A new booklet by Bishop Andrew Watson has been published on the Diocese of Guildford website to guide Church of England communities through ongoing discussions around sexuality, relationships, and marriage - including prayers for same-sex couples.
Titled Living in Love and Faith: Discerning the Mind of the Church, the booklet addresses how churches can engage thoughtfully and respectfully with one of the most divisive topics facing the Church today. It lays out a process of learning, listening, and discernment, encouraging unity and mutual understanding between those with differing theological views, in order to make actionable steps forward, guided by church leadership.
The document outlines the importance of collective decision-making within church leadership and highlights the need for trust as the Church considers next steps. A key focus is the recently introduced Prayers of Love and Faith - a set of resources that can be used in services to bless same-sex couples. These prayers were formally commended for use by bishops in December 2023, but their use remains optional for individual clergy.
Bishop Andrew raises concerns about the Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process and what he describes as the “lack of clarity” about its end point and the implications for the Church’s teaching on marriage.
The booklet notes that many in the Church cannot accept any change to the traditional doctrine of marriage, which they believe is rooted in Scripture and central to Christian understanding of creation and redemption.
The document also addresses the strain LLF has placed on relationships within the global Anglican Communion and with other denominations. It stresses the need for strong, honest, and supportive relationships in order to grow together as a Church.
Bishop Watson calls for the LLF process to be placed “on a proper theological and canonical footing", suggesting that the Church should follow the full Canon B2 legislative route if it is to move forward with such significant liturgical changes. He warns that trying to move too quickly, without proper planning, could damage the unity of the Church:
“It may take a little more time to do this properly: but how essential that we do so, especially given that the task in hand is not so much the building of a tower but rather a tending to the wellbeing of the Body of Christ.”
Looking ahead, Bishop Watson outlines three possible paths: remaining at the current stage with no further developments; slowly moving forward if enough agreement can be found; or seeking a more formal "creative settlement" to hold the tension together within the House and College of Bishops.
“Adopting Canon B2 as the way ahead will next lead to a proper discussion about where we go from here,” he writes.
Whatever the outcome, Bishop Watson concludes, prayer, sensitivity, and pastoral care must remain at the heart of the Church’s response.
