Church of England Synod votes in favour of motion to offer blessings to same-sex couples

The Church of England has today voted in favor of a motion to offer blessings to same-sex couples in civil unions and marriages.

The decision came after an emotional marathon debate lasting nearly eight hours over two days ended with a vote in favor of the motion, which did not seek to change the position on same-sex marriage, meaning same-sex couples have not yet They can get married in church.

Immediately prior to the vote at the Synod, a minute’s silence was observed followed by a prayer delivered by the Archbishop of Canterbury.

Passage of the motion allows same-sex couples to go to Anglican churches after a legal marriage ceremony for services that include dedication prayers, thanksgiving and God’s blessing.

The motion had been tabled by the Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally, and was the result of six years of work on issues of identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage known as Living in Love and Faith.

This momentous decision marks a commitment the Church of England has made to ensure the unity of the Anglican Communion and prevent the fragmentation of church traditionalists.

LGBT issues have created deep divisions in the Church for four decades, but the Church has maintained its stance of banning marriage for gay couples, despite 2013 same-sex marriage legislation.

The Church of England has been able to maintain this position as it is exempt under the Equality Act.

During the 1980s, there was a growing debate about homosexuality within the Church, during which the Church admitted that there were ‘unresolved’ questions on the subject, after General Synod passed a motion that ‘genital acts homosexuals are not [God’s] ideal and must be answered by a call to repentance and the exercise of compassion’ in 1987.

A few years later, in 1991, the Church concluded that while the church cannot condone homosexual Christians who choose to be sexually active, it must continue to offer them friendship and understanding.

In a statement made in 1998, Justin Welby claimed that gay sex was a sin, but said he would not seek to discipline C of E churches that would perform or bless same-sex marriages.

That same year, the Lambeth Conference, once in a decade, met in Kent and voted through a resolution opposing same-sex unions or any kind of blessing thereof.

The Civil Union Act came into force in 2005, whereby the bishops of the Church of England issued a statement stating that the Church continued to believe that sex and marriage were only permitted between a man and a woman.

The 2013 Pilling Report suggested that clergy should be allowed to offer public services to “mark” same-sex relationships, and that current K of E teaching was “deeply unpleasant” to non-believers.

In a huge watershed moment for the Church, the Bishop of Grantham, Nicholas Chamberlain, became the first English bishop to come out as openly gay in 2016.

He said he lived with his partner in a celibate relationship, in accordance with church teaching.

This prompted the Church to publish a new teaching document offering guidance on same-sex relationships, with the goal of allowing “maximum freedom” without changing doctrine.

A few years later, it was announced that gay bishops would be invited to the next Lambeth Conference in 2019, to be held in the summer of 2020, with the added clause that their spouses and partners would not be, unlike spouses. of the heterosexual bishops.

In 2020, a long-awaited resource called ‘Living in Love and Faith’ was published which required churches to conduct a short study resource using their materials.

Last year, Justin Welby addressed the Lambeth Conference of world Anglican bishops, stating that the Communion was deeply divided on same-sex issues and that he accepted the validity of both sides within the Communion.

This speech is believed to be a historic moment, prompting a vote on blessings for couples to be allowed today.

The Bishop of London, Dame Sarah Mullally, described the vote in favor of the motion as a “moment of hope for the Church”.

Dame Sarah, who led the discussion and chairs the group that oversaw the development of the proposals, said: ‘I know that what we have proposed as a way forward does not go far enough for many, but too far for others.

“It is my prayer that what was agreed to today represents a step forward for all of us within the Church, including LGBTQI+ people, as we remain committed to walking together.

“We have always said that we will listen carefully to the Synod, so in the coming months we will reflect on all that has been said and prepare a new pastoral guide for the Church on sexuality and marriage.

‘We will also refine the texts of the prayers of love and faith.’

In a joint statement, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said it had been a “long road to get to this point”.

They said: ‘For the first time, the Church of England will publicly, unreservedly and joyfully welcome same-sex couples into the church.

‘The Church continues to have deep differences on these issues that go to the heart of our human identity.

“As archbishops, we are committed to respecting the conscience of those for whom this is going too far and ensuring that they have all the guarantees they need to maintain the unity of the church as this conversation continues.

“It is our hope that today’s thoughtful and prayerful discussion marks a new beginning for the Church as we search for a way forward, listening to one another and, above all, to God.

“Above all let us continue to pray, as Jesus himself prayed, for the unity of his church and that we love one another.”

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, had fought back tears last night as he rebuked “outsiders” who were trying to force the Church of England to change its teachings.

In a debate last night, members rejected 16 attempts to change the proposal to offer blessings to same-sex couples.

The Synod finally voted in favor of a motion to offer blessings to same-sex couples in civil unions and marriages today.

An emotional Monsignor Justin Welby, who endorsed blessings for gay couples, criticized politicians who wanted to force the church to accept gay marriage.

Drawing on his own experiences being held hostage to his beliefs in Nigeria, where he would be “killed in the morning”, Welby passionately defended members of the Anglican Communion who stand up for their beliefs.

Welby had already said last month that he welcomes the proposals but will not carry them out personally because of his “pastoral responsibility for the entire communion.”

During the debate, he added: ‘I’m supporting these resources, I don’t think because I’m controlled by culture, but by scripture, tradition and reason evidenced in the vast work done over the past six years by so many.

‘I can be wrong. Of course I can. But I can’t sidestep the issue any more than anyone here.

‘I ask each member of the Synod to vote with their spirit-inspired, scripturally or spiritually-inspired conscience, and not because they have been told to by groups, lobbyists or outsiders.

“I listened to them for the last two weeks in Parliament and they told me exactly what to do, I’m not going to do any of that.

‘This is not something I take lightly.

‘There is nothing in my life, in my heart or in my prayers that reaches as high as the safety and flourishing of the people I love in the Anglican communion.’