The Church of England’s General Synod has voted to pause its flagship Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process, bringing to an end three years of work on proposals to bless same-sex couples and leaving ongoing divisions unresolved.
On Thursday, Synod voted by 252 to 132, with 21 abstentions, to halt further work on LLF after bishops concluded that consensus could not be reached.
The decision means proposals to allow clergy to conduct standalone services blessing same-sex couples in civil marriages will not proceed. The prohibition on clergy entering same-sex marriages remains in place.
Rev John Dunnett of the Church of England Evangelical Council (CEEC) said Synod had voted to “repaint the LLF bus and keep the journey going”.
But he added: “This runs the risk of perpetuating the pain of many unless they work out how to accommodate theological oil and water in a way that gives safe spaces for everybody.”
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, said LLF had “left us wounded as individuals and a church” but described the bishops’ proposal as a “sensible way forward.”
The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, moved the motion asking Synod to acknowledge the pain caused by the LLF process, especially for LGBTQ+ people.
“This is not where I want us to be, nor where I hoped we would be three years ago. And I want to acknowledge that wherever you stand on the debate, I know that many of you are feeling angry and disappointed,” he said.
He thanked the LLF Working Groups for their work and welcomed the creation of two new groups to continue addressing questions around relationships, sexuality and gender.
During the debate, some clergy spoke of anger and heartbreak. Charlie Bączyk-Bell said his “heart was broken,” asking, “What kind of church is this?”
Claire Robson, a priest in Newcastle, said the LLF process had cost £1.6 million.
She said that “the cost to my life and ministry is incalculable … Hopes have been dashed and apologies rendered meaningless”, adding that longed-for changes would be “too late for many of us".
Dunnett said CEEC believed resolution could not come “without a differentiated arrangement” and expressed hope that the House of Bishops would welcome discussions to address the ongoing disagreement.
Synod member Vicky Brett warned that the Church risks “doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result” as it establishes new working groups to continue debate.
Disagreement over same-sex marriage and blessings has divided the Anglican Communion for more than a decade. In 2023, the General Synod confirmed that same-sex marriages could not take place in Church of England churches but approved prayers of blessing for same-sex couples within regular services.
That decision prompted criticism from some Anglican leaders overseas, including in South Sudan, Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, who questioned the authority of then-Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby as a global figurehead.
In 2024, the Church of England Evangelical Council announced plans for a parallel province, while some clergy have conducted unofficial blessing services.
Campaigners say the prolonged process has left some LGBTQ+ Christians feeling unwelcome in the Church.