Theological diversity: health or heresy?

This study is a response to the following resolution passed by the 2002 Sea of Faith (UK) AGM:

• The Sea of Faith UK AGM takes note of the recent resignation of Andrew Furlong as Dean of Clonmacnoise and expresses concern regarding the pressure to conform to traditional doctrinal beliefs that led to this resignation. At the same time, the AGM recognizes that a religious tradition, like any organisation, has a legitimate interest in defining its identity and that the appropriate balance between tradition and diversity within this identity is complex and subject to change over time.
  
  
• The AGM therefore asks the Steering Committee to initiate a study on the allowability of doctrinal diversity within Christianity, in the context of religious faith as a human creation. The purposes of the study are to inform the Network's views on this subject and to assist the Network in defining its position regarding situations where a religious tradition formally questions the acceptability of the views of one of its members or representatives. The study should include both research and consultation with SoF members. The results of the study, along with proposed statements of policy, which may be adopted by the membership, should be presented to the 2003 AGM.

In response to the resolution, the Steering Committee established a working group including Patti Whaley, Ronald Pearse, Michael Morton and David Hart. The working group has completed its assigned task as follows:

• Terms of reference were developed, submitted to the Steering Committee for approval, and issued to the membership. Copies were also sent to some 35 contacts who were invited to comment.
• The SoF Development Trust was approached and kindly agreed to provide £1500 plus the first £1500 of 2003 donations to fund the study.
• A series of preparatory papers was published in the March special issue of the SoF magazine; further background material was made available on special pages of the SoF UK web site, www.sofn.org.uk/diversity.html. Talks and discussions about the study were held with local membership in North London, York, Northwest England, and Oxford.

Further papers were solicited and received from:

• Michael Jacobs, a psychologist at Leicester University
• Norman Doe, head of the Centre for Law and Religion at Cardiff University
• Andy Kemp, lay worker in the Methodist Church
• David Hart, author and lecturer in theology at Derby University
• Jonathan Clatworthy, General Secretary of MCU

An initial draft of this paper was presented for plenary discussion at the SoF UK annual conference, leading to the resolution cited in the report.