Under the proposals, same-sex couples could have a service followed by a civil marriage in church with a “dedication, thanksgiving or prayer for God’s blessing on the couple”. Same-sex marriage was legalized in the UK in 2013.
Nevertheless, the prayer will be voluntary for the use of clergy and may be used in combinations “reflecting the theological diversity of the Church”, the Church of England said, meaning that spiritual leaders may choose not to offer such blessings. Can
“I have no illusions that what we are proposing today will appear to go too far for some and far too far for others, but it is my hope that what we have agreed is achieved in a spirit of generosity.” Good to be looking for the normal,” said Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby.
Separately, the bishops of the Church of England will issue an apology later this week to LGBTQI+ people for the “rejection, exclusion and hostility” they have faced in churches, according to the statement.
The Church of England, which was founded in 1534, has been divided for years over how to deal with gay marriage, with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) activists fighting for the same rights as heterosexual Christians .