Don't Flatter the Wolves!

In the last few weeks the question of same-sex marriage and the Church of England has again hit the news. The Bishop of Oxford has written in favour of changing the position of the church to affirm same-sex marriage and has been supported by a number of other bishops. This seems to have been the result of the Living in Love and Faith process which is gradually winding its way to an end.

The Oxford Diocesan Evangelical Fellowship have responded, as has Vaughan Roberts, with a similar length booklet to the bishop's.

Clearly these are difficult times for evangelicals in the Church of England and I pray for faithfulness and wisdom for them. However, I am concerned at the responses. David Baker is asking some of the right questions in his piece at Christian Today. But my concern is that there has been a shift in conservative evangelical approach (one that I just saw had been noticed on a liberal anglican site).

The shift is most clearly seen on page 2 of Vaughan Roberts' booklet. Let me quote:

"As will be clear, there is much we disagree about, but we are united in recognising the integrity of the other, as one who is seeking to be faithful to Christ. This is a debate between Christians and we have both sought to engage in it Christianly."

But it is similarly seen in the statement from the Oxford DEF. Again let me quote:

"We encourage our members to engage with this debate with the same spirit of grace that Bishop Steven has himself exhibited. We should always remember that this is not firstly a political issue but, above all, a deeply personal and pastoral one."

Both seem to undermine the seriousness of the bishop's position, especially as this position is clearly held despite being faced with the truth of Scripture (i.e. it is an unrepentant false teaching).

Perhaps the best place to go to in the Bible to think about it would be the book of Jude. First, Jude is talking about people teaching within the church (Jude 4). Second, a significant part of the problem with their teaching was denying biblical morality paralleled with the sexual immorality of Sodom and Gomorrah (Jude 4, 7). So what does Jude say about these teachers? They are "godless men" (Jude 4); it seems they face "eternal fire" (Jude 7); they are described as following the pattern of Cain, Balaam and Korah (Jude 10); they are a "blemish" and "shepherds who feed only themselves" (Jude 12); they will face God's judgement (Jude 14-16) and they "do not have the Spirit" (Jude 19).

It is true to say that this isn't primarily a political issue, but it is more than a personal and a pastoral issue. It is a gospel issue and the Bishop is leading people away from Jesus to judgement. And it is simply misleading to say that this is a debate between Christians, however sincere the bishop may think he is in seeking to be faithful to Christ. Jude is willing to say the false teachers don't have the Spirit, because of their false gospel. What would Jude say about the bishop?

Paul warned us that wolves would arise within the church to attack the flock (Acts 20:29-30). It's not good enough to flatter the wolves about their graciousness and seeking to be faithful to Christ. This is not protecting the flock but cosying up to the wolves and I can't quite believe I'm reading conservative evangelicals doing it.

This is not to say that much of what has been written in response is helpful, true and effective at challenging the arguments put forward. It is! But it is to say that the shift in approach is disturbing and could, I think, lead many into compromise.

I'm not sure what motive lies behind it. There does always seem to be a desire to be winsome or polite, which I can understand. But that desire must not make us unfaithful and this shift in response is, I believe, unfaithful.