Happy Valley Pride in beautiful Hebden Bridge, Yorkshire, is a five day celebration of life and love and diversity. It was a huge privilege to be part of it this year. I was asked to speak in a Human Rights strand with the distinguished lawyer, Flo Krause, and found myself judging the Dog Show with …
Category: LBGT+
Restoring Dignity in the Church of England
It is July. It is time for General Synod in York. This is the kick-back Synod. Time for sandals and open-necked shirts, strawberries and ice cream, and clergy not looking clerical, except for the ones who always do. But the external relaxedness masks some serious business. Three pieces of business around sexuality and gender issues …
Affirming Good Fruit
On the day he was enthroned as Archbishop of Canterbury in 2013, Justin Welby told the BBC Today programme, “You see gay relationships that are just stunning in the quality of the relationship.” He told the BBC he had “particular friends where I recognise that and am deeply challenged by it”. In Matthew 7.15ff Jesus …
Lamenting Orlando
Sometimes place names get meanings they would rather not. From now on, Orlando will always mean the Pulse massacre - the biggest loss of life in any American mass shooting in modern times. It will live like Sandy Hook, or Dunblane, or Hungerford in our consciousness of horror and terror. But it will not be as puzzling …
Wedding days
We are off to a wedding today. It is going to be a huge joy to share in Laura and Richard's special day, notwithstanding what looks like very damp weather. There will be laughter and tears, meeting of old friends and new, and all the other good things that go to make up a wedding …
Shared Conversations come to an end
Apart from the attenuated version which General Synod members are going to be put through in July, the Shared Conversations are over. This £300K exercise has brought together groups of dioceses and their representatives for three-day residential meetings to allow people from all sides of the church to talk, and more importantly to listen to …
From The Quire 