The hopes of progressive Christians in the Church of England have suffered a major blow after years of bitter and divisive debate, as the governing body of the C of E agreed to suspend work on LGBTQ+ equality.
At a meeting in London on Thursday, the General Synod backed a document from bishops that said consensus could not be reached between the conservative and liberal camps of the church.
The issue will now be placed in deep freeze until the new synod takes effect. Liberal and conservative factions are likely to campaign on the issue in elections later this year, hoping to break the deadlock in their favor.
Members of the Synod supported a proposal by the bishops on Thursday to suspend all work on the process, known as Living in love and faith (LLF) by 252 votes to 132, with 21 abstentions. The bishops’ motion acknowledges that “many have suffered and suffered during the LLF process, particularly LGBTQI+ people.”
It ends three years of work allowing clergy to hold special services to bless same-sex couples in civil marriage. The ban on clergy marrying same-sex partners in a civil ceremony remains.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, said the LLF had “wounded us as individuals and as a church” but the bishops’ proposals were “a way forward … that will take us to the next steps”.
During the five-hour debate, several Synod members spoke of their pain, anger and feelings of betrayal at the C of E’s failure to make progress on the issues. London priest Charlie Bączyk-Bell, who has campaigned for LGBTQ+ equality, said he was heartbroken.
Addressing the bishops and fellow synod members, he said: “How dare you and we continue to suffer pain and suffering and come again to recognize and lament the pain? … What kind of church is this? How did this come about?”
Claire Robson, a priest in Newcastle, said she was unlikely to marry her same-sex partner because of her age. “The changes we’ve been waiting for so long will be too late for most of us,” she said.
The LLF process cost £1.6m, she added, “but the cost to my life and ministry is incalculable … hopes are dashed and apologies are rendered meaningless”.
Proposing the motion, the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, said: “This is where we want to be and we didn’t expect to be where we were three years ago … I know many of you are angry and frustrated. A lot of hurt and pain cuts across so-called ‘party lines’ or theological beliefs.”
But, “knowing how divided we are on these issues, we cannot find further ways to respect their consciences, to come to different conclusions by reading their consciences and understanding tradition and lived human experience”.
Bishops and synods are “much more deeply divided than I think we know — or acknowledge,” he said.
A new Working Group on “Relationships, Sexuality and Gender” will be established under the terms of the motion, for “continuing work”. This, said Vicky Brett, a lay member of the Synod who spoke at the debate, fitted the definition of insanity: “doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result”.
The issue of sexuality and same-sex marriage has brought the Anglican Church close to schism in recent years. After more than a decade of often impromptu discussions, the Synod finally decided in early 2023 that it would no longer support same-sex marriages in the church, but would allow priests to bless same-sex couples in ordinary services.
That decision prompted church leaders in some developing countries, including South Sudan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, to say They did not recognize Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterburyas head of the world church.
In July 2024, the C of the Evangelical Council The decision to allow same-sex marriages to be blessed is said to launch a parallel province. Such blessings, it says, are “contrary to the teaching of the Bible.”
Some clergy have defied the C of E hierarchy to offer stand-alone services of blessing to same-sex couples, which some consider de facto church marriages despite their lack of legal status.
Campaigners for equality say there is anecdotal evidence that LGBTQ+ Christians are turning away from the C of E, feeling unwelcome.
