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Human Sexuality

The development of Anglican thinking on sexuality can be most helpfully found in Some Issues in Human Sexuality - a guide to the debate - commended by the House of Bishops in 2003.

Homosexuality

Some issues in Human Sexuality (Section 1.3) outlines the growth of the debate about the traditional teaching on homosexual activity from the 1950's onwards.

In the 1950s the Church of England's Moral Welfare Council was one of the major influences that led to the setting up of the Wolfenden Commission, supporting its recommendation to abolish the law against male homosexual activity and to set the age of homosexual consent at 21, which became law in 1967.

Three reports on homosexuality were produced by the Church of England working parties between 1970 and 1989, each of them contributions to the debate. These were the unpublished report of a Board for Social Responsibility working party produced in 1970, the 1979 BSR report Homosexual Relations: A contribution to discussion and the unpublished 1989 'Osborne' report, which was commissioned by the BSR for the House of Bishops.

The mind of the Church has been expressed formally on two occasions. First, on 11 November 1987, the General Synod passed by 403 votes to 8 the following motion at the end of the debate initiated by the Revd Tony Higton:

'That this Synod affirms that the biblical and traditional teaching on chastity and fidelity in personal relationships in a response to, and expression of, God's love for each one of us, and in particular affirms:

  1. that sexual intercourse is an act of total commitment which belongs properly within a permanent married relationship;
  2. that fornication and adultery are sins against this ideal, and are to be met by a call to repentance and the exercise of compassion;
  3. that homosexual genital acts also fall short of this ideal, and are likewise to be met by a call to repentance and the exercise of compassion;
  4. that all Christians are called to be exemplary in all spheres of morality, including sexual morality; and that holiness of life is particularly required of Christian leaders.'

Secondly, in December 1991, the House of Bishops published a statement Issues in Human Sexuality (CHP 1991). This endorsed the traditional Christian belief that the teaching of the Bible is that heterosexual marriage is the proper context for sexual activity between two people. It went on to declare that what it called 'homophile' orientation and activity could not be endorsed by the Church as:

'... a parallel and alternative form of human sexuality as complete within the terms of the created order as the heterosexual. The convergence of Scripture, Tradition and reasoned reflection on experience, even including the newly sympathetic and perceptive thinking of our own day, makes it impossible for the Church to come with integrity to any other conclusion. Heterosexuality and homosexuality are not equally congruous with the observed order of creation or with the insights of revelation as the Church engages with these in the light of her pastoral ministry.'

It also argued that the conscientious decision of those who enter into such relationships must be respected, and that the Church must 'not reject those who sincerely believe it is God's call to them'.

Nevertheless, because of the 'distinctive nature of their calling, status and consecration', the clergy 'cannot claim the liberty to enter into sexually active homophile relationships' (Some Issues 1.3.19-20).

In July 1997 General Synod passed a private member's motion moved by the Archdeacon of Wandsworth to:

  1. commend the House of Bishops' report Issues in Human Sexuality and acknowledge it is not the last word on the subject;
  2. in particular, urge deanery synods, clergy chapters and congregations to find time for prayerful study and reflection on the issue addressed by the report.'

The 1987 Synod motion and Issues in Human Sexuality are the two authoritative Church of England statements on the issue of homosexuality.

As a member of the Anglican Communion, the Church of England also respects the teaching of Resolution 1.10 on Human Sexuality of the 1998 Lambeth Conference (the ten-yearly meeting of all bishops of the Communion) which expresses the declared mind of the Anglican Communion as a whole.

Sexual Ethics

There have been a number of other debates in the General Synod relating to more general aspects of human sexuality. For instance, in November 1977, Canon Rhymes moved a private member's motion on sexual ethics about the then recently published Vatican statement on Sexual Ethics. The substantially amended motion which was carried was:

'That this Synod:

  1. feels that the time has come for a new look at the whole Christian theology of sexuality in the light of present theological and psychiatric understanding;
  2. calls upon the BSR to make a preliminary study of the principal issues involved for debate at a subsequent group of sessions of the General Synod.'

This was followed by another debate in July 1978 on a report by the BSR Humanity and Sexuality (GS369), based largely on a paper prepared by Provost and Mrs Moss and which was seen as a preliminary study. A motion to do further work was lost. In July and November 1979 the General Synod debated a Vatican document on sexual ethics, but no motion was passed. In November 1989 a Private Member's motion in the name of Trevor Stevenson was debated and the following motion was carried:

'That this Synod expressed its support for Members of Parliament engaged in efforts to deal with the problem of decadent attitudes towards women and sexuality that are spreading and growing in our society.'

For further discussion of the use of the Bible in Sexual Ethics and the current debate on sexuality see Some Issues in Human Sexuality (Chapters 1 and 2).

In November 1998 a private member's motion in the name of Preb Horace Harper was debated and the following motion was carried:

'That this Synod commend as something to celebrate the witness of those who fulfil their Christian calling in lifelong celibacy, and honour their vocation.'

In 2003 the Doctrine Commission published a report on Being Human: A Christian understanding of personhood with reference to power, money, sex and time.