The Report of the Select Committee on Human Sexuality in the Context of Christian Belief has been presented to General Synod meeting in Dún Laoghaire.

Proposing the Report, chairman of the committee, the Very Revd John Mann, outlined the work of the Select Committee over the first two and a half years of its life and its plans for the next year and a half.

He said that the committee’s initial effort went towards producing a Guide to the ongoing conversation in the Church of Ireland on the whole area of same sex attraction and the valuing of human experience, creativity and above all, relationship, within the theological understanding of Anglicanism and particularly in the Church of Ireland.

He said the Guide had been printed and a resource had been produced involving three modules for use in parish and other groups to explore the issue further. The pack will be send to all rectors shortly. A coordinator had been appointed in each diocese. “It is hoped that in the early part of 2017 the Select Committee will receive feedback from the twelve diocesan co–ordinators, which may then be assembled and brought back to General Synod, so that this body may be presented with a paper next year reflecting the pattern of thought across our Church.  It is at that point that the life of the Select Committee, at least with its current remit, is likely to cease,” he stated.

Dean Mann said the committee was seeking to address other matters of human sexuality in the context of Christian belief, whilst attempting to avoid areas being covered by other groups, organisations and committees in the Church of Ireland. He said that the select committee was asked to look at the whole area of human sexuality but sought to avoid concerns expressed by the Revd Stephen Neill during the discussion on the report of Standing Committee. “The dangers of online access to sexual images, the regulation or otherwise of the same, the exploitation of children and other vulnerable people to sexualisation, and other related topics are our immediate concern.  How what we learn will be presented has not yet been decided but the hope is that the Select Committee in the time of the diocesan and parish consideration of its work to date may find useful employment in these other areas of concern and potential abuse,” he said.

The discussion on the report included the following points:

• Alan Gilbert (Cashel, Ferns and Ossory) said it was up to us to protect the dignity of all humans irrespective of their sexual leanings and commended the work of the committee.
• Leo Gilroy (Glendalough) said last year he criticised the committee for having no LGBT members and was later coopted. He commended the resources that the committee had produced and urged everyone to use them for discussion. He said those discussions may result in disagreement but urged that disagreement to be respectful. He urged Synod to suggest options for the committee on how LGBT could be included to take to Synod 2017 to further the debate.
• Wendy Donaghy (Raphoe) looked forward to the time when people would not be defined by their sexuality and praised Bishop Rooke for his sermon at Synod Eucharist.
• Hilary McClay said that the Church of Ireland had to address issues surrounding children, women and men who were being trafficked and abused. She hoped the Church could make a response to these issues.

Dean John Mann responded saying that the life of the select committee had been very creative and said there was so much more to discuss.

The report was received by Synod.