On 14 September 2021 the Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, issued a pastoral letter to his diocese concerning the Church in Wales’s recent decision to allow the blessing in church of same-sex couples after a marriage or civil partnership – see this recent news item.
It was Bishop Gregory who gave the summing-up address at the Church’s Governing Body meeting, movingly explaining his own reasons for supporting same-sex blessings and calling on the meeting to vote for the bill – which they did. It is therefore no surprise that his pastoral letter, entitled ‘Bearing With One Another in Love’, is a model of pastoral sensitivity and generosity, calling for a gracious spirit of goodwill and reconciliation.
Here’s one paragraph from the letter, as an example:
This matter has been under debate for a very long time, and there are those who will both applaud, and those who will be deeply troubled by this decision. For those who welcome this decision, including many gay and lesbian Christian sisters and brothers within our own diocesan family, it is a sign of liberation and joy, as the Church recognises the faithfulness of loving commitment represented by these unions, and allows those living in committed loving relationships to bring their faith and their personal lives together to be publicly acknowledged in the life of the Church. … For others within our family, there will be a real struggle to be at peace with this decision.
The full letter can be downloaded from the St Asaph diocesan website at https://dioceseofstasaph.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/210914-Bearing-with-one-another-in-love.pdf, or by clicking on the thumbnail image above. It is well worth a read.