An alliance of around 1300 evangelical congregations has issued a declaration warning the Government not to bring into force the impending Sexual Orientation Regulations.
The declaration was released by Affinity, formerly the British Evangelical Council, a day ahead of the Church of England General Synod's key debates on two high profile private members' motions which express opposite views on homosexuality.
On Wednesday morning, General Synod will face a challenging discussion on a motion put forward by the Rev Mary Gilbert of the Lichfield Diocese which calls for the Church of England to welcome and affirm lesbian and gay Christians, lay and ordained, at every level of the Church.
Later in the day, Synod will discuss a motion put forward by the Rev Paul Perkin of Southwark which says that the Civil Partnership Act has undermined the distinctiveness of marriage while the House of Bishops' Pastoral Statement on civil partnerships has produced a "recipe for confusion" by "not stating clearly that civil partnerships entered into under the CP Act would be inconsistent with Christian teaching".
Affinity said, "Being committed to the sole authority of the Bible in all matters of faith and practice, Affinity churches would unanimously endorse Paul Perkins' proposals regarding civil partnerships and reject Mary Gilbert's attempt to promote acceptance of a homosexual lifestyle at all levels of the Church."
To coincide with the Church of England's crunch debates, Affinity is issuing a declaration which "states the unequivocal position of many thousands of Bible-centred Christians" in light of the impending Sexual Orientation Regulations already in force in Northern Ireland.
"This Declaration is released in the belief that these regulations mark a watershed moment in the removal of Christianity from the public life of this country - and that the Government has failed to grasp the far-reaching implications and consequences of this legislation," Affinity said.
The Affinity Declaration can be read here in full:
This declaration is made in response to the serious and unique moment which has now been reached with the introduction into British law of the Sexual Orientation Regulations. For the first time in many generations, it will become unlawful for Christians to conduct their lives in a manner which is consistent with a biblical principle.
