"The calling of bishops is to ensure that in sharing the love of God in Jesus, Christian churches are led by ministers faithful to biblical teaching. The question facing the Church of England is not whether to amend the biblical teaching on marriage but how sensitively to pastor those in the church who find the calling to follow that teaching a particularly difficult challenge.

"It is therefore proper for those who affirm the biblical teaching as bishops to be members of the new panel. It is likely that they will take evidence from many points of view in the church. We especially encourage them to take an evidenced based approach on how biblically orthodox Anglican churches in the evangelical, charismatic and catholic traditions exercise such sensitive pastoral care and how those who find the biblical teaching difficult receive it."

The group includes at least two prominent evangelicals, the Bishop of Blackburn Julian Henderson and the Bishop of Maidstone Rod Thomas, former chair of the conservative Reform group. It also includes three women bishops, Bishop of Stockport Libby Lane, Bishop of Crediton Dame Sarah Mullaly and Bishop of Dorking Jo Wells.

Ian Paul, a member of the Archbishops' Council, said: "This issue is about our doctrine of sex and marriage, and a whole host of other things along with it. To imagine this just affects one group in the church is blinkered. Secondly, yet again we have the mantra that the 'traditional' understanding of marriage is 'homophobic'. If we cannot move beyond these emotive stereotypes then there is little room for respectful debate."

The Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans (GAFCON), which represents orthodox Anglicans, who are already in impaired communion with the mostly liberal West said it is puzzled as to why the Church of England needs a 'Bishops' Reflection Group' on homosexuality."

GAFCON leaders have made it abundantly clear that the Bible is without contradiction, "We stand with our brothers and sisters in Christ who are same-sex attracted, and faithfully living according to God's revealed plan for human flourishing.

"As pastors, teachers, friends, and neighbors we can have no other response. The Church of England needs to have the courage of its foundational convictions, return to them, and move on to its mission of calling the nation to turn to Christ as the only Savior and Lord."

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