CONTROVERSIES within the Church of the issues of baptism and the ordination of women will be tackled head-on by a North Yorkshire bishop when he addresses an ecumenical service this weekend.
Representatives from six denominations are expected to meet at the Ripon campus of the University College of Ripon and York St John for a gathering to mark the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.
Bishop of Ripon and Leeds, the Right Reverend John Packer, will urge them to celebrate their differences and not to expect to agree on every issue, adding that Christian unity should be based on respect.
"We each bring our own perspectives, formed by the gospel, by prayer and by seeking to follow Christ. They will be different, sometimes contradictory, yet we understand God best when we listen hard to those with whom we disagree," he said.
Bishop John's speech is due at 6.30pm on Sunday
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