Category Archives: Church of England and gender

Would you Adam and Eve it?

I grew up in South London, not the East End, but I’m well aware of Cockney rhyming slang. ‘Adam and Eve’ = believe. Well, I don’t. I don’t believe the Genesis stories – plural, as the story appears twice, in … Continue reading

Posted in Church of England and gender, equal marriage, General Synod, Living in Love and Faith, marriage | Tagged , , | 8 Comments

The animal now exists: remembering the 30th anniversary of the ordination of women

On 11 November 1992, the Church of England voted in favour of ordaining women as priests. I was there, as a member of General Synod, sustained by the Bach Rescue Remedy passed along our row by a nun. It’s an … Continue reading

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What do the bishops think? LLF and trans people

Somehow conversion therapy is still OK for trans people? Why can’t the Church of England be a beacon of welcome and support for a group of people who really need that? Continue reading

Posted in Church of England and gender, General Synod, Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , , , , | 5 Comments

Bake a cake for Living in Love and Faith: how to make your response count

15 January 2022 (minor updates subsequently) The story so far: this blog began as a reflection on participating in the Shared Conversations, and then – because I was asked to join Living in Love and Faith’s History thematic group – … Continue reading

Posted in Church of England and gender, Episcopal Teaching Document, Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Handing on the baton? Part 2

As we pass on the baton of LLF, it seems pretty clear who the losers are Continue reading

Posted in Church of England and gender, Episcopal Teaching Document, General Synod, Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Counter-cultural Cranmer?

As a historian, I am disturbed by the email’s statement that “Cranmer wrote these prophetic words: ‘What the heart loves, the will chooses, and the mind justifies’”.  

Because, quite simply, he didn’t.   Continue reading

Posted in Church of England and gender, General Synod | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

Deleted sex scenes from Living in Love and Faith (3)

Science isn’t neutral: it’s produced and read in particular social contexts Continue reading

Posted in Church of England and gender, Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Deleted sex scenes from Living in Love and Faith (2)

What is the clitoris and what is it for? Continue reading

Posted in Church of England and gender, Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Fight the good fight(s): the ordination of women and the human sexuality debate

I was struck recently by how all the celebratory pieces I was reading about the 25th anniversary of women priests were written from the point of view of those women whose vocations to priesthood were doubted (for many centuries) but … Continue reading

Posted in Church of England and gender, Living in Love and Faith | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Intersex in history

The risk of saying anything about people with VSC is that, not being one of them, I may have no right to comment. But I’m a historian, and there’s a history here, and perhaps my role is to inform people of that. Continue reading

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