Marriage and same-sex relationships

The Bishop of Sherborne, the Archdeacon of Dorset and I met with 10 clergy from Dorset who had contacted me following my remarks on same-sex relationships in an interview published in The Times on 3 February, and on the BBC Radio 4 Sunday programme on 5 February.

Bishop Graham and I disagree about the appropriateness of using the word 'marriage' for same-sex relationships. He expressed his concerns to me privately and in the meeting. We are, however, committed to working together creatively.

I welcomed the open and robust conversation, which covered the following areas:

• My thanks for their constructive response to what I had said
• The context of the wider interview from which the published remarks were drawn
• The state of the debate about same-sex relationships
• My intention to encourage an honest conversation

• Our understanding of what marriage constitutes and means
• The place of same-sex relationships and couples within the life of the Church and our pastoral care of them
• The nature of same-sex relationships
• The difference between contractual and covenantal relationships and their relationship to Civil Partnerships and marriage
• The appropriateness of using the language of marriage for same-sex relationships

• Our understanding of the authority of Scripture and Tradition, and their immutability
• The significance of scriptural references to homosexuality
• The Church’s relationship with the wider community and its culture
• The current discipline and practice of the Church of England

• My role as Bishop and leader in the Diocese
• Pluralism, the width of the Church and the Bishop’s relationship to it
• How we address contentious issues within the Diocese

• Our relationships with the Church in other parts of the world, especially Sudan
• Concerns for local Ecumenical relationships

• How we might go forward constructively when we are in such profound disagreement about the definition of marriage

At the end of the meeting I reaffirmed my commitment to:

• Supporting marriage as it is currently understood
• Upholding the current discipline and practice of the Church of England
• Supporting those clergy whose standpoint differs from my own

I ended by welcoming future opportunities to continue the conversation.

+Nicholas Sarum