UK New bishop holds firm to incremental reform in Church

By Toby Cohen

http//www.religiousintelligence.org/

June 10th, 2010

Episcopal vacancies are opening up across the Church, and in the next few years the House of Bishops could have a very different complexion. With the Church teetering on the brink of some major changes, there is particular curiosity about the mentality of the new men under the mitres.

The Assistant Area Dean of Southampton, the Rev Canon Geoffrey Annas, was announced last week as the next Bishop of Stafford. As his new Diocesan Bishop, the Rt Rev John Gledhill, makes clear, Canon Annas has just the right sort of credentials He has won the respect of the whole community and many attribute a drop in serious crime to the neighbourliness and vision of St Christopher Thornhill, where he was made vicar in 94]He has overseen the establishment of the Southampton Street Pastors Scheme and a new Academy school, under the auspices of the Diocese and Oasis Trust. More recently he has been assistant Area Dean in the large Southampton Deanery, caring for clergy and lay leaders.

Canon Annas expertise in important frontline Church initiatives qualifies him well for service in any part of the organisation, as he acknowledges in an interview during his return to Lichfield last week, 25 years after his only previous visit there on a diocesan retreat.

My background has obviously been very much in ministry in the urban setting, but I spend a lot of time today with people in the rural setting and that been fascinating. The links between the two [are fascinating] as well. There’s not as much diversity between the two as people make out.

He will miss the people he has worked with in Southampton, but is confident in their ability to carry on the good work he is aware of great achievements being made in Lichfield, but is confident in the call of God and the help of his supportive team.

So far there is little to distinguish him from the other humble and enthused servants of the Church who have been selected for elevation. But Canon Annas himself detects a shift Therea general change in culture at the moment. Itnot just in the Church, I think the result of the General Election is an indication that people generally are looking now more towards consensual ways forward rather than being competitive all the time.

We sometimes make the mistake that everyone wants something new but therea lot that good about the traditional ways weve always done things and itjust about bringing the two together really, which is what I meant by the consensual thing.

That might not be the change others in the Church are talking about. And if they are talking about it at Synod this summer, they may have to look hard to find that spirit of consensus which the Archbishop of Canterbury was pleading for in February.

So how has that culture of consensus affected Canon Annasown stance on disputed issues?

I haven’t compromised at all, in that I am totally supportive of women bishops and I very much value the ministry of my female colleagues. And I look forward to the time when they exercise Episcopal ministry as well.

Although I’m 100 per cent behind the ordination of women to the episcopate, I’m also incredibly sensitive to those who find it difficult, and this is again where the consensual thing comes in. The last thing that I want is for anybody to feel alienated, I think the Church should be inclusive and so I think we have to work within that.

So perhaps traditionalists needn’t be too worried just yet. The new Bishop of Stafford joins the large gang of Church liberals who believe in incremental development rather than table-turning reform. He plays the same line on gays My feelings about openly gay clergy - I personally have no issues with that at all, but I think again like the ordination of women to the episcopate itsomething where there needs to be enormous sensitivity.

I’m not somebody who will overthrow rules and regulations for the sake of it, because I think if you do that you get chaos and anarchy, but I am somebody who will work to build a consensus to change rules and regulations and I would hope that in the future at some point people could be allowed to be true to themselves.

It is not a sin to be a homosexual, and that is very much the teaching of the Church of England. What the Church does teach is that actually whether youre heterosexual or gay, outside of a committed married relationship, there should be no physical sexual activity.

Well, as you realise, unless you’ re saying to me that gay people should marry, which I personally wouldnt agree with, youre going to deprive gay people of that possibility of having a physical relationship, which to my mind seems contrary to what being in a creative loving relationship is all about.

This is where traditionalists and liberals alike may wish to interject. No one is asking him to overthrow rules and regulations for the sake of it. Liberal society is asking him to do it, primarily, for the sake of those still suffering at the sharp end of our culturehomophobic heritage. The Church might not like being seen as the great curator of that heritage, but at least this shows that some of that society has not laughed and walked away.

Traditionalists are asking why, if he feels women are entitled to be bishops and people who are gay entitled to physical relationships without being excluded, he doesnt take a stand and openly challenge the Church, instead of sneakily undermining it.

Talk about a poisoned chalice. At least he is in good company as he steps out on to this tightrope, on which the Archbishop of Canterbury is another balanced with his crosier. Canon Annas is steeled to face these challenges while preserving strength to concentrate on the issues most dear to him, such as climate change and the damage of the recession.

On one line he is united with a great many in the Church All too often newspapers are focussing on these two particular issues, when there are so many issues... A lot of the Churchagenda is dictated by the media so I encourage you and urge you to start broadening it a bit.

Who can blame him?

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