LGBTQ | Christianity
Dear Church, I am NOT a “Gay Issue”
Addressing the use of language by Allies in Church
It all began in 1991…
OK, it started way before then, but for the sake of this article, we will begin in 1991.
The Church of England released Issues in Human Sexuality, a statement by the House of Bishops.
The statement was wide-ranging, but had particular focus on ‘homophilia’, a novel and unhelpful term for ‘homosexuality’. The aim was to avoid negative impressions relating to the word ‘homosexuality’ and ‘clumsy circumlocutions in referring to same-sex love’. I am as confused by this reasoning as you probably are.
The document goes on to open the possibility of genetic modification to remove ‘homophilia’ (see 4.5, page 32). This is within the wider context of an exploration of conversion therapy.
Issues in Human Sexuality has become a standard for the Church of England. Its suggestion not to allow priests to be in sexually active same-sex relationships has become the standard practice for the Church of England. Only now, over 30 years later, is it being looked at and reconsidered.
Many years of fighting for equality is now, possibly, bearing fruit. We are yet to see if the…
