Author Archives: fluff35

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About fluff35

I blog on a range of subjects arising from various aspects of my life. On https://theretiringacademic.wordpress.com, I focus on my reactions to early retirement and think about aspects of teaching and research which I hope will be stimulating to those still working in higher education. On https://shared-conversations.com, I blog as an authorized lay preacher in a pretty standard parish church of the Church of England, who needs to write in order to find out what she thinks. I took part in the Oxford/St Albans/Armed Forces C of E 'Shared Conversations' in March 2016, worked on the Living in Love and Faith resources from 2017 and was elected to General Synod in October 2021, and continue to try to reflect on some of the issues. On https://mistakinghistories.wordpress.com I share my thoughts on various aspects of the history of medicine and the body. I have also written for The Conversation UK on https://theconversation.com/profiles/helen-king-94923/articles

Leaky Church

Posted on October 27, 2023 by fluff35

Leaky Church. It’s a place where there is no creativity, hospitality or celebration. Rather than inviting people in, it shuts them out. Continue reading →

Posted in General Synod, Living in Love and Faith, marriage, Shared Conversations | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Suspicion and fear

Posted on October 24, 2023 by fluff35

In the latest document to come to Synod, any sense of joy, of celebration, of welcome, of blessing, has now disappeared. Continue reading →

Posted in equal marriage, General Synod, Living in Love and Faith, marriage, preaching | Tagged , , , , | 13 Comments

Going to the stake: Living in Love and Faith as Synod approaches

Posted on October 22, 2023 by fluff35

Many of us on Synod and beyond are spending the weekend ploughing through the 108 pages of GS2328, the update on where the bishops now are, which contains versions of the three documents promised after February’s motion passed. GS2328 is … Continue reading →

Posted in equal marriage, General Synod, Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

The ‘saviour moment’?

Posted on October 10, 2023 by fluff35

When I wrote about being in the most recent offshoot of the Living in Love and Faith process – the optimistically-named ‘Living with Difference’ – I began by hoping that there was some sort of way through, some ‘Click boom’ … Continue reading →

Posted in General Synod, Living in Love and Faith, marriage | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Waiting for bishops

Posted on October 3, 2023 by fluff35

So, I was asked once again, ‘Where are things now on LLF and prayers of blessing for those in committed same-sex relationships, as voted for in the February Synod?’  I should say at the outset that there are very few … Continue reading →

Posted in Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Two meetings down, one to go: Living with Difference

Posted on September 15, 2023 by fluff35

“Two meetings down, one to go” is pretty much all I am allowed to say about the meetings of the Living with Difference group which has been convened in the spaces between the College and House of Bishops making their decisions on … Continue reading →

Posted in equal marriage, General Synod, Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , | 9 Comments

Being back in the room

Posted on September 5, 2023 by fluff35

(One UPDATE 8 September) As my friends know, I’m a fan of Hamilton, which has that great song about ‘being in the room where it happens’. While my previous post here, on the various dates leading up to the November … Continue reading →

Posted in General Synod, Living in Love and Faith, Shared Conversations | Tagged , , | 2 Comments

The autumn of Living in Love and Faith

Posted on August 16, 2023 by fluff35

(updated 18 August, 1 September, 28 October and 18 November) One of the issues in the Church of England at the moment is transparency, or rather the lack of it. As of this morning, the ‘LLF Journey’ page on the … Continue reading →

Posted in Episcopal Teaching Document, General Synod, Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , , , | 6 Comments

July 2023 Synod in annotated tweets

Posted on July 12, 2023 by fluff35

(Updated 13 July after the release of Meg Munn’s statement and then Maggie Atkinson’s statement) Tweets in italics, connecting prose not… This blog started out as focused on sexuality and the church, but evolved to cover safeguarding too, not least … Continue reading →

Posted in Shared Conversations | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Independent Safeguarding Board: a ‘reset’?

Posted on June 25, 2023 by fluff35

It has been an exceptionally confusing week for those of us who work with or who are concerned about safeguarding and redress. An announcement was made about the funding of the Redress Scheme, and was immediately followed by an announcement … Continue reading →

Posted in Safeguarding | Tagged , | 1 Comment