Rico Tice, a well known Evangelical chief and former Church of England clergyman, has left the denomination in response to what he perceives as its rising departure from biblical values, particularly regarding same-sex marriage and repentance.
Tice, finest identified for co-writing the evangelism course Christianity Explored and co-founder of Christianity Explored Ministries, cited the denomination’s latest resolution to permit clergymen to bless same-sex {couples} and its lack of substantive response to issues laid out by him and 5 different leaders of CofE-connected parachurch organizations final October.
In an interview with Evangelicals Now, Tice, the previous senior minister at All Souls, Langham Place in London, defined that he now worships on the Worldwide Presbyterian Church (IPC) in Ealing, London.
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“Final October, I used to be certainly one of six Evangelical leaders of parachurch organizations with connections to the Church of England who wrote to [Archbishop of Canterbury] Justin Welby and all of the bishops explaining our deep ‘heaviness of coronary heart, soul and thoughts’ in regards to the church’s onward trajectory towards affirming same-sex marriage, particularly the brand new Prayers of Love and Religion,” he stated.
“We referred to as upon the archbishop to withstand the affect of cultural values when they’re in opposition to these of the Bible. We did this as a result of it was harming our means to work with orthodox individuals from different denominations — how might they belief us? We obtained no substantive response from him, and that was a key second in my resolution to go away.”
CofE’s “Prayers of Love and Religion” are new tips enacted final December that permit clergymen to bless same-sex {couples} however do not require them to take action, a measure opposed by many Evangelicals throughout the Church of England amid a rising divide throughout the Anglican group concerning same-sex marriage and biblical orthodoxy.
Tice stated the transfer to the Worldwide Presbyterian Church in Ealing, London, was motivated by a want to take care of alignment together with his values. He has had a longstanding relationship with the church’s minister, Paul Levy.
He stated the congregation’s emphasis on eldership, Reformed theology and the Westminster Confession appealed to him. Tice nonetheless retains his permission to evangelise, which permits him to talk in CofE congregations.
“However I believe it important that I demonstrated clear separation from a church that not affirms biblical orthodoxy, particularly with regard to preaching repentance,” he stated.
Tice’s position on the Worldwide Presbyterian Church contains evangelism and coaching on evangelism methods like Christianity Explored, Hope Explored and The Phrase One to One. However he sees himself as an unusual member of the congregation, attending providers together with his household and interesting in fellowship with different church members.
Tice expressed disappointment and disappointment, describing the scenario within the CofE as “totally heartbreaking.”
“On reflection, I used to be naïve about our present tradition within the Church of England as a result of I by no means thought I’d see such a transparent, pervasive denial of the Christian’s must repent of each sin they commit,” he stated.
Tice stays related to the Anglican group, expressing a dedication to the World South mannequin of world Anglicanism, saying he considers himself “a cradle-to-grave Anglican.”
“However the unhappy truth is that the Church of England has left Anglicanism,” he stated.
He suggested Evangelicals contemplating leaving the CofE to help orthodox clergy and native Christian buildings and unite those that share comparable values.
By a vote of 24 to 11 final December, CofE bishops affirmed their earlier resolution to approve the ultimate texts of “Prayers of Love and Religion” to be used in common public worship or personal prayer.
The texts have been additionally revealed with pastoral steering explaining how they can be utilized, and the Home of Bishops additionally claimed that it might think about a pastoral provision to guard the consciences of those that want to use the prayers and people who don’t.
Main as much as the approval, many throughout the Anglican group voiced their disapproval of the proposal.
In April 2023, over 1,300 conservative Anglicans from over 52 international locations gathered in Kigali, Rwanda, and issued an announcement calling for a “resetting” of the worldwide Anglican Communion after the Church of England voted to approve the blessing of same-sex {couples}.
“Because the Lord doesn’t bless same-sex unions, it’s pastorally misleading and blasphemous to craft prayers that invoke blessing within the identify of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,” the assertion often known as the “Kigali Dedication” reads.
“Public statements by the Archbishop of Canterbury and different leaders of the Church of England in help of same-sex blessings are a betrayal of their ordination and consecration vows to banish error and to uphold and defend the reality taught in Scripture.”
In July 2023, 27 Evangelical leaders, together with Pastor Nicky Gumbel, the developer of the internationally well-liked Alpha evangelistic course, despatched a letter to the Faculty of Bishops contending that it might be illegal for the bishops to commend the blessings. They referred to as for the CofE Common Synod to be given a chance to vote on Prayers of Love and Religion underneath Canon B2, requiring a two-thirds majority in every of the Synod’s three homes.
