Decriminalising Homosexual Relations: The Age of Consent              Back to discussions
A Statement by the House of Bishops

  1. All who have leadership responsibility in our society, both in Church and State, have a particular duty to support young people in their personal development, to protect them from harm and exploitation and to offer them a vision of what is good.
  2. Legislation affecting sexual relationships should, therefore, offer proctection, set an example of what is good and to rooted in sound moral values.
  3. There is a particular need, in our culture, to support young people. Pressures are at work to legitimise any and every lifestyle irrespective of any difference of value and quality between them. These pressures should be resisted.
  4. Our Christian faith teches us that sex is a gift of God for the enriching of our lives within the context of marriage. Rightly used, it has a sacramental quality which speaks of the abiding permanent and sacrificial love of God for us. It ought not to be treated and outside a strong framework of moral vallues. As Bishops we have set out what we believe this is and means in our Statement, Issues in Human Sexuality. We stand by that.
  5. We recognise the complexities of the issues facing legislators, but we are concerned that the proposal to lower the age of consent for homosexual relationships to 16 may give wrong messages both to young people and to our society as a whole. It is particularly important for it to be understood that actions may be legal without being morally right or socially desirable.
  6. Whilst we accept that - among ourselves as indeed in the wider Church and society - there is debate about the right way forwardon this issue, we believe there is a widespread desire that a broader agenda of moral vision should provide the context both for this debate and indeed for the consideration of other social issues. This is a time when we all need to work for greater stability and flourishing in our personal lives, in the building of family life and in deepening community life.
  7. On the detail of the proposed change a majority of the bishops are opposed to the ammendment to lower the age of consent for homosexual relations.