Christians call for equal age of consent: Expert evidence and puplic opinion strongly in favour of justice

"A majority of Members of Parliament will reject attempts by Bishops to discriminate against young gay people," said Rev'd Richard Kirker today on the eve of a debate to lower the age of consent, "and we repudiate the Church's attempt to cast us a morally inferior people on the grounds of sexuality. Our capacity to make morally responsible decisions should not be questioned. LGCM cares passionately about ending injustice and believes the Christian message is weakened by homophobia. That is why we wish to see heterosexual and homosexual people given equal respect and rights in our society."

the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, Britain's leading organisation of Christian homosexuals, supports the lowering of the homosexual age of consent from 18 to 16 and welcomes the debate on Monday (June 22) in the House of Commons when this proposal will be put to the vote.

We deplore the view expressed on behalf of the majority of the Church of England's House of Bishops, issued in advance of the debate, resisting the case for equality. Their case is unsutainable and lacks evidence. This is not surprising as they have, for instance, side-stepped the fact that the majority of child care agencies and the British Medical Association, are keen to see equality.

The House of Bishops is not unanimous, and LGCM believes the House to be deeply divided. Last year, Rt Rev'd Richard Harries, Bishop of Oxford called for an equal age of consent, and more recently Rt Rev'd Peter Selby, Bishop of Worcester said, "I hope that parliament will agree to lowering the age of consent for gay people to 16. I believe that having a different age encourages other forms of discrimination against gay people."