US EditionChurch of England votes to remove outdated document on sexuality from clergy selection
GREATER LONDON, ENGLAND, JUL 15 – The Church of England’s General Synod overwhelmingly voted to remove a 1991 document describing homosexual practice as dishonourable, advancing LGBTQ+ inclusion without changing doctrine.
- On Tuesday, 15 July 2025, the Church of England's General Synod voted overwhelmingly to remove a clause from a 1991 document labelling homosexuality as dishonourable in clergy selection.
- This decision follows prior approvals in 2023 and 2024 permitting blessings for same-sex couples and allowing gay clergy to marry, amid ongoing debates on sexuality and marriage.
- Originally created as an instructional guide, the 1991 paper titled Issues in Human Sexuality was frequently employed to disqualify LGBTQ+ individuals from ordination, but the church now recognizes it as outdated and considers its language and assumptions to be prejudicial and offensive.
- Openly gay Anglican priest Charles Bączyk-Bell expressed that the removal of the document paves the way for a more progressive approach to same-sex relationships within the church and allows it to no longer serve as a standard reference point.
- While the vote does not alter official doctrine, it marks a step toward greater LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Church of England, a body representing nearly one million worshippers in 2022.
12 Articles
12 Articles
The Straits Times
Church of England votes to remove outdated document on sexuality from clergy selection
LONDON - The Church of England's governing body voted on Tuesday to do away with requiring those who want to become clergy to agree to a 1991 document on sexuality, saying some of the assumptions in the paper now appeared prejudicial and offensive. Read more at straitstimes.com.
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