Living in Love and Faith (LLF), the years-long technique of discernment within the Church of England that led to same-sex blessings, is to be formally wound down in July.
General Synod, the Church’s parliamentary body, approved a motion to finish the method during a debate on Thursday.
It signifies that the Church of England, for now no less than, won’t be introducing standalone gay blessing ceremonies in churches.
The motion, moved by the Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, also asked Synod to “recognise and lament the distress and pain many have suffered in the course of the LLF process, especially LGBTQI+ people”.
Addressing Synod, Archbishop Cottrell said, “This will not be where I need us to be, nor where I hoped we can be three years ago. And I need to acknowledge that wherever you stand on the talk, I do know that lots of you’re feeling indignant and disillusioned.”
The motion also thanked members of the LLF Working Groups for his or her “committed and dear work” through the years, and commended the House of Bishops in establishing two latest groups to proceed working on the problems beyond LLF – the Relationships, Sexuality and Gender Working Group and Relationships, Sexuality, and the Gender Pastoral Consultative Group.
The motion was carried by a majority in all three Houses, with bishops voting 34 in favour, with 0 against; clergy 109 in favour and 62 against with 10 abstentions; and laity 109 in favour, with 70 against and 9 abstentions.
LLF was launched in November 2020 as a Church-wide technique of listening and discernment on questions around gender identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage, with a view towards agreeing on provisions for same-sex couples in church.
It led to Synod approving same-sex blessings inside regular services during its February 2023 sessions. Churches that desired to were in a position to begin using the Prayers of Love and Faith in December that yr.
The House of Bishops then began to think about introducing standalone services for same-sex blessings but ultimately concluded after receiving legal and theological advice that this is able to not be possible unless formal synodical and canonical requirements maintaining legal and doctrinal integrity might be met.
This is since the Church of England’s official doctrine of marriage stays defined as a lifelong union between a person and a girl, whereas it was feared that standalone services would give the impression of a change in doctrine.
The bishops were also keen to avoid a situation where there can be delegated episcopal ministry for traditionalist congregations unable to simply accept standalone same-sex blessing ceremonies.
Oxford vicar Vaughan Roberts said that although LLF and the prospect of it continuing was “exhausting”, he didn’t think there was “enough acknowledgement that a very latest approach is required to avoid us going round and round again in the subsequent synodical process”.
He suggested there have been two options on the table, one being the “winner takes all” by securing the obligatory majorities in Synod – likely resulting in many evangelicals leaving the Church.
“The damage might be profound, let’s not do this,” he said.
The second option – his preference – was to work towards a settlement – something the Bishop of Chelmsford, Dr Guli Francis-Dehqani, said earlier in the talk was not on the table at this moment in time.
Rev Roberts said, “I’d plead with all three houses to simply accept the pain of a radical differentiation by settlement, which might be a lesser pain than the alternatives. Otherwise we’ll proceed to be in pain, proceed to be exhausted for years to return.”
Archbishop of Canterbury, Dame Sarah Mullally, said, “I recognise that LLF has been hard. It has left us wounded as individuals and likewise as a Church. And subsequently I’m grateful that you just are still here.”
She added, “I do know that the proposals this afternoon may perhaps be disappointing for some but I do imagine it proposes a smart way forward that gives us with a structured framework that can take us to the subsequent steps.”
Much of Thursday afternoon was spent discussing LLF. Some LGBT Christians spoke of their pain and hurt, but conservative Anglicans suggested the method has been just as punishing for them.
“Those like me, who hold to the historic teaching, also feel that pain, and all groups should be recognised,” said Simon Clift, a lay member from the Diocese of Winchester.
London lay member, Busola Sodeinde, took umbrage with the best way that traditionalists, including those that have spoken out in Global South provinces, have sometimes been dismissed as “homophobic”.
“To discuss with them as ‘homophobic’ as some have, once they imagine that they’re searching for to stay faithful to God’s word will not be only unhelpful, it’s gravely unjust,” she said.
During a presentation on LLF earlier in Synod, Archbishop Cottrell said conversations would proceed regardless that the method is formally ending.
He admitted that the Church “stays divided” on the problems raised by LLF, as does the House of Bishops.
Speaking to the latter, he said, “When we got here in 2023, regardless that we got here with great unanimity, I believe it in a short time became clear that truly we had different understandings of what we were bringing, and maybe weren’t honest with ourselves in regards to the proven fact that we weren’t united — that has turn into clear. It’s been a sober thing to learn, but perhaps it’s higher and more honest for us to say.”
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