Church of England ends same-sex marriage task force

The Church of England this week voted to formally end its Living in Love and Faith program, which dealt with the church’s support for same-sex couples. The church’s General Synod convened members of the laity, clergy, and bishops, who voted to close the Living in Love and Faith program on Thursday. A subsequent resolution recognized the distress the program had caused—not only to traditional conservatives in the church but “especially” to LGBTQ members. The resolution was approved nearly unanimously among the bishops but was controversial among clergy and laity.

Prayers for same-sex couples are already a regular part of Church of England services, but special services for same-sex couples still await approval under canon law. The synod approved a new working group to explore the approval process for these services and the ordination of same-sex clergy.

How did we get here? While not endorsing same-sex marriage ceremonies outright, the church in 2023 voted to introduce prayers of blessing, dedication, and thanksgiving for same-sex couples. A coalition within the Church of England threatened to leave over the issue in 2024, and then-Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby was later criticized for his remarks on homosexuality. At the time, Welby said that the sexuality of partners did not matter as long as they were in a committed relationship, a viewpoint that flew in the face of Anglican doctrine. The appointment of the new Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, who has had a progressive stance on blessings for same-sex couples, led to a split in the global Anglican Communion last fall.

What are the prayers for same-sex couples? The so-called Prayers of Love and Faith offer praise for committed love and friendship, ask for a blessing on the lives of the two people together, call for the support of family and friends, and encourage couples to remain faithful to their mutual commitment. The liturgy also provides guidance for blessing a couple’s home. The prayers are not a form of marriage service and do not equate same-sex unions with Holy Matrimony, according to the Church of England. Individual ministers can choose whether to offer the prayers.

What is the Church of England’s official position on marriage? The Church defines Holy Matrimony as the lifelong union of one man and one woman. Living in Love and Faith and the prayers it introduced did not propose any changes to this existing doctrine.

Dig deeper: Read this column from Anne Kennedy on how British young adults are turning away from the Church of England.