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from the Bishops of the Church of England

We, the Bishops of the Church of England, invite you to join us in using this book and its accompanying resources to learn together about how the Christian understanding of God relates to questions of identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage.

These are questions that touch all of us deeply. They are about our lives and the loves that sustain them. They are about experiences and convictions that bring both joy and pain. And so this invitation is about learning together as human beings, each one of us created in the image of God and equally precious in God’s sight.

This book has come about because there is disagreement within the people of God, including among us, the Bishops of the Church of England. There are disagreements about same-sex relationships and the Christian understanding of marriage as the Church of England has received it. There are also disagreements about pastoral practice in relation to gender identity, sexuality and relationships more generally. The roots of these disagreements relate to Scripture, doctrine, ethics and the nature of the Church, including the Church of England.

Accepting the invitation to join us – with all our differences – is about embarking on a venture of learning and discovery. Our prayer is that as all of us, the people of God, take time to listen and learn together, our love for one another will be deepened and our faith in Jesus Christ strengthened so that his joy will be made complete in us.