Rebel priests threaten to split Church of England over same-sex blessings

church vote

A group of church leaders is threatening to split the Church of England over an upcoming vote on blessings for same-sex couples.

Bishops have proposed that gay and lesbian couples could receive blessings from Anglican priests in standalone church services for a trial period, before a formal vote is held on whether the change should be permanent.

However, more than 25 church leaders have written to the Archbishops of York and Canterbury warning that such a change could amount to “unlawfulness” and have threatened to create a “parallel province”, a separate autonomous grouping within the Church.

This effectively amounts to a split in the Church of England.

The letter, seen by The Telegraph, reads: “What is proposed is clearly indicative of a departure from the doctrine of the Church of England in an essential matter.”

Church of England priests have been able to offer blessings to gay and lesbian couples as part of church services following a vote in the General Synod in February 2023.

However, standalone services for these blessings are still not permitted, with some arguing that would amount to same-sex marriages in Anglican churches.

Majority vote needed

Such a change would usually be introduced only after two-thirds of the three houses of the General Synod agreed to it.

However, the House of Bishops has proposed that such services would be allowed “for a specific period of time” before a formal two-thirds majority vote has taken place.

The General Synod will debate the issue when it meets next week.

Signed by several priests and individuals sitting in the lower houses of the Synod, the letter, which was prepared by a conservative-leaning group called The Alliance, reads: “We have also seen the proposed agenda for General Synod…and note the intention of the House of Bishops to proceed with plans that are clearly contrary to  the canons and doctrine of the Church of England.”

The Alliance, which describes itself as an informal partnership of leaders from networks in the Church, claims to be supported by 2,000 clergy members.

The letter, which was sent to Archbishop Justin Welby and Archbishop Stephen Cottrell on Wednesday, warns of the “unintended consequences” of the proposed move and the “issues they raise in terms of Western elitism…and unlawfulness (failing to follow the canons of the Church of England which are designed to preserve unity).”

It adds: “If the further departure from the Church’s doctrine suggested by the Synod papers does go ahead, we will have no choice but rapidly to establish what would in effect be a new de facto ‘parallel province’ within the Church of England and to seek pastoral oversight from bishops who remain faithful to orthodox teaching on marriage  and sexuality.

“We will encourage all church leaders who are in sympathy with The Alliance to join the parallel Province.”

‘Fundamental fragmentations’

The intervention follows another statement published on Wednesday by 11 Church of England bishops who urged for the process to be reconsidered.

“Many bishops are already concerned about the impact on the coherence of the Church’s life of moving ahead in a way that will create fundamental fragmentations at parish, diocesan and national levels,” they wrote.

Rows over gay and lesbian marriages have caused deep divisions within the  Church of England with battlelines often drawn between conservative and liberal Christians.

Gay couples remain prohibited from getting married within the Church and vicars are not officially allowed to be in civil partnerships, although this rule is not uniformly observed or enforced.

Following the historic General Synod vote in February last year, which approved blessings for gay couples for the first time, the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York said in a joint statement: “It has been a long road to get us to this point.

“For the first time, the Church of England will publicly, unreservedly and joyfully welcome same-sex couples in church.

A spokesman for the Church of England said: “General Synod, which meets in York next week, will be devoting a significant period of time over two days, to consider outline proposals on how the Church of England can move forward together as one church amid our differences on questions of sexuality.

“The proposals have been developed carefully and prayerfully by people from across our different traditions and theological convictions over several months.

“Moving forward as one church will require realism, grace and a recognition that, as Christians, we hold a variety of views on these questions, all of which are held with integrity and all of which deserve respect.”

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