Issues in Human Sexuality

The articles and booklets listed have been written by Reform members or are based on talks given at a Reform conference. The views expressed are not necessarily the 'Reform position' on a particular issue. Discussion papers are written by individual members for the council of Reform and the wider church. The author alone is responsible for the paper. All the papers may be copied freely.

  1. Conduct Which Honours God: The Question of Homosexuality Simon Vibert (from www.fows.org)
     1st part: A response to Michael Vasey’s Strangers and Friends, and to the current situation with church teaching on homosexuality, including the opinions of Jeffrey John and Rowan Williams.  The main part discusses the biblical teaching on homosexuality using the framework of creation, fall, redemption and return, exploring disputed passages such as Romans 1:18ff on the way.  Appendix: sound-byte answers to some popular objections.
    2nd part: an interview with Martin Hallett of True Freedom Trust, outlining an alternative biblical lifestyle for homosexual Christians.

  2. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader Anglican Mainstream Letter to the House of Bishops 2005 (pdf)
    This was written in September 2005 to explain and list the concerns many Anglicans had about the House of Bishops’ Statement concerning the implications of the 2005 Civil Partnership Legislation for the Church and urging the bishops to revise their stance. 2 pages long plus a list of signatories.

  3. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader The Church of England, Civil Partnerships and the House of Bishops John Richardson (pdf)
    A four-page question-and-answer leaflet for those wishing to understand the issues surrounding civil partnerships.  It outlines the current law and the Church’s teaching  and explains why the Statement by the House of Bishops has caused problems here and abroad.

  4. Key Issues Arising from the Civil Partnerships Act Charles Raven
    This briefing paper explains clearly and concisely why the House of Bishops’ response to the 2005 Civil Partnership Legislation is at variance with historical biblical teaching, despite the House of Bishops’ claims to the contrary.
     
  5. Ways Forward in the Present Crisis for the Church of England
    This paper was written in preparation for Reform’s 2004 National Conference on the crisis in the Church of England over some bishops’ refusal to uphold biblical teaching on human sexuality and relationships. It aims to:
    1)    explain why positive action is a necessary response;
    2)    promote discussion about what sort of action can be taken by churches.  It includes a proposal for a panel of reference to put forward candidates for ministry training where a candidate’s church is unable to ask its bishop to do this.

  6. The Appointment of Jeffrey John as Bishop of Reading Mark Burkhill, July 2003.
    This briefing paper examines the arguments and comments which were being used to justify the appointment of Jeffrey John as Bishop of Reading (written before Jeffrey John’s withdrawal from this appointment).

  7. The Kuala Lumpur Statement on Human Sexuality From the Second Anglican Encounter in the South, 1997.
     More than 80 delegates from Anglican churches of the two-thirds world, including many Bishops and Archbishops, met in Kuala Lumpur from 10th to 15th February 1997 for the Second Anglican Encounter in the South. The Kuala Lumpur Statement was produced by one of the working groups. It has subsequently been endorsed by other bodies within the Anglican Communion.

  8. A Response to the Bishop of Guildford (following an LGCM service in Guildford Cathedral, Nov 1996) Julian Henderson
     The author argues that the Bishop’s address simply confused the debate on sexual behaviour.  It briefly addresses ten areas for concern raised by the address.

Truth Matters Leaflets

  1. Key Issues in Human Sexuality
    A leaflet looking at the account of Adam and Eve’s creation and fall in Genesis 1-3 to understand God’s intention for human sexuality. It addresses current developments in the debate with the liberals, and the implications for Christians today.  With suggestions for further reading.

  2. Why then the law?
    A leaflet looking at how Christ’s work on this earth affects the role of the Old Testament laws in Christian living today.  Has particular relevance in light of the current debate on the Bible’s stance on homosexuality.  Gives suggestions for further reading.