A decision must be made, and the Church of England decided to pursue unbiblical exclusivity long ago. It is now time to carry through to its conclusion the process of which this latest move is but a minor part: the complete detachment of the organization from historic Christianity. So please drop the “Church” word. Institutional honesty demands no less.

Cultural relevance is a cruel mistress, and nowhere has this proved more true than in the field of sexual ethics. Decades of attempting to meet the sexual revolution halfway have only led to one humiliating climbdown after another in those churches that lack all conviction on the relevant issues. The latest example is the Church of England’s action at its General Synod in July when it voted to remove the 1991 document, “Issues in Human Sexuality” from the ordination process. Previously, the church required ordinands to agree with the document’s teaching on the sinfulness of homosexual activity and to affirm the need for gay clergy to be celibate. Now that is gone amid claims that its assumptions now appear prejudiced and wrong.

There is no surprise here. The Church of England has numerous openly gay clergy. It has practically ignored its own document for years. It has previously moved to authorize blessings for gay couples.

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