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Partners, Friends and Human Sexuality

Civil Partnership

The Civil Partnership Act 2004 received Royal Assent on 18 November 2004. The Act came into force on 5 December 2005.

'The Act creates a new legal relationship of civil partnership which two people of the same sex can form by signing a registration document. It also provides same-sex couples who form a civil partnership with parity of treatment in a wide range of legal matters with those opposite-sex couples who enter into a civil marriage.' (Women & Equality Unit website)

The Civil Partnership Act
Text of the Act (Explanatory notes)

Government information about Civil Partnership
From the Women and Equality Unit

BBC Religion and Ethics
Civil Partnership and same- sex marriage: overview of the arguments for and against

The Churches' Response to the Civil Partnership Act

There is a wide spectrum of responses to the Civil Partnership Act within the Church of England. Below are links to the House of Bishops' official response and to sites representing the diversity of views expressed by different groups within the Church of England.

House of Bishops
 Pastoral Statement on civil Partnerships

The Bishop of Oxford
House of Lord's speech on Civil Partnership

Changing Attitude
Works for gay and lesbian affirmation within the Anglican Church

Fulcrum
Aims to represent the centre ground of evangelical Anglicanism

Affirming Catholicism
Takes a positive attitude towards Civil Partnership and publishes a booklet "Civil Partnership: A Guide for Christians"

Friendship and Human Sexuality
A website set up by Dr. Mark Vernon to complement his book The Philosophy of Friendship. Mark Vernon is a writer, journalist and former priest in the Church of England. The site provides resources to help people explore the perils and promise of friendship.

The Friendship Factor
A series of nationwide evening workshops run by the Christian charity Care for the Family. The aim is to help people develop their capacity for friendship.

Books on friendship, community and the monastic life
Includes Spiritual Friendship by Aelred of Rievaulx

The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement
An international charity based in the UK. LGCM seeks to encourage fellowship, friendship and support among lesbian and gay Christians and to work for the positive acceptance of lesbian and gay relationships in accordance with the LGCM Statement of Conviction.

The Evangelical Fellowship for Lesbian and Gay Christians
Affiliated to LGCM, EFLGC seeks to support lesbian and gay Christians from an Evangelical church background.