Liverpool Parish Church has said same-sex marriage should be treated with the same equality as opposite-sex marriage.
The Church of Our Lady and Saint Nicholas, the Anglican Parish Church of Liverpool, spoke out after the Church of England (CofE) reiterated its position on gay marriage. In “historic plans” the CofE announced its stance “would not change” on the issue as Holy Matrimony is only to be between one man and one woman.
The Revd Canon Dr Crispin Pailing, Rector of Liverpool Parish Church, explained to the ECHO that his church wanted to bring “clarity and simplicity” to a “complicated and messy” issue.
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He said: “From our point of view, it is very clear that marriage between same-sex couples should be treated on the basis and the same equality between opposite-sex couples. We see no difference. The Church of England has maintained a difference, which we reject, but we can’t marry couples as that is a legal process.
“The Church of England announced last week that we can do same-sex blessings. Like many other churches, we have done them before. While the Church was issuing complicated statements about what that exactly means, we say that if you come for us for a blessing after your marriage, we will bless that marriage whether you're gay or you're straight.”
Under the same “historic plans”, the CofE announced its intention to apologise to LGBTQ+ people for the “rejection, exclusion and hostility” they have faced in churches and the impact it has had on their lives. The Church also said for the first time same-sex couples would be able to come to church to “give thanks” for their civil marriage or partnership and “receive God’s blessing”.
When same-sex marriage became legal in England and Wales in 2013, the Church did not change its teaching. Church of England churches around Merseyside include Toxteth Park's Church of St Agnes and St Pancras and Anfield's Saint Columba. There are a further 76 CofE churches around the region, according to the Church's website.
Moving forward, Revd Canon Dr Crispin Pailing said “the CofE quite clearly needs to move to equal marriage for same-sex couples as soon as possible”.
He added: “It is not tenable that the CofE continue to make a different case (for same-sex couples). Actually, for a declining church, separating ourselves from the culture that is around and the beliefs held by the majority of churchgoers seems foolish.”
For now, however, The CofE’s proposals, which followed a six-year period of “listening, learning and discernment”, will be outlined in a report to the Church's equivalent of a parliament - the General Synod - next month.
Under the proposals, same-sex couples would still not be able to get married in a Church of England church, but could have a “service in which there would be prayers of dedication, thanksgiving or for God’s blessing on the couple in church following a civil marriage or partnership”.
The prayers would be voluntary for clergy to use and could be used in different combinations “reflecting the theological diversity of the Church”.
According to the Church of England website, the Church also claimed it would urge all congregations in their care to welcome same-sex couples “unreservedly and joyfully” as they reaffirm their commitment to a “radical new Christian inclusion founded in scripture, in reason, in tradition, in theology and the Christian faith as the Church of England has received it – based on good, healthy, flourishing relationships, and in a proper 21st Century understanding of being human and of being sexual”.
Last week, the ECHO reported on how Liverpool’s LGBTQ+ Christian group, Open Table Network, were “saddened” by the news.
Kieran Bohan, the coordinator of the group, told the ECHO: “This is sad news. Other Christian denominations now welcome same-gender couples who wish to be joined in holy matrimony. We regret that England's own established church still denies LGBT+ people this equality.”
He added: “There are increasing numbers of English Anglican churches where LGBT+ people may feel genuinely accepted until they want to get married. We are concerned that the pressure of being an international denomination, with thousands of Anglican churches around the world, has influenced the Church of England in delaying doing the right thing.”
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