Anglican synod to get first ever vote on same-sex marriage

‘The Church of England must not be allowed to discriminate against gay or bisexual people’

THE Church of England could get its first ever vote on same-sex marriage after equality campaigners tabled a motion at Synod to overturn its ban.

Last week, following six years of debate, Church of England bishops refused to endorse same-sex marriage, but agreed to “apologise” to LGBT+ people and offer them blessings following a civil partnership.

The bishops’ proposals will be debated next month at synod, which is being convened from Feb 6 to 9. Once the proposals have been debated, the House of Bishops will refine the prayers and then commend them.

However, equality activists within General Synod, the Church’s legislative body, have tabled a motion to the bishops’ proposals which asks for equal marriage proposals to be brought back to the next synod meeting in July. This means that next month, for the first time in its history, the Church of England could be asked to vote on whether it should back equal marriage.

Jayne Ozanne, an LGBT+ campaigner and member of General Synod, said that her amendment “scraps both the hollow apology and the prayers for blessings” and instead offers the chance for an historic vote to overturn the “unbiblical” discrimination of minorities.

She said: “The Church of England must not be allowed to continue to discriminate against people who are gay or bisexual – it is unjust and in the minds of many, unbiblical.”

Ms Ozanne’s amendment has been tabled with the support of the General Synod Gender and Sexuality Group, with the chair (Revd Neil Patterson) and vicechair (Prof Helen King) as its seconders.

The amended motion would ask the House of Bishops “to end discrimination on the grounds of sexuality by bringing forward immediate legislation to provide for equal marriage in church for review”.

A synod source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told The Daily Telegraph that “it would be pretty difficult to see if there’s a procedure by which this amendment can be challenged and claim that this is not considered a legitimate question to be asked”.

It is highly irregular for an amendment put before synod to be rejected by the archbishops.