Church of England on same-sex marriage

Luis Atkinson News Editor

Same-sex marriage has been legal in England and Wales since 2013, yet the Church did not alter its teachings in accordance. However, the body has begun to consider giving blessings to samesex couples, should they wish to do so.

Despite representatives for the Church of England claiming that they want to offer blessings for same-sex couples, the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has said that he will not personally follow suit.

According to the BBC, the Church of England has said, in the week beginning Monday 16th January, that the body wants to offer blessings to same-sex couples, but the body would not change its stance on prohibiting same-sex marriage.

Bishops had informed the BBC that the Church will offer “prayers of dedication, thanksgiving or God’s blessing”, although the body does not intend to change teachings to allow priests to marry same-sex couples. These proposals will be debated at the General Synod – the Church’s equivalent to parliament – next month.

Same-ex wedding blessings: The Church will offer “prayers of dedication, thanksgiving or God’s blessing” Source: Spencer Means via Flickr

Speaking to a press conference on Friday 20th January, Archbishop Welby said that he would “continue to pray for all those who come seeking prayer and to pray with love”, including people who identify as LGBTQI+, straight, or had relationship worries. He also said that “…because of my pastoral care and responsibility of being a focus of unity for the whole communion I will - while being extremely joyfully celebratory of these new resources - I will not personally use them in order to compromise that pastoral care”.

In contrast, the Archbishop of York has said that he will offer the prayers as he believes that the practice puts the church in a “better place”.

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said that, in regards to the new proposals from the Church of England, “I’m really pleased it’s changing for my gay friends”, whilst also considering that the change may not be enough for some people.

Moreover, the Church has been reported to have issued a formal apology for the “shameful” times it has “rejected or excluded” LGBTQIA+ people.

Within the formal apology, the Church said “For the times we have rejected or excluded you, and those you love, we are deeply sorry. The occasions on which you have received a hostile and homophobic response in our churches are shameful and for this we repent.”

“As we have listened, we have been told time and time again how we have failed LGBTQI+ people. We have not loved you as God loves you, and that is profoundly wrong. We affirm, publicly and unequivocally, that LGBTQI+ people are welcome and valued: we are all children of God.”

In addition, the Bishop of Oxford Dr Steven Croft said that the church has “further to go” in embracing same-sex relationships, and called for a change in the Church’s teachings, so that gay marriage could be recognised.