Lesbian and Gay Christians

Today at Synod the debate continues on one of the crisis issues of contemporary Anglicanism:

PRIVATE MEMBER’S MOTION: LESBIAN AND GAY CHRISTIANS (GS Misc 842A and B)
Following debate, an amendment to the original motion was moved by the Bishop of Gloucester; this was further amended, and was carried by the Synod in the following form:
'That this Synod
(a) commend continuing efforts to prevent the diversity of opinion about human sexuality creating further division and impaired fellowship within the Church of England and the Anglican Communion;
(b) recognise that such efforts would not be advanced by doing anything that could be perceived as the Church of England qualifying its commitment to the entirety of the relevant Lambeth Conference Resolutions (1978: 10; 1988: 64; 1998: 1.10); and
(c) welcome the opportunities offered by these Lambeth Resolutions, including for the Church of England to engage in an open, full and Godly dialogue about human sexuality;
(d) affirm that homosexual orientation in itself is no bar to a faithful Christian life or to full participation in lay and ordained ministry in the Church and acknowledge the importance of lesbian and gay members of the Church of England participating in the listening process as full members of the Church.'

CIVIL PARTNERSHIPS (GS Misc 843A and B)
Following debate, an amendment to the original motion was moved by the Bishop of Liverpool; this was further amended, and was carried by the Synod in the following form:
‘That this Synod
(a) acknowledge the diversity of views within the Church of England on whether Parliament might better have addressed the injustices affecting persons of the same sex wishing to share a common life had it done so in a way that avoided creating a legal framework with many similarities to marriage;
(b) note the intention of the House to keep their Pastoral Statement under review.’

We shall have to wait until tomorrow to catch the flavour of the debate that produced this outcome and to review church and media reaction.