A response to the Church of England’s statement on blessing same-sex marriage

The Church of England today published the Bishop’s response to the living in love and Faith process. It includes prayers of thanksgiving for a civil marriage or civil partnership to ask for God’s blessing on same-sex marriages. There is the promise of further pastoral guidance to come. 

It appears to me to be a triumph of pragmatism over principle. It is pragmatic in recognising the deep divisions in the church over marriage and sexuality but also in responding to the tremendous social change that has happened over the last few decades. For many organisations, this would be a completely reasonable way to respond but for Christians, the principles of God’s word always take precedence over the pragmatism of how to make your organisation work. 

Reading the ‘fine print’ of their reflections about sexual intimacy and marriage it represents pretty much an abandonment of any sexual ethic whatsoever. 

We call on the Bishops of the Church of England to return to biblical Christianity which welcomes everyone with the love and holiness defined by God’s word, not our feelings.

It is a sad day for many in the national church. We want to assure our brothers and sisters in the Church of England who are striving to be faithful to the Bible’s teaching of our prayerful support as you respond to these changes.

Lee Gatiss, at Affinity members Church Society, has written an in-depth and helpful response on this topic of blessing same-sex marriages which is worth a read.