The Church of England’s governing body recently voted to eliminate a longstanding 1991 document on sexuality that clergy candidates were previously required to accept. This decision has sparked debate as many argue that removing the guidance could undermine the Church’s clear teachings on human sexuality.

The document, titled Issues in Human Sexuality, described homosexual practice as incompatible with Church teaching and called on homosexual Christians to live a life of abstinence. For decades, it provided a firm moral framework for discerning candidates for ordination.

Supporters of retaining the document warn that dismissing this guidance risks abandoning biblical principles and opening the door to confusion regarding the Church’s doctrine on marriage and sexuality. They emphasise that the document served as a necessary standard rooted in theological tradition.

While the Church states this change does not alter official doctrine, critics remain concerned that such moves effectively soften the Church’s stance, creating division within both the Church and the global Anglican community. In many parts of the Anglican Communion, especially in Africa and Asia, the traditional teachings on sexuality remain deeply valued and integral to the faith.

The original document was intended as a teaching tool to uphold the Church’s understanding of human sexuality as part of the created order, clearly distinguishing heterosexual relationships as the framework for Christian sexual ethics.

Many argue that describing homosexuality as a “parallel and alternative” form of sexuality was not intended to be offensive but to uphold what the Church has always understood as biblical truth. The removal of this document, therefore, risks confusing clergy and laity alike about the Church’s consistent moral teaching.

As debates continue, some fear that abandoning these traditional teachings may weaken the Church’s witness and lead to further divisions both within England and across the worldwide Anglican community.