Somewhat under the radar, the Church of England has just completed one of the most significant General Synods in its recent history. After a knife-edge vote, the church’s governing body agreed this week to introduce, on a trial basis, standalone blessings for same-sex relationships in England. Very soon, Christian lesbian and gay couples will be able to commit themselves to each other in a church ceremony that validates and affirms the status of their love.
This breakthrough, after more than a decade of bitter, acrimonious debate, very nearly didn’t happen. Although a previous synod in February opened the way to same-sex blessings, conservative Anglicans appeared to have persuaded the House of Bishops to put back implementation to 2025. At that point, a two‑thirds majority across bishops, clergy and laity would have been required to begin the blessings – a threshold that would have been very difficult to achieve. It was only after a late intervention by the bishop of Oxford, the Right Rev Steven Croft, that the synod voted to circumvent the resistance campaign.
