US EditionChurch of England bishops stop planned trial of blessing services for gay couples
Church of England bishops extended the ban on clergy same-sex marriages and halted bespoke blessing service trials, citing need for rewriting canon law amid deep institutional divisions.
- Church of England bishops stopped a planned trial of blessing services and extended the ban on priests marrying same-sex partners.
- Legal and synod requirements mean bespoke blessing services need rewriting canon law and a two-thirds majority in the General Synod's three houses, a threshold seen as unlikely on Wednesday.
- While regular services will continue to allow blessings, Prayers of Love and Faith for same-sex couples remain permitted, following a 2022 milestone and the November 2023 synod vote.
- The timing matters because the decision comes less than two weeks after Sarah Mullally was named next Archbishop of Canterbury, first woman to lead 85 million Anglicans worldwide, drawing criticism from conservative Anglicans in Africa and Asia and leaving her in an awkward position.
- Looking ahead, clergy rules bar gay priests in civil marriages from ordination, while bishops cited fears of wedding-like services, legal challenges and opponents warning of withdrawal of money and schism.
6 Articles
6 Articles
Lord help us – the church is agonising over same-sex couples again
After years of anguished deliberation, the Church of England has decided to abandon plans to allow gay couples to have dedicated blessing services in church, and to extend its ban on priests marrying same-sex partners – but with two out of three Anglicans worldwide being African, it could help ensure the institution has a future, says Catherine Pepinster
Church of England bishops stop planned trial of blessing services for gay couples
Church of England bishops have stopped a planned trial of separate blessing services for same-sex couples, saying the measure, that stoked deep divisions, needed to secure greater backing from the Church's governing body.
C of E Bishops Hit Brakes on LLF
Stand-alone (or bespoke) services for the blessing of same-sex unions and permission for clergy to enter civil same-sex marriages will require action by General Synod, a process that will likely take years, the Church of England’s bishops announced on October 15. “While final decisions will be made by the House in December, the bishops agreed in principle that both bespoke service and clergy same-sex marriage would need formal synodical and legi…
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 60% of the sources are Center
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
