses and so simply confirms the weakness of the Bishop of Salisbury’s case.
Its main weaknesses relate to five central areas in the debate: history, theology, theological method, the character of human sexuality, and logic.






Vinay Samuel and Chris Sugden
by Peter Mullen, CEN
By Michael Gryboski , Christian Post
From Gospel Coalition
by Peter Saunders, CMF
By Fr Alexander Lucie-Smith, Catholic Herald
By Peter Saunders, CMF
By Rob Schwarzwalder
By Matthew Hosier, Theology Matters
By Steve Clifford, Evangelical Alliance
From Premier Christian Media
By John Dickson, ABC Religion & Ethics
By Albert Mohler
Wycliffe Hall is a theological college set within the University of Oxford, an international centre for the study of evangelical theology, an Anglican seminary for the training of Christian ministers and a centre for postgraduate study and research, aiming to equip students for their future ministries through excellent academic teaching, practical ministry experience, and living as part of a vibrant and supportive Christian community.
The Rt Rev Professor Tom Wright writes in the Times (10 October) that classic Anglican theology does not see scripture, tradition and reason as equal and parallel sources to be played off against each other but interlocking methods. "As we read the scriptural accounts which converge upon Jesus ( on whom alone the Church rests), we do so in an ongoing dialogue with tradition (what the Church has said down the years) and with the proper use of reason ( ruling our arbitrary, fanciful or speculative readings). This remains a complex and exhilarating task, not to be captured by caricature." He notes that the idea that the so called "wings" of the Church "deny the intellectual progress marked by the Enlightenment" ignores most the the leading theological and biblical studies of the last generation which have taken on the Enlightenment's proper questions but frequently come up with different answers…. and refuted or made redundant many 19th century critical theories [ "the assured results of biblical criticism - AM ed.] He concludes that "to suggest that a "middle liberalism", in between the two "wings" [i.e. catholic and evangelical of the church - AM ed.], is the natural result of using one's intellect to grapple with first century texts, must itself be challenged, as much in the name of "reason" itself as scripture, tradition or anything else."
by Robert A. J. Gagnon, Ph.D.
By Stewart Cowan, Real Street