Bishop’s version in doubt
en staff
Date posted: 1 Aug 2019
Representatives from the Renew steering committee supported the account of John Parker at a meeting on 12 June 2019 regarding his resignation as vicar and school governor (en July). The representatives were part of a meeting of around 30 local clergy at which the Bishop of Chelmsford used language of leaving, and were present at a meeting in which communion was broken.
Bishop Stephen Cottrell disputed Parker’s account in a letter circulated to the clergy by the Bishop’s office in the Diocese of Chelmsford. A statement on GAFCON and the Church Society websites noted the Bishop had ‘carefully worded’ the letter to give the ‘impression that the Bishop had never suggested that Parker should leave the church’ due to his beliefs.
Pansexual President?
en staff
Date posted: 1 May 2019
The Baptist Union has received an application for the post of President in 2020-21, supported by 25 Assembly members, from a self-declared pansexual woman.
The Baptist Union asked people to prayer-fully consider which of two candidates should serve the Union as President. The statement says: ‘The question for discernment is who is the most appropriate candidate for this particular season in our Union’s life’.