PRESS RELEASE – January 10th 2016

SENIOR CHURCH FIGURES URGE CHURCH REPENTANCE FOR ‘SECOND CLASS CITIZENS’ TREATMENT ON SEXUALITY

Over 100 Senior Anglicans, including the Dean of St Paul’s, have signed an open letter to the Archbishops of Canterbury and York calling on the Church of England to repent of its ‘second class citizen’ treatment of Christians over issues of sexuality. The letter, signed by a range of senior church figures including Cathedral Deans, retired bishops and well-known lay figures (including leading parliamentary figures and university academics), has been sent to the Archbishops ahead of a pivotal meeting of worldwide Anglican Leaders which begins in Canterbury on Monday. In the letter, the 105 signatories call on the Church to acknowledge its failure to care for LGBTI members of the Body of Christ around the world, and to repent of its acceptance and promotion of discrimination - especially its failure to challenge harmful beliefs about sexuality. It goes on to ask the Primates to act in Christ-like love ‘towards those who have been ignored and vilified for too long’. The signatories include eight retired bishops and a serving bishop, the Rt Revd Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham. Another prominent signatory is the Dean of St Paul’s, the Very Revd David Ison, who says that, in all the debate, the personal cost has often been forgotten: “I believe that it's imperative for us to remember that whilst we seek to engage honestly, lovingly and respectfully with our differences of context and scriptural interpretation, our discussions are actually about the lives of sisters and brothers who have often been rejected and victimised on the grounds of their sexuality. The Church should be the first place that they feel they can come to, to find love and acceptance rather than judgement.” The signatories include both clergy and lay people. Prominent gay Christian, Vicky Beeching, who came out in 2014 and faced significant discrimination from Christians across the world, urges the Church to think of its younger members: ‘Social and religious attitudes are shifting among young people. Many cannot morally align themselves with a Church that perpetuates LGBT discrimination. If we want to ensure the future life of our Church this issue needs urgent attention and great pastoral

sensitivity. To see the Church repent of damaging attitudes would help many young people feel a reconnection with it.’ The letter, which goes on to assure the Archbishops of prayers for the Canterbury meeting, has been coordinated by Jayne Ozanne, a member of General Synod, who is keen to stress that support has come from a broad range of individuals across the church. ‘The signatories come from across the full breadth of the Anglican traditions, and from right across the country. From the Dean of Truro to the Dean of Carlisle, and from the MP for Exeter to the Master of Trinity Hall at Cambridge University and the Dean of Christ Church at Oxford University. It is so encouraging to see so many senior Anglicans now standing alongside their LGBTI brothers and sisters, recognising their woeful treatment by the Church to date.’ She added that the church had no excuse for its failure to care: ‘In 1998 the worldwide Anglican Church committed itself to minister pastorally and sensitively to all, irrespective of sexual orientation and to condemn irrational fear of homosexuals. Despite this commitment the plight of many LGBTI Christians around the world has got worse. The consequence is that we are now increasingly perceived as irredeemably “anti-gay” by an increasing number of people who simply don’t understand why the church continues to discriminate, nor why it is allowed to do so. Until we repent of our treatment of our LGBTI brothers and sisters, attempts by those within the worldwide Church to conduct meaningful “conversations” will risk appearing hollow and insincere”.

ENDS

NOTES 1.

The letter and its signatories is set out below, and can also be viewed at www.lettertoarchbishops.wordpress.com

2.

The general public, especially Anglicans, are being invited to sign the letter retrospectively

3.

Information on the January 2016 Primates Meeting and previous Primate Meetings

4.

The 1998 Lambeth Conference Resolutions on Human Sexuality

5.

Calls for repentance have also been recently made by Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church Oxford, in his essay “Sex, Sense and Non-Sense for Anglicans”. He has also just published another seminal essay “Sexuality and the Citizenship of Heaven”.

6.

Vicky Beeching came out publicly in an interview with the Independent in August 2014. The discrimination she faced is summarised in an online article for Buzzfeed.

7.

Signatory statistics: - Total number – 105 signatories from 36 out of 42 dioceses of the Church of England - Signatories include: - 20 Cathedral Deans - 7 Archdeacons - 8 Retired Bishops - 1 Suffragan Bishop and 1 former Suffragan Bishop - 2 MPS, 1 former MP and1 Member of the House of Lords - 14 Academics, including 5 Principals of Theological or University Colleges - 20 Members of the House of Laity of General Synod - 32 Members of the House of Clergy of General Synod

FOR MORE INFORMATION please contact Jayne Ozanne, House of Laity, General Synod -

Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 07543 667 493

The Very Revd Dr David Ison, Dean of St Paul’s Cathedral -

Email: [email protected]

Vicky Beeching, Theologian and LGBT Campaigner -

Email: [email protected] Simon Sarmiento, Chair, LGBTI Anglican Coalition

-

Email: [email protected]

Telephone 07906 445 695

The Most Revd and Rt Hon Justin Welby Lambeth Palace London SE1 7JU The Most Revd and Rt Hon Dr John Sentamu Bishopthorpe Palace York YO23 2GE January 7th 2016 Your Graces We the undersigned ask you, our Archbishops, to take an unequivocal message to your meeting of fellow Primates next week that the time has now come for: -

Acknowledgement that we, the Church, have failed in our duty of care to LGBTI members of the Body of Christ around the world. We have not loved them as we should, and have treated them as a problem to be solved rather than as brothers and sisters in Christ to be embraced and celebrated. We have made them feel second-class citizens in the Kingdom of God, often abandoned and alone.

-

Repentance for accepting and promoting discrimination on the grounds of sexuality, and for the pain and rejection that this has caused. We, the Church, need to apologise for our part in perpetuating rather than challenging ill-informed beliefs about LGBTI people, such as the slanderous view that homosexuals have a predisposition to prey on the young.

We understand that the Primates come from a variety of contexts with differing ways of interpreting the Scriptures, but we urge you to be prophetic in your action and Christ-like in your love towards our LGBTI sisters and brothers who have been ignored and even vilified for too long. Please be assured of our prayers for you at this time, and that the world will know by our words and actions that everyone who is baptised into the faith is of equal value in our Lord Jesus Christ. Yours sincerely

Father Peter Allan CR, Principal, College of the Resurrection, Mirfield Anthony Archer, House of Laity, General Synod and Member-Elect, Dioceses Commission The Very Revd Christopher Armstrong, Dean of Blackburn The Rt Hon Canon Sir Tony Baldry, House of Laity, General Synod Christina Baron, House of Laity, General Synod Vicky Beeching, Theologian and LGBT Campaigner The Revd Wyn Beynon, House of Clergy, General Synod The Very Revd Mark Bonney, Dean of Ely The Very Revd Mark Boyling, Dean of Carlisle The Rt Hon Ben Bradshaw, MP for Exeter Susan Breen, House of Laity, General Synod The Very Revd David Brindley, Dean of Portsmouth

The Rt Hon Chris Bryant, MP for Rhondda The Very Revd Roger Bush, Dean of Truro The Revd Canon Simon Butler, Prolocutor for the Convocation of Canterbury Tracey Byrne, Chief Executive, Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement The Revd Bob Callaghan, National Co-ordinator, Inclusive Church Prof Mark Chapman, Vice-Principal, Ripon College Cuddesdon and House of Clergy, General Synod The Revd Canon Chris Chivers, Principal, Westcott House, Cambridge Imogen Clout, Warden of Readers, Diocese of Sheffield The Venerable Gavin Collins, Archdeacon of the Meon and House of Clergy, General Synod The Revd Julie Conalty, House of Clergy, General Synod The Very Revd Christopher Dalliston, Dean of Newcastle The Revd Canon Jeremy Davies, former Canon Precentor, Salisbury Cathedral The Rt Revd Michael Doe, former Bishop of Swindon The Very Revd Adrian Dorber, Dean of Lichfield The Revd Duncan Dormor, Dean of St John’s College, Cambridge The Revd Andrew Dotchin, House of Clergy, General Synod The Very Revd Dr Jonathan Draper, Dean of Exeter Dr Martin Elcock, House of Laity, General Synod The Rt Revd Dr Tim Ellis, former Bishop of Grantham, and Assistant Bishop in the Diocese of Sheffield Margaret Evans, House of Laity, General Synod The Revd Amanda Fairclough, House of Clergy, General Synod The Revd Canon Kathryn Fitzsimons, House of Clergy, General Synod Father Andrew Foreshew-Cain, House of Clergy, General Synod Anne Foreman, House of Laity, General Synod and Elected Member, Business Committee The Venerable Judy French, Archdeacon of Dorchester Philip French, House of Laity, General Synod The Rt Revd David Gillett, former Bishop of Bolton and former Principal, Trinity College, Bristol The Revd Canon Giles Goddard, Chair of Human Sexuality Group on General Synod The Very Revd Nigel Godfrey, Dean of Man The Revd Canon Andrew Godsall, House of Clergy, General Synod The Revd Timothy Goode, House of Clergy, General Synod Lucy Gorman, Chair of Changing Attitude and House of Laity, General Synod The Venerable Martin Gorick, Archdeacon of Oxford The Revd Kevin Goss, House of Clergy, General Synod The Very Revd Rogers Govender, Dean of Manchester and House of Clergy, General Synod Carolyn Graham, House of Laity, General Synod The Rt Revd Dr Laurie Green, former Bishop of Bradwell Jay Greene, House of Laity, General Synod

The Very Revd Dianna Gwilliams, Dean of Guildford and Chair of Inclusive Church Canon Malcolm Halliday, House of Laity, General Synod Canon Robert Hammond, Convenor, Affirming Catholics in General Synod The Revd Canon Rosie Harper, House of Clergy, General Synod The Rt Revd the Lord Harries of Pentregarth, former Bishop of Oxford The Very Revd Nicholas Henshall, Dean of Chelmsford Savi Hensman, Chair, Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement Tim Hind, former Vice-Chair, House of Laity, General Synod Canon Jenny Humphreys, House of Laity, General Synod The Very Revd Dr David Ison, Dean of St Paul’s and House of Clergy, General Synod The Venerable Alan Jeans, Archdeacon of Sarum and House of Clergy, General Synod Dr Rachel Jepson, House of Laity, General Synod The Very Revd Dr Jeffrey John, Dean of St Albans The Revd Canon Joyce Jones, House of Clergy and Elected Member, Business Committee, General Synod The Revd Canon Peter Leonard, House of Clergy, General Synod The Revd Prof Diarmaid MacCulloch, Professor of the History of the Church, University of Oxford The Revd Jonathan MacNeaney, House of Clergy, General Synod The Revd Canon Dr Judith Maltby, Corpus Christi College, Oxford and House of Clergy, General Synod Izzy McDonald-Booth, House of Laity, General Synod The Revd Canon Maggie McLean, House of Clergy, General Synod The Revd Canon Richard Mitchell, House of Clergy, General Synod The Very Revd David Monteith, Dean of Leicester The Revd Dr Jeremy Morris, Master of Trinity Hall, Cambridge The Revd Chris Newlands, House of Clergy, General Synod The Venerable David Newman, Archdeacon of Loughborough The Very Revd Andrew Nunn, Dean of Southwark and House of Clergy, General Synod The Revd Bertrand Olivier, House of Clergy, General Synod Jayne Ozanne, House of Laity, General Synod The Venerable Ricky Panter, Archdeacon of Liverpool The Revd Neil Patterson, House of Clergy, General Synod The Revd Canon Jeremy Pemberton, Senior Chaplain, United Lincolnshire Hospitals NHS Trust The Very Revd Prof Martyn Percy, Dean of Christ Church, Oxford Dr Scot M. Peterson, Bingham Research Fellow in Constitutional Studies, Balliol College, Oxford The Revd Canon Mark Pilgrim, House of Clergy, General Synod The Rt Revd Stephen Platten, former Bishop of Wakefield The Revd Charles Read, Director of Reader Training (Norwich) and House of Clergy, General Synod Professor Muriel Robinson, House of Laity, General Synod The Revd David Runcorn, Associate DDO and Warden of Readers, Diocese of Gloucester

The Revd Michael Sadgrove, former Dean of Durham Simon Sarmiento, Chair, LGBTI Anglican Coalition The Rt Revd Dr Peter Selby, former Bishop of Worcester Martin Sewell, House of Laity, General Synod The Rt Revd Humphrey Southern, Principal, Ripon College Cuddesdon The Revd Kate Stacey, House of Clergy, General Synod The Rt Revd David Stancliffe, former Bishop of Salisbury The Venerable Dr Tim Stratford, Archdeacon of Leicester The Hon. Laura Sykes, Convenor, Lay Anglicana The Revd Simon Talbott, House of Clergy, General Synod The Very Revd Michael Tavinor, Dean of Hereford Jeremy Timm, National Co-ordinator, Changing Attitude The Revd Dr Miranda Trelfall-Holmes, House of Clergy, General Synod The Very Revd Stephen Waine, Dean of Chichester The Very Revd Dr Frances Ward, Dean of St Edmundsbury and House of Clergy, General Synod The Rt Revd Dr Alan Wilson, Bishop of Buckingham Professor Linda Woodhead, Department of Politics, Philosophy and Religion, Lancaster University