Most Rev. Justin Welby, former Archbishop of Canterbury, has said he was “thick” not to recognize that faithful and committed same-sex relationships are a "huge blessing."

Speaking at the Cambridge Union, Archbishop Welby said, “When they fall in love, and when they live out that love faithfully and with stability and caring for others, it is a huge blessing for them and for society. And I have seen that in so many places that, in the end, even I began to realize that I was being thick.”

Last year, the then-archbishop sparked controversy over the Church of England’s deeply divided stance on same-sex relationships. In an episode of the podcast The Rest is Politics, he said that all sexual activity should take place within a committed relationship, whether straight or gay:

“In other words, we are not giving up on the idea that sex is within marriage or civil partnership—whether marriage is civil or religious—and that, therefore, we have put forward a proposal that, where people have been through a civil partnership or a same-sex marriage, equal marriage, under the 2014 Act, they should be able to come along to a church and have a service of prayer and blessing for them in their lives together.”

He told the Cambridge Union last month that his views on the issue had become more supportive during his time as archbishop.

Same-sex couples cannot legally marry in the Church of England; however, the Church does allow services of blessing.

The Church’s ongoing process regarding sexuality, relationships, and marriage—known as Living in Love and Faith—is still discerning a way forward. Earlier this month, Rt. Rev. Martyn Snow, Bishop of Leicester, announced he was stepping down as lead bishop for the process, stating he no longer believed agreement could be reached under his leadership.