25 November 2023
On 25 November the Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt Rev Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani addressed the Chelmsford Diocesan Synod,
Good morning.
We meet today in troubled times. The world and the church are facing challenges that feel intractable - bigger and more complex than ever before. Many would say that the future of the planet hangs in the balance with a threatening ecological and environmental crisis. But there are also a growing number of conflicts around the world.
The war in Ukraine rumbles on, on our doorstep, and the implications of a Russian victory are unthinkable for the whole of Europe. The Homes for Ukraine scheme which saw so many fleeing war, welcomed by households in this country, is now stretched to the limit as the weeks and months turn into years and a growing number of Ukrainians are adding to the already high number of homeless people on our streets, or housed in unsuitable or temporary accommodation.
The unspeakable horrors in the Holy Land are also reshaping the world with consequences far beyond the borders of Israel and Gaza.
Meanwhile, many other wars continue to play out across the globe, often forgotten by the media and, therefore, absent from our minds and prayers – South Sudan, Yemen, Afghanistan … and I could go on. Google doesn’t seem to be able to pin point the exact number and tells me there are anything between 32 and around 80 conflicts, impacting something like a quarter of the world’s population.
The world God so loved that he sent his only son to become part of it, is tearing itself apart. So, what is our calling as Christians amidst this reality? To speak of peace and justice, of love that overcomes hatred and fear, and of the hope of resurrection, that in God all things will be made new. It is our calling to speak of these but even more importantly to work towards them, often in small ways, through our relationships and in the little parts of the world we each inhabit. Our calling is to share the good news of Jesus and make a difference for good in what ever way we can.
But how to do that when we ourselves are beset by problems and divisions, struggling it seems to live well together amidst our differences. And here, of course, I cannot avoid mentioning the recent meeting of General Synod and the decision, by a small majority, to introduce the Prayers of Love and Faith and offer services of blessing following same sex civil marriage. For some who want to see equal marriage introduced, this decision does not go far enough. For others, a line has already been crossed and this is a step too far. Some, therefore, are rejoicing at these small changes; others are grieving at the proposals which they cannot accept. And so it seems, this one issue – views on same sex relationships – is becoming the measure by which Christians are judging one another, losing sight of all that we hold in common through our baptism and our call to unity in Christ’s name. We are at risk of driving each other into polarised positions where the middle ground is swallowed up and individuals and churches feel they must rush towards a quick and clear decision either to opt in and use the prayers or refuse to do so.
And yet the middle ground is precious space: it is the place of our common baptism, the place where we gather round bread and wine, sharing in the communion of our faith in Jesus Christ. It is perhaps a mark of Anglicanism that it is in our contested spaces - that middle ground where we meet one another and strive for unity – that our shared journey of discipleship is truly refined by Christ through the Spirit to the glory of the Father. That middle ground is a place that many occupy and for many reasons, waiting faithfully in uncertain times, discerning the call of the Spirit to press forward or hold still, while longing to hold together, serving one another in Christ as the people of God.
So, today, I want to say that there need be no rush towards polarised positions on the Prayers of Love and Faith, especially for those who are feeling hurt and confused or even angry. There is time to feel our way. For church communities to live with this situation, for us to be kind to one another through this period of collective uncertainty and refuse to bolt towards one position or the other, putting distance between ourselves and those of opposing views. Kintsugi Hope, who have done, and continue to do, much work around wellbeing in our diocese and more widely, speak of ‘going gently and going slowly’. I have the words on a sticky note attached to my computer, reminding me every day to try and live that way – ‘to go gently and to go slowly’.
Even if you are very clear about what your particular views are, I want to encourage and challenge us all to live in a counter cultural way by acting relationally, refusing to ‘other’ one another and by choosing to value the middle ground – that space in which compassion resides, where nuance is welcome, where uncertainty finds a home; where hands reach out in friendship and blessing towards one another and our unity in Christ can blossom – where it is possible to go gently and to go slowly. My sister and brother bishops in this diocese and I, each have different perspectives on the nature of same sex relationships, but we are united in our desire to live out our episcopal calling in a way that draws on the wisdom and generosity of Christ in whose family we are siblings one to another. To refuse to be drawn to one side or the other (whatever our personal views), to reject the simplicity of binary solutions and to seek, instead, to build a way forward in the gap between the two opposing positions.
Social media, in particular, makes this very hard. It does not do reasoned nuance or middle ground. Instead, it feeds off binary oppositions and pushes people to take sides in a way that often ends up lacking kindness or grace. This is not how in needs to be. Take the situation in Israel and Palestine, for example. Some say, vociferously, that Israel has a right to defend herself in any way necessary against the terrorist attacks of Hamas. Others say that the Palestinian people have lived for too long in intolerable conditions and that the atrocities of 7th October and the subsequent taking of hostages, whilst they can never be excused, should be understood against the backdrop of the recent history of that region.
I know that there are those who want to stand out against these polarised positions. I know, because I’ve spoken to several such people, especially amongst those in positions of senior leadership in Jewish and Muslim faith communities, who are fearful of making known their more nuanced views and so they are either remaining silent or feeling cajoled into the binary spaces, saying what they know that some, at least, in their communities want to hear.
Contemporary society pushes us, often, towards the either/or and resists the notion of both/and. It does not need to be either Israel or Palestine; it can be both/and: the Hamas attack and the taking of hostages was and is barbaric and Israel has the right to respond; and also the merciless and indiscriminate killing of Palestinian civilians, including thousands of innocent children, is not the answer. Killing begets killing; hatred begets hatred; division begets division. In the end – now, or whenever the time comes – the only way to a just peace will come about through conversations and negotiations in which those with strongly held different perspectives and experiences create space for the other – when binaries give way to a middle ground of reconciliation and co-existence. Right now it’s difficult to imagine that time but it is the only way.
So too for us in the Church of England right now. Mercifully, there is no violence or killing, although I would remind us that in this country there are LGBT+ people who suffer violence and abuse and in some parts of the world LGBT+ people are persecuted by the state and even face the death penalty - that is something we should all condemn. But for us in the Church of England, ask yourself what you feel in your heart about those with whom you disagree. Do you want to see their views eradicated? Do you want to see them lose? Do you regard them as friend or foe? Do you label them, one way or another, according to their views on this one matter? We have choices to make – in this diocese and more widely. To break the fabric of our Anglican relationships or coexist peaceably, with different views on a range of issues, but united in love and through our baptism in Christ?
I’ve been told by some of those whose views are different to mine that I’m abandoning them, that I’m betraying my ordination vows, that I’m not being a faithful Christian and that they do not accept my spiritual authority. I understand the pain and hurt and anger that lies behind these words. I gently refute those comments and I choose to respond by refusing to be drawn by polarised opposites; by extending again and again the hand of friendship and reminding the diocese of my commitment (and that of the Bishop’s Leadership Team) to creating space where all are valued and where no one will be forced to act against their conscience or rush towards a decision. The invitation remains to travel well together as we move towards the judgement seat of God where each one of us will meet God face to face and be called to account for our words and actions. We do not need to judge one another, for God is the judge of us all.
As chief pastor and shepherd of this diocese, I long to hold the whole diocese in the widest possible embrace, reflecting the embrace of the Good Shepherd who is over and above us all. In our current discussions we don’t have to choose sides but acknowledge our differences, know that none of us ever sees the full picture, recognise our need of each other, and model a different way of living with disagreement for the broken world which is crying out for a better way.
After General Synod, the week before last, I went on retreat for 24 hours with my three Area colleagues and other bishops from the Province of Canterbury. The retreat was led by Archbishop Angaelos, Coptic Orthodox Archbishop of London, who is a good friend to the Church of England and has been an ecumenical member of our General Synod for over a decade. There were many gems in the three talks he gave us on Mark 6. 31: Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves and rest a while - and I’m still reflecting on what ++Angaelos shared.
Towards the end of our time together he talked about his Diocesan Coat of Arms which he personally had a hand in designing prior to his enthronement in 2017. Like many Coats of Arms, it is divided into quarters with an image in three of the quadrants that each reflect something of the nature and identity of the diocese. But strikingly, the fourth quadrant is empty and has been deliberately left blank, as a reminder that the story is not yet complete. There is yet more that God wants to do, and the diocese must remain open to what that might be.
This was a profound and powerful reminder, if I needed it, that God is in control, not us. There is always more to come that we don’t yet know or understand. We’ve been prompted to remember this, too, with words from Isaiah 43 used in the Canticle from Morning Prayer throughout this All Saints season: “Behold I am doing a new thing: now it springs forth, do you not perceive it?” As Archbishop Angaelos spoke to us of coming away to a deserted place to rest a while, it seemed to me that we might need to do that, not just as individuals, but as a diocese, in these coming weeks and months. Metaphorically, to come away to a deserted place and rest a while. Not to rush to decisions or conclusions or actions but to live with one another and wait on the Lord, open to what the next chapter of our life together might be, allowing it to unfold gently and slowly, as God continues to hold us in his loving embrace.
As Archbishop Justin did at the end of General Synod, I want to invite us now to hold a few moments silence. And in that silence to pray for one another. In particular, I invite you to pray for a person or persons that you know disagree with you regarding same sex relationships and the way forward. Hold them in your mind’s eye and ask for God’s blessing upon them. Know that they are loved just as you are loved and pray for God’s mercy on us all.
Let us pray.
Lord in your mercy: Hear our Prayer.
+Guli Chelmsford
Diocesan Synod Presidential Address
25th November 2023
