First, the bad news. There are more examples of heresy in the hierarchy. An 87 year old retired priest, faithfully continuing to serve the church, was helping during an interregnum in a small town parish on the South coast. When a young lesbian couple met with him for the final administrative details of the private baptism of their child, the old man did not refuse to conduct the ceremony but stated that it would not be possible to register the child as having two mothers. The two women, upset at this, complained to the Archdeacon, and went to the press. The Archdeacon immediately overruled, saying that of course the child could have two mothers; he found another clergyman to take the service and sign the register, leaving the 87 year old to face the baying press alone.

Eyebrows have been raised in the wider church by diocesan lawyers wondering how the Archdeacon could have taken such a controversial decision without watertight legal advice on a matter for which there is little precedent. Retired clergy up and down the country are no doubt wondering why they should continue to serve in parishes given this new added risk of trial by media.  It has been noted with sadness that both the previous vicar of the church, who had organized the baptism, and the Archdeacon himself, considered themselves to be evangelicals. No doubt their intentions were pastoral and evangelistic, but the effect has been to create confusion, division and alarm. Does the Church of England now unquestioningly accept the fiction that a child can have two parents of the same gender? And how long can the big rifts in the C of E as a whole on attitudes to homosexual partnerships continue to be papered over? For some, a baptism like this is a cause for celebration; for others a matter for uncomfortable compromise but no different from baptizing the children of any parents who are not professing orthodox Christian faith. But a third group of clergy who operate a stricter policy on baptism generally will be concerned that their consciences could be overridden by Bishops and Archdeacons on this issue in the future.

This story was still warm when two similar ones came along: this time, neighbouring Bishops Worcester and Gloucester joined the queue of senior church leaders wanting to apologise for the church’s wicked treatment of gay people. They then call on the church to change its doctrine, and “catch up” with the changing times. So what is happening here? Another article is needed for a fuller treatment of the agenda underlying accusations of “homophobia”, and again more research is needed to answer the question “how are these Bishops’ comments being received among ordinary clergy and laity?” Suffice it to say, for the moment, those responsible for maintaining the integrity of the institution, i.e. the Bishops, under pressure from lobby groups, increasingly feel that the problem is not just that some Christians display a lack of love. Rather, core doctrinal principles are in themselves causing distress and so must be removed in order for the church to appear truly compassionate.

If that was all that was going on, it would be enough to cause profound depression. But there is good news! The morning service at Moulton, Northants- traditional “low church” style- with hymns exalting Christ, and a sermon on “salt and light” in Matthew 5 was good news. “Salt that loses its saltiness is no good for anything”, says Jesus. If our witness does not outline a positive alternative to the surrounding culture of sin and decay, what is the point of it? “You are the light of the world”. If we are Christians, we shouldn’t be ashamed of our counter-cultural views, but live in Christ and speak for him, and when we do so God brings his light where there is darkness.

Then, at an evening service at St Aldates, Oxford, one found powerful contemporary worship, followed by an excellent introduction to a sermon series on the Kingdom of God, from Mark 1. “Know yourselves as disciples, forgiven and in relationship with Christ”, we were urged. “Know your enemy, because he is real. Know the victory of Christ over Satan, and the power of God for healing and transformation in our community”.

My final piece of good news concerns the church I have just left as Priest in Charge. An unusual experiment in mission on a deprived housing estate, where a small group of Anglicans and Baptists have worked together to establish a single congregation to worship together and minister to the people in the area who were almost entirely unchurched. Hard work, much prayer and many tears, but God has been at work and lives have been changed. Today, the new youth worker and his wife move into the church house. This youth ministry is largely funded by the proceeds of a community shop run by volunteers from the congregation, which provides informal counselling and a gateway to the church, as well as affordable clothing and other items.

So, while the headlines may be about the hierarchy of the Church of England capitulating to the culture, on the ground, many faithful people are getting on with Gospel work in the power of the Spirit.