Church in Wales set to vote on blessings for same-sex marriages

As part of a three day meeting in Newport, the Church in Wales is set to discuss and vote on a bill to authorise a ‘service of blessing’ to be made available to same-sex marriages.

In measures that have been described as a ‘half-way house’ by a former Dean of St Albans, the very Reverend Jeffrey John, any vote by the Church to allow the blessing of same-sex marriages does not equate to the organisation allowing such marriage services to take place.

In a statement the church said it had ‘demonised and persecuted’ gay and lesbian people, which could have led them to avoiding living public and honest lives of committed partnership.

Dr John had previously accused the church of homophobia, when in 2017 he complained after being rejected for the post of Bishop of Llandaff. Whilst at the time he was celibate in line with Church teaching, he said he had been informed that appointing him would be difficult because he was in a civil partnership.

The Church of England does not currently recognise same-sex marriages, forbids clergy to bless same-sex unions and only allows celibate gay and lesbian clergy to minister.

The Scottish Episcopal Church voted to allow gay couples to marry in church in 2017, making it the first major Christian church in the UK to allow same-sex marriages.