Civil partnerships should be no more than “sexually abstinent friendships”, the Church of England has stated.
Following a landmark legal battle, which resulted in the recent introduction of mixed-sex civil partnerships, Bishops have now issued pastoral guidance to clergy on how to deal with the issue.
Religious leaders have concluded that sex belongs only within heterosexual marriage, and that Christians who are in either gay or straight civil partnerships should remain sexually abstinent.
The statement from the House of Bishops said that sex outside of marriage falls “short of God’s purposes for human beings” and concludes that those in civil partnerships – whether same-sex or opposite-sex – can be ordained, as long as they commit to celibacy.
“Christians believe sex is for married heterosexual couples only” – funny how this statement, which would not be news even 25 years ago, now causes shock https://t.co/ZeOUiuB8on via @telegraphnews
— Jack Valero ن (@jackvalero) January 24, 2020