The College of Bishops and the House of Bishops met on Tuesday 17 January to discern a way forward for the Church of England on questions of identity, sexuality and marriage.
The meeting marked the culmination of a process of discernment that began six years ago under the banner ‘Living in Love and Faith’ (LLF) in which people were invited to share their learning, insights and reflections using resources made available across dioceses and online.
Over 6,000 responses were received. These responses were gathered into a report called ‘Listening in Love and Faith’ which, together with a technical report and an essay entitled ‘Friendship and the Body of Christ’, were some of the diverse resources used to support the bishops in their process over the course of the three meetings dedicated to seeking to discern what they believe God is saying to the Church of England today.
The meeting, which was held over the course of one day, reviewed the bishops’ response to the process and considered a number of draft papers which will form the basis for use at General Synod in February as well as background materials for further discernment.
The following news, information and resources have been published on the Church of England website:
- News - Living in Love and Faith at the College of Bishops and the House of Bishops – January 2023
- Prayers - Draft Prayers of Love and Faith
- Response - A response from the Bishops of the Church of England about identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage
- Synod - Read the full agenda for the February 2023 group of sessions
In response, Bishop Christopher has written to all ministers within the diocese. He said:
"The papers for the February Session of the General Synod have now been published. They include the long-awaited response of the Bishops of the Church of England to Living in Love and Faith. As we say in our Pastoral Letter, a milestone has been reached. I am writing to you now with my own assessment of where we are, and my views on it." Read more