Church of England bishops stop plans to trial blessing services for gay coupleshttps://www.reuters.com/world/uk/church-england-bishops-stop-planned-trial-blessing-services-gay-couples-2025-10-16/ 🔗Reuters - Muvija M
October 16, 20258:30 AM MDT
Church of England bishops have stopped plans to trial separate blessing services for same-sex couples, saying the measure, that stoked deep divisions, needed to secure greater backing from the Church's governing body.
Same-sex blessings can still be carried out as part of regular church services. Conservative members of the Anglican faith had argued that separate blessing services would resemble a wedding, and contravene the Church's official view that marriage is between a man and a woman.
The decision comes less than two weeks after Sarah Mullally was named as the next Archbishop of Canterbury, leader of the Church of England, the first woman to hold the role.
Charles Bączyk-Bell, a gay Anglican priest from London, told Reuters that abandoning the blessings would prolong the suffering of LGBTQIA people, and their rights were once again "the acceptable sacrifice for church unity."
The bishops' decision could ease some of those tensions, but leaves Mullally in an awkward position as she had championed the services that were approved in 2023 by a narrow church vote on a trial basis for three years.
The blessings never began, however, as the Church could not agree on how they would be carried out in practice.-----------------------
For me, this raises so many questions.
What were they thinking when they decided to trial blessing services on gay couples?
Did they think the couple would burst into flames and immediately descend into hell?
"Well, that didn't go as planned. Maybe we should do these blessings in private so we don't freak out the rest of the congregation."
Or if it didn't happen, would that mean they need to rewrite the Church Doctrine?
"Conservative members of the Anglican faith had argued that separate blessing services would resemble a wedding..."
They can't tell the difference? The Sacrament of Matrimony has a very specific ritual and protocol that is much different from a blessing service, which they were willing to do during regular public services... on a trial basis.
It is well documented throughout scripture that when Jesus was confronted by masses of people asking for his blessing, He would stop and say He had to first consult with a governing body to decide how to do it. (end massive sarcasm)
My comments are not directed against any individual's faith or religious beliefs. Our relationship with our Creator is a very personal and intimate one. My sarcasm is directed at the organizations that claim to be religious in nature, but are political in reality.
I have performed weddings and blessings for couples quite a few times. God does not require anyone's permission to give a blessing.
