Bishops' response to Living in Love and Faith

In 2023, the bishops made a direct public apology to LGBTQI+ people for the way in which the Church has rejected or excluded them, admitting: “We have not loved you as God loves you, and that is profoundly wrong.”

The apology is set out in a pastoral letter from the bishops of the Church of England which also recognises that they disagree over same-sex marriage and proposes a way forward which could be put in action within months.

A report - Living in Love and Faith: A response from the Bishops of the Church of England about identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage – sets out the bishops’ proposals and recommends areas for further work.

Part of the Bishops' response included a book of draft worship resources – Prayers of Love and Faith. It is a range of prayers and readings which could be used in a church service, such as a Service of the Word or a Service within a Celebration of Holy Communion.

The draft texts, proposed by the bishops of the Church of England, were considered by General Synod in February 2023 alongside other proposals in response to a six-year process of listening, learning and discernment on questions of identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage known as Living in Love and Faith.

On 12 December, the House of Bishops commended the Prayers of Love and Faith and associated material including the pastoral guidance for use in regular public worship services with effect from Sunday, 17 December 2023.

Read our press release for more about the Bishops' immediate response to the Living in Love and Faith journey and download the full report below.

• A response from the Bishops of the Church of England about identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage (503.22 KB)