The archbishops of Canterbury and York have apologised for a Church of England statement that said only married heterosexual couples should have sex.

Justin Welby and John Sentamu have said they and the church “acknowledge” last week’s statement “jeopardised trust” – adding that they are “very sorry and recognise the division and hurt this caused”.

Mr Welby, the archbishop of Canterbury, and Mr Sentamu, the archbishop of York, added: “At our meeting of the College of Bishops of the Church of England this week we continued our commitment to the Living in Love and Faith project which is about questions of human identity, sexuality and marriage.

“This process is intended to help us all to build bridges that will enable the difficult conversations that are necessary as, together, we discern the way forward for the Church of England.”

The Church of England had attracted controversy after stating that civil partnerships, a legally recognised partnership of two people with rights similar to those of a marriage, should be no more than “sexually abstinent friendships”.

The church added that sex is proper only within heterosexual marriage and anything else falls short of “God’s purposes for human beings”.

Bishops were issuing pastoral guidance to clergy after a recent change in UK law allowed straight couples to enter a civil partnership instead of a traditional marriage.

The statement concluded last week: “With opposite-sex civil partnerships, and with those for same-sex couples, the church’s teaching on sexual ethics remains unchanged.

“For Christians, marriage, that is the lifelong union between a man and a woman, contracted with the making of vows, remains the proper context for sexual activity.”

Religious leaders of the Anglican church issued the guidance after campaigners won a Supreme Court bid in 2018 after arguing denying a mixed-sex couple a civil partnership was discriminatory.

Heterosexual couples have been able to opt for the civil option over a traditional marriage since New Year’s Eve.

The Church of England allows clergy to be in same-sex civil partnerships provided they are sexually abstinent.

A pastoral statement from the House of Bishops of the Church of England adds: “The church should not collude with the present assumptions of society that all close relationships necessarily include sexual activity.

“The House of Bishops considers it would be a matter of social injustice to exclude from ministry those who are faithful to the teaching of the Church, and who decide to register a civil partnership.”

LGBT campaigner Jayne Ozanne, a member of the church’s General Synod ruling body, criticised the tone and content of the guidance.

She wrote on Twitter: “I’m sadly unsurprised by the content of this statement but I’m deeply saddened by its tone.

“It will appear far from ‘pastoral’ to those it discusses & shows little evidence of the ‘radical new Christian inclusion’ that we have been promised.”

After one social media user asked why there was “such an emphasis on sexual intercourse”, Ms Ozanne, who describes herself as a “gay evangelical Christian” replied: “It seems to be the one thing these guys are obsessed by.”

She added: “For most of us it’s about love and commitment and faithfulness.”

The Civil Partnership Act was introduced in 2005, allowing gay couples legal rights regarding property, inheritance and tax entitlement.

Same-sex marriage was legalised in 2013.

The church has grappled with how it addresses LGBT rights for decades as the views of society become more liberal.

It is currently carrying out a “major study” on human sexuality called Living in Love and Faith, which is due to be published later this year.

It is said the project will “inform further deliberations in the House of Bishops”.

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