In a press release titled “Homophobic, biphobic, and transphobic (HBT) bullying tackled in new guidance for Church schools,” the Church of England has signaled that they have completely caved to progressivism and abandoned Christianity.
The press release provides details of a fifty-two-page report that the Church of England published as part of their ongoing efforts to train teachers in their schools.
The press release opens with the statement: “Guidance for the Church of England’s 4,700 schools published today aims to prevent pupils from having their self-worth diminished or their ability to achieve impeded by being bullied because of their perceived or actual sexual orientation or gender identity.”
The statement goes on to say, “The report makes 12 recommendations for schools including ensuring schools’ Christian ethos statements offer ‘an inclusive vision for education’ where ‘every child should be revered and respected as members of a community where all are known and loved by God.'”
The problem with the press release and the report isn’t that it wants to stop bullying. The problem is that the Church of England has defined bullying in such a way that it encompasses adhering to the belief that boys cannot be girls and vice versa. The Church of England denies that sex is a synonym for gender, and anyone who disagrees is guilty of bullying. Likewise, adhering to Biblical teaching about sexuality is now defined as bullying by the Church of England.
The report (linked to above) is fairly repetitive and contains mostly boiler-plate LGBTQ agenda-affirming language and proposed policies. For example, the reports instructs teachers that,
[Church of England] schools should ensure they provide an inclusive curriculum that addresses sexuality, gender, gender identity and LGBT issues in age appropriate ways. Sensitively addressing LGBT issues will help to create a culture of respect towards LGBT pupils and will actively contribute to the prevention of HBT bullying.
Trans young people may require specific support in order to feel comfortable at school, for example, schools may need to make changes to toilet facilities or a trans young person might require support to change their name or the pronoun by which they are referred to by staff and classmates.
The report has a section specifically crafted for teachers in primary (elementary) schools. Providing guidance for primary school teachers, the Church of England asserts,
In creating a school environment that promotes dignity for all and a call to live fulfilled lives as uniquely gifted individuals, pupils will be equipped to accept difference of all varieties and be supported to accept their own gender identity or sexual orientation and that of others. In order to do this it will be essential to provide curriculum opportunities where difference is explored, same-sex relationships, same-sex parenting and transgender issues may be mentioned as a fact in some people’s lives
Children should be at liberty to explore the possibilities of who they might be without judgement or derision. For example, a child may choose the tutu, princess’s tiara and heels and/or the firefighter’s helmet, tool belt and superhero cloak without expectation or comment. Childhood has a sacred space for creative self-imagining.
LGBTQ activists have been quick to praise the report. The opening paragraph of an article published on The Guardian makes clear that “LGBT charities and campaigners have welcomed the Church of England’s new guidance for schools urging them to refrain from making pupils conform to gender stereotypes.”
Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell told The Guardian, “The new guidance is positive. It affirms diverse sexual orientations and gender identities, supporting pupils who are different. It acknowledges their right to explore, experiment and express without denigration.”
To sum up the report, the Church of England’s plan to stop the bullying of LGBTQ kids is to teach everyone that God’s definitions and parameters of sexuality are not to be obeyed, and that gender is fluid. In other words, the Church of England has decided to ignore God in order to curry favor with man.
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