A steering group to help people across the diocese engage with Living in Love and Faith resources has now been established.
Guided by the Bishop of Ripon, the Rt Revd Dr Helen-Ann Hartley, its members are the Archdeacon of Bradford, the Very Revd Andy Jolley, diocesan board member Marilyn Banister, diocesan Officer for Disability and Inclusion, Katherine-Alice Grasham, Sarah Hobbs, of the Ripon Cathedral community and Bradford curate, Derek Jones.
“Living in Love and Faith (LLF) represents an important process in our shared life as disciples of Christ,” said Bishop Helen-Ann..jpg)
“We commend the LLF materials for everyone to look at, work with, reflect and discern.
“As we ‘live love and learn’ it is our hope that even in just the process of engagement we will learn something new about ourselves and the Church that God is calling and purposing us to be,” said Bishop Helen-Ann, who is part of the national “Next Steps” group.
The diocese’s three cathedrals and a chosen deanery will all run pilot courses in early 2021.
“We hope full-diocesan engagement will commence after Easter and are encouraging everyone to look at the LLF hub and its extensive resources: the book, podcasts and other materials,” added Bishop Helen-Ann.
Living in Love and Faith, The Church of England’s landmark set of resources on questions of identity, draws together the Bible, theology, science and history with powerful real-life stories and is the product of three years’ work by more than 40 people.
It is the start of a process of discernment and decision-making on questions of identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage which will take place in 2021.
The House of Bishops would then bring the discernment and decision-making to a timely conclusion in 2022 which would then be put before Synod.
In a foreword to the LLFresources, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, and Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell commented:
“Our prayer for the Church through this work is that collectively we demonstrate the same love to one another that we have experienced from God.”
The Church of England’s Living in Love and Faith resources can be found here