Dear sisters and brothers,
I had promised to write to you again on the subject of the Living in Love and Faith process, once there was something substantial on which to update you. With the issuing of a statement by the National Church Institutions yesterday, regarding decisions made at the October meeting of the House of Bishops, we have now reached that point. Whilst final decisions will be ratified at the House of Bishops meeting in December, it is not expected that matters will have changed significantly during this short interim. Whilst this letter is very much my own, I write with the support of Bishop Matthew and Bishop Mark.
It has become increasingly clear over the last six months that it would not be possible at the present time to secure the necessary majorities at General Synod to authorise either the use of bespoke services for those in same sex marriages, nor the ordination of persons married to a partner of the same sex, without such a high level of delegation of episcopal ministries as to render, in the view of many bishops, such violence to our ecclesiology as to make it arguable as to what extent we could still be considered a single church. Whilst some on both sides of the LLF debate have indicated a willingness to accept such a stark division, it is not something which the House of Bishops has felt able to sanction. The role of bishops as guardians of the unity of the church, compels us to resist further disintegration.
Equally, for the House of Bishops to have pressed on with further changes, in the absence of Synodical support, would have required far stronger theological consensus for the position that this was no more than a natural development of existing teaching than we have been able to find at this point in time. Theological exploration of the issues will no doubt continue, as theological exploration always should, if we are to fulfil our solemn declaration to proclaim the faith of Jesus Christ afresh in every generation, but that will not deliver change within the current LLF timeframe.
This does not mean that no progress has been made since the LLF process began some years ago. For clergy who wish to do so, the Prayers of Love and Faith remain available for use in existing services, such as Holy Communion or a Service of the Word. For those prayers, in these contexts, the House of Bishops remains satisfied that no substantial change to church teaching has taken place.
The decisions that we have reached include that, as no substantive change to teaching or doctrine is to be pursued at this time, no system of delegation of episcopal ministries, either informal or legally based, will be commended by the House. Bishops will remain, subject only to matters agreed as part of the process of achieving the ordination of women to the episcopate, fully bishops for their whole dioceses. Earlier this year, in Manchester as elsewhere, some temporary pastoral accommodations were made in regard to the conduct of ordinations. It was made clear to those affected that this was only for the period of uncertainty that the ongoing LLF process had placed us in. With the decisions of the House this month, that substantive uncertainly regarding possible changes of teaching is now, or very soon will be, over. I have said repeatedly that Manchester will abide by whatever position the House of Bishops reaches. In consequence, there will be no delegation of episcopal ministries in Manchester, nor variation in the pattern of ordination services, going forward.
I have also made it clear that I will not personally, in my time as your bishop, make use of the PLF resources. This is not to indicate any disagreement with them, but recognises that for me to do so would, in my view, abuse a pastoral provision by turning it into a political act. That restraint applies solely to me, as diocesan. Nor will I undertake any actions that lie outwith what the House has been able to support.
I accept fully that many of you may have wished we had ended up in a different place. However, this is where we are, and where we must for now abide. I remain deeply grateful for all who have engaged with the LLF programmes over recent years, and thank them for the insights and wisdom they have brought to our deliberation. I recognise that, for many, this engagement has come at great personal cost. I pray that in this season we are gentle with one another, and especially with all who are saddened or distressed by the outcome. May the living Lord Jesus, who we seek to serve and proclaim, bless and keep you all.
Yours in Christ,
+ David Manchester 16th October 2025