Press Releases10 May 05

Same-sex relationships and the Church - a communication from the House of Bishops, May 2005

Same-sex relationships and the Church

A communication from the House of Bishops to the General Synod, May 2005

The Bishops of the Church of Ireland, meeting in Cork on Monday 11th April 2005, agreed that, further to their Pastoral Letter, and having already engaged in a lengthy process of listening to both individuals and groups within the Church of Ireland, studying written submissions and undertaking their own study, they now intend to appoint a group of people with particular expertise to advise the Church further on matters related to same-sex relationships.

It was further agreed that the General Synod should be informed of the Bishops' inititative, and that the study should be seen as a contribution on the part of the Church of Ireland in responding to the Lambeth Conference of 1998 as enunciated in Resolution 1.10. The process proposed conforms to a pattern of patient discernment marked by a search for greater understanding of God's purpose in creation, obedience to the Word of God, and a waiting upon the Holy Spirit.