The Church of Ireland bishops have said "a wholesome engagement with, and open discussion of, the issues surrounding homosexuality has for too long been side-stepped by the churches".
In a pastoral letter on human sexuality, published yesterday, they said that "within the Christian tradition, notwithstanding the pastoral care and compassion shown by many, the attitude has more often than not been one of non-acceptance and at times harsh condemnation".
They added: "It has often been people of no particular religious affiliation, or religious people unsupported or opposed by their own institutions, who have been to the fore in engaging with the issues in a way they should have been dealt with by the churches."
They noted "the current debate within Anglicanism has shown that harsh condemnatory attitudes on both sides in the current debate have not gone away. There is still no unanimity on the question itself across the churches. In trying to discern the mind of Christ, the bishops believe that the Church of Ireland as a whole ought to address the question prayerfully, humbly, carefully and generously."
The bishops had been engaging with the issue, both individually and corporately, in a process which began before the 1998 Lambeth Conference. "It is evident that no clear-cut solution will be found independently of Biblical reflection, mature thinking, and patient listening on the part of the church as a whole. This process must involve prayerful and respectful consideration of views and insights within the church and beyond it."
A recently elected gay American bishop, Canon Gene Robinson, whose controversial appointment has divided Anglicans has cancelled a planned trip to Ireland.