Whatever your views on gender and sexuality, Christians must listen to one another

Taking sides without properly listening to the arguments that don’t match our own may be the undoing of us, says George Pitcher. Stop your ears at your peril

When we talk of issues like same-sex marriage, columnists usually take a position and argue vehemently and, often, emotionally for or against it. This isn’t one of those columns.

To use the time-honoured phrase of those struggling with very different views: we need to talk. Especially about something as contentious and important as same-sex marriage.

And especially with everything that’s happening in our political and religious life around gender. The UK government is blocking Scotland’s gender recognition reform bill. Moves are afoot to ban gender-identity conversion therapy.

Amid the turmoil, the Church of England has indicated that in its own forthcoming parliament, the General Synod, it intends block same-sex marriage but allow blessings of same-sex couples.