Bishops at the Church of England's General Synod have rejected a motion calling to affirm “committed” and "intimate" same-sex relationships.
While it was passed by the Houses of Clergy and Laity, it was rejected by the House of Bishops by 14 votes to 11, with 4 abstentions.
Synod had been debating a private member’s motion brought by Professor Helen King which sought to affirm “that there are no fundamental objections to being in a committed, faithful, intimate same-sex relationship, and that such a relationship can be entirely compatible with Christian discipleship”.
Ahead of the vote, the motion was amended to “(a) affirm that all baptised, believing and faithful persons regardless of sexual orientation are full members of the Body of Christ;
(b) delight in the lives and ministries of LGBTQIA+ people in the Church of England;
(c) recognise a legitimate range of theological perspectives, held in good conscience, across the Church of England, on the right ordering of committed, faithful, intimate same-sex relationships, and;
(d) recognise that this includes views that affirm and views that reject the position that there are no fundamental objections to being in such a relationship and that such a relationship can be entirely compatible with Christian discipleship and ministry”.
The House of Clergy agreed with the motion by 93 votes to 79. The House of Laity accepted it by 101 votes to 83.
Rt Rev Rose Hudson-Wilkin, Bishop of Dover said everyone was made in the image of God and should be afforded dignity and worth, regardless of their sexual orientation.
Responding to the vote, Rev John Dunnett, National Director, Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) said while he thanked God for the outcome, the result was “no cause for complacency and, as in Peter’s first letter, we must remain ‘alert’”.
The Church of England recently appointed two bishops to lead new groups examining unresolved questions around same-sex blessings and the status of married gay clergy following the conclusion of the Living in Love and Faith process.