Living in Love and Faith is a collection of resources to enable Christian teaching and learning about Human Identity, Sexuality and Marriage.

Below is a message from the London College of Bishops, outlining the approach we hope to take in the Diocese of London.

Dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ,

Today sees the launch of Living in Love and Faith, a collection of resources to enable Christian teaching and learning about Human Identity, Sexuality and Marriage. These resources are intended to help all of us, whatever our theological convictions, to think more deeply about what it means to be human and how to live in love and faith with one another as the Christian church in this land. When work began on these resources, none of us could have imagined the way that the world would change. And yet, as we learn how best to live in the midst of a global pandemic, the need to understand who we are and how to love as Christ calls us to do remains as vital as ever.

We propose to use these resources here in London in this way. The winter will be a season of preparation. A number of facilitators have already been identified and will be trained in the use of the LLF course during this time. During the spring and summer, there will be a period of engagement during which our churches are invited to use the LLF materials and to contribute to a nationally designed feedback process.

Our expectation is that all of us will find a way to engage with this material, starting with the pastoral principles, in the spring and summer of next year. The pastoral principles are a set of guidelines that help us have better conversations, whatever our personal experience or theology might be. We have found them extremely helpful as Bishops and as a Senior Staff in helping guide us.

Our hope, is that we would do this engagement in groups (observing whatever Covid-related precautions are in place at the time), and make use of both the LLF course and the trained facilitators that we are providing to help guide us through the group process.

We recognise that many will feel vulnerable as this process unfolds. Your pastoral care is of paramount importance, therefore we are providing a network of chaplains available to help and support all of us through this time.

We believe that, even against the background of all that is going on in the world today, this time is an opportunity. An opportunity to understand each other better, to forge deeper relationships with one another and for all of us to be surprised and challenged by what it means to be the body of Christ, in London, in our time.

With every blessing,

+Sarah Londin

+Graham Kensington

+Joanne Stepney

+Jonathan Fulham

+Robert Edmonton

+Ric Islington

+Pete Willesden

To find out more about Living in Love and Faith, please visit the Church of England website.