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| Same-sex marriage: Church of England 'should not change stance' | Same-sex marriage: Church of England 'should not change stance' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The Church of England should not change its opposition to same-sex marriage but it should adopt a "fresh tone and culture of welcome and support" for gay people, a report has said. | The Church of England should not change its opposition to same-sex marriage but it should adopt a "fresh tone and culture of welcome and support" for gay people, a report has said. |
| The House of Bishops report said there was "little support" for changing the Church's teaching on marriage", that it was between one man and one woman. | |
| It also said the Church needed to repent for homophobic attitudes. | |
| The Church's General Synod will discuss the report in London next month. | The Church's General Synod will discuss the report in London next month. |
| The report follows three years of private "shared conversations" about the Church's future policy on sexuality. | The report follows three years of private "shared conversations" about the Church's future policy on sexuality. |
| It also said all potential clergy - straight and gay - will be asked about their sexual conduct. | It also said all potential clergy - straight and gay - will be asked about their sexual conduct. |
| BBC religious affairs correspondent Martin Bashir said: "Instead of focusing purely on the sexual activities of gay clergy they want to ensure that people who are heterosexual are also following the guidelines of the church... that marriage is between a man and a woman and it's monogamous and it's lifelong. | |
| "So they are going to begin to ask questions of heterosexual individuals as well as homosexual." | "So they are going to begin to ask questions of heterosexual individuals as well as homosexual." |
| 'Angry and disappointed' | |
| The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement said in a statement they were "disappointed" by the report. | |
| Chief executive Tracey Byrne said: "LGBTI+ people who have participated in this process in good faith, at considerable personal cost, will feel angry and disappointed that there appears so little real change... | |
| "This is another missed opportunity which further undermines the mission of the established Church to convey the gospel promise of good news for everyone." | |
| Jayne Ozanne, a member of the Church's General Synod who is an openly gay Christian, said: "Believing you can change your tone so that we're given 'welcome and support' whilst teaching that our being in a loving faithful same-sex relationship, which by definition has to be outside of marriage because you won't permit it, is sinful is ludicrous." |