Rev John Dunnett has resigned his title of Honorary Canon at Chelmsford Cathedral following the use of controversial 'Prayers of Love and Faith' for same-sex couples during a Sunday service in November.
Dunnett is also national director of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) and chair of the Chelmsford Diocesan Evangelical Network (CDEN). He gave his title after a letter was sent to the bishop and the Cathedral dean in late November, expressing “sadness and profound concern at the decision” to offer the prayers.
The prayers are controversial because they are the result of the Church of England’s now concluded Living in Love and Faith process that examined how the church should engage with the question of homosexuality, gender, relationships and marriage.
The Prayers of Love and Faith offer blessings for homosexual couples and can be used as part of regular services.
The letter was signed by over 150 clergy and lay officers, and said that including the prayers “stands at odds with biblical (and Anglican) teaching on marriage and sexual ethics” and had led to many “feeling disenfranchised from the life and worship of the Cathedral”.
The Dean of the Cathedral, the Very Rev Dr Jessica Martin, responded in late January and said that the decision to include Prayers of Love and Faith would neither be reconsidered nor reversed.
Dunnett said that, while he remained committed to life and mission of the church in the diocese, he could not in good conscience keep his title of Honorary Canon.
“I have not taken the decision to resign from being an Honorary Canon lightly or enthusiastically," he said.
"It has been a privilege to have carried this honour over the last few years. However, the Dean and Chapter’s decision to use the Prayers of Love and Faith at Chelmsford Cathedral has alienated many of us who hold to the historic and biblical Anglican doctrine.
“My fundamental objection, which is shared by members of CDEN, is that we believe the Prayers of Love and Faith to be endorsing something that is contrary to the teaching of the bible.
"We don’t consider that a commendation from the House of Bishops in this matter has any authority if it is at odds with Scripture.”
