The Church of England is undergoing a transformative journey as it works towards creating new pastoral guidance and materials to allow same-sex couples to receive blessings from priests.
The Way Towards Inclusivity
In a significant step towards inclusivity, the General Synod, the church’s governing body, dedicated a four-hour debate on Saturday, July 8th, to discuss proposals enabling same-sex couples to participate in prayer services after civil marriages or civil partnerships.
The Bishops Expressed Their Favour
Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally, and Bishop of Truro, Philip Mounstephen, co-chairs of the steering group overseeing the implementation of changes following the landmark vote in February, expressed their gratitude to Synod Members for their thoughtful contributions during the debate.
Reflections Welcomed
They stated, “It has been good to hear their reflections, and we will take these away to feed into the concentrated drafting work that starts now.”
Guidelines Are Being Developed
Since the February debate, where proposals for same-sex marriage blessings were “welcomed,” a draft set of texts called “Prayers of Love and Faith” has been refined.
New pastoral guidance has also been developed for the Church of England, as stated in updates on the Church’s website.
The Debate Received Favorable Responses
The Synod received a total of 226 responses regarding the blessings, with 148 classified as generally positive and 78 considered negative.
There Were Critics
Among the critical comments received, some respondents felt that the prayers were too similar to marriage (60 responses), while others believed they did not go far enough (44 responses).
Plus, there was a consensus that more pastoral guidance would be necessary for the appropriate use of the blessings (42 responses).
The Church of England Didn’t Allow Same-Sex Marriages Before
It is important to note that the Church of England previously did not allow same-sex marriages in its churches.
It Is Changing
However, the Church’s recent efforts demonstrate a willingness to accommodate queer couples by proposing prayer services after civil marriages or partnerships.
The Church Apologized
The Church of England also issued an apology to LGBTQ+ individuals for the rejection and hostility they have faced within the church.
The Historic Moment
In February, a historic moment took place when all three houses of the Synod—bishops, clergy, and the House of Laity—voted in favor of the blessings for same-sex couples.
There Were Protests
Nonetheless, the meeting of the Synod was met with protests by LGBTQ+ Christians, who stood outside the meeting venue in London with placards denouncing what they perceived as “crumbs” for queer people of faith.
All Marriages Should Be Equal
Protestors voiced their dissatisfaction, describing the blessings as “an insult,” “apparent discrimination,” and “shameful,” asserting that marriage equality should be the standard, not mere blessings.
The New Bill
On July 6th, Labour MP Ben Bradshaw published a draft bill that would allow the Church of England to conduct same-sex marriages.
Same-Sex Marriages Can Be Done in the Church
Bradshaw emphasized that the bill would enable same-sex marriage within the church under certain circumstances, and he assured opponents of the bill that no one would be compelled to conduct or attend a same-sex wedding against their will.
Opening Further Discussions
He noted that in light of the Church of England’s delays in finalizing same-sex blessings and new rules for gay clergy, as well as the concerns raised in parliament, publishing the draft bill could prompt further discussions during the next session.
Too Little Too Late
Several social media users expressed their thoughts on the incident.
One Twitter user wrote, “Too little too late. Now that religion is dying, they want to bless us.”
Another user commented, “So respect Trans rights but can’t show the same respect to religious beliefs? Disgusting by the church.”
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The post “Religion Is Dying” – Same-Sex Blessings Allowed but Is It Too Little Too Late for the Church’s Shaky Future? first appeared on Wealthy Living
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Source: The Pink News