by Heather Preston, Premier
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.