A campaign targeting cathedrals around the UK is spreading off the back of the 500<sup>th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation.
A list of 'declarations' – reminiscent of Martin Luther's 95 theses – is being pinned to cathedral doors by a group of priests in protest at what they see as the Church of England's increasingly liberal approach to same-sex relationships.
London's St Paul's Cathedral and Southwark Cathedral were the first to have the Southwark Declaration, a list of affirmations promoting conservative Anglican theology, attached to their doors on Tuesday night.
Then on Wednesday night Rochester Cathedral and Hereford Cathedral were also targeted in what is becoming a nationwide campaign.
It follows on from the 500<sup>th anniversary of the Protestant Reformation on Tuesday which marked the day Luther, then an Augustinian monk, allegedly nailed his 95 Theses, or criticisms of the Church, to the door of Wittenberg Cathedral in Germany.
Christian Today understands the campaigners are deliberately focusing on cathedrals which they perceive to have a liberal slant. Hereford Diocese last week passed a motion calling for official liturgy to bless gay couples and forcing the Church of England to publicly debate the decision. Rochester Diocese was included because it has hosted LGBT Eucharists and has draped the rainbow flag from its altar.
The traditionalist stunt hopes to pressure bishops into maintaining a conservative approach to same-sex relationships and warns the CofEis 'corrupt' and in 'crisis' because of its softening stance.
The document, which has been signed by more than 60 priests and was first published in 2015, calls on bishops 'to regain the confidence of Bible believing Anglicans' in order 'to avoid a rupture in the Church'.
They write: '500 years ago Martin Luther nailed 95 Theses to a church door in Germany. He did it because the Church had become corrupt. Today a Declaration is being fixed to a cathedral door here in England because the Established Church in our land is becoming corrupt.'
The document warns 'practice on the ground has already changed' in reference to allowing Church leaders to be in committed same-sex relationships and warned it was 'weakening and destroying the Church'.
The actual declaration contains five 'affirmations' surrounding conservative theology.
