Several recent stories out of Western Europe show a tragic trend toward apostacy. First, a bishop in the Church of England has released an essay arguing that clergy within the denomination should be allowed to bless same-sex unions. Rev. Steven Croft, the bishop of Oxford, released a lengthy essay on titled “Together in Love and Faith,” arguing that the Church of England should remove its prohibition on blessing same-sex unions. “I confirm my affection and respect for those who will want to argue, in good conscience, against change and potential provision for such change. I also make no claim whatsoever to infallibility: I may be wrong, either in the detail or in the overall argument,” wrote Croft in his introduction. “However, the Church will only be led into true and accurate discernment as we each, honestly and faithfully, share the best perspective we can, and subject those views to the wisdom of whole Church.”

 Croft, who said he once ascribed to the theologically conservative and biblical view on the issue, went on to argue that there were “fruits and benefits of same-sex partnerships” that the Church could benefit from, adding that the current stance of the Church created “hurt and pain” for the LGBT community.

 The bishop’s essay and the responses to it come as the Church of England considers the possibility of allowing the blessing of same-sex unions in their congregations. The College of Bishops held a meeting earlier regarding the matter, with the discernment process possibly leading to changes being approved in February at the Church’s General Synod meeting. Five other bishops in the Church of England have also come out in favor of blessing same-sex unions, arguing that priests should be allowed to celebrate them if they support them.

 Meanwhile, Bishops in the Church of Norway, the largest Christian denomination in the Scandinavian country, say they are open to ordaining unmarried, cohabiting priests, going against a resolution of the Bishop’s Conference that prohibits cohabitation. Norwegian news outlet Vart Land found in a survey that all bishops in the Church of Norway would be willing to ordain priests who live with their partner without being married. The news outlet also found that the bishop of Oslo, Kari Veiteberg, had been ordaining cohabiting priests, cantors, catechists and deacons since 2017.

 The U.K.-based Premier Christian News noted that under current rules, the Church of Norway does not allow the ordination of unmarried cohabiting partners as per its 1995 statement on the issue. The 1995 resolution said employees from the Church cannot “establish a cohabitation outside of an arranged marriage,” according to Dagen. However, the Church’s presiding bishop, Rev. Olav Fykse Tveit, recently stated that bishops can decide to ordain unmarried cohabiting priests on their own. “They agree to hold marriage as the best arrangement for cohabitation, but also agree that each bishop must make an individual assessment of each candidate seeking marriage.”

 Biblical Connection: Paul in 2 Timothy 4:3-4 said, “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.” In both of these instances, neither group is arguing that the Bible itself allows for what they are calling for but instead that it would simply make it “easier” for people. The only thing that they are doing is making it easier for people to live in their sin and avoid facing the truth of the Scriptures.

 PRAY: Pray that the rise of apostacy in Western Europe would be quenched and that people would turn back to the truth of God’s Word.