Reform are grateful to God that the House of Bishops have decided not to propose any changes to the Church of England’s doctrine of marriage and support their desire to ensure that everyone receives a warm welcome in our churches. We pray that this will give everyone the opportunity to hear the gospel of radical inclusion which leads to radical transformation, offered by Jesus Christ.
We are concerned, however, about the proposals the House of Bishops have made with regard to permitting maximum freedom within this law. In adopting a framework which seeks to take a middle path between biblical truth and cultural sensitivities, the bishops have ensured theological incoherence and hypocrisy will prevail for the foreseeable future, with all the hurt and confusion that will cause. In so doing they have failed in their primary pastoral duty to teach truth and drive away error.
