A concise joint Christian statement signed by Pentecostals, Baptists, evangelical Lutherans, as well as the Roman Catholic bishops, denounces the “activism” and “pressures” of the government.
Decisions such as ending the ban on performing same-sex marriages, or the ordination of LGTBQI+ people, could lead more people to abandon the Methodist churches, which suffered a schism in 2019.
About 70 participants from all regions gather to “discuss again what is at the heart of evangelical belief and theology and what is more secondary”, says FEET’s chair, Gert Kwakkel.
‘Campaigners imply that expressing traditional Christian beliefs on sexuality in pastoral conversations is, inherently, a form of conversion therapy’, religious leaders warn.
The well-known author of ‘Christianity Explored’ says he has not received “a substantive response” from the Archbishop on where the Church stands on issues of marriage and sexuality.
Half of the priests think that the Church should marry same-sex couples. Some have already officiated gay marriage ceremonies against the official stance.
With a "declaration" of high hierarchical value, Roman Catholicism is now officially in favor of blessing gay unions, as are many liberal Protestant churches around the world.
The new official document “broadens its classical understanding” to “include” new kinds of couples while maintaining “the perennial teaching on marriage”.
According to Francis, theology must be “fundamentally contextual” and no longer start from “first principles.” It must translate into a “culture of dialogue” with all and no longer think of itself as only lecturing to the world, religions, and others.
Archbishop Justin Welby says Anglicans will “seek to move forward together”, but churches in England and in other parts of the world say the moves lead to a “fracture”.
The new chairman of the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, Dominic Yeo from Singapore, spoke to Evangelical Focus. “We have to expect discipleship happening in our churches, and the next generation becoming church planters”.
A private commentary by Thomas Schirrmacher.
A model of humble repentance was demonstrated, together with a firm trust in the sufficiency, clarity, and authority of the Scriptures, says Reverend John Lovell, who has worked with Anglican Churches in Australia and Europe.
A majority of the Anglican Communion was represented in Kigali, with a shared high value of Scripture, passion for evangelism and discipleship, and concern for orthodox fellowship. By Chris Green.
Commenting on the decision of other national churches would be “disrespectful”, says Bishop Carlos Lopez of the IERE.