A LARGE majority of C of E bishops support a move towards allowing priests to enter into same-sex marriage, and the immediate adoption of stand-alone services of blessing for same-sex couples, the Church Times can report. Pastoral guidance that would allow priests to enter into same-sex marriages was drafted before the College of Bishops meeting at the end of September. At that meeting, three-quarters of the bishops present voted to recommend to the House of Bishops that work should continue on “pastoral provision” to extend it to “clergy who enter into same-sex marriages”. Instead, the document relating to Living in Love and Faith (LLF) said that “further work” was required on the pastoral guidance for “clergy and lay ministers”. The announcement last Friday that work on this aspect of the pastoral guidance was to continue until next year provoked a strong reaction this week.

Source: The Times October 26, 2023 12:12 UTC