The Church of England’s (CofE) General Synod has agreed to bring the controversial Living in Love and Faith (LLF) process to an end by 252 votes to 132, with 21 abstentions.
LLF, which began in 2017, aimed to respond to “changing views in our society towards identity, sexuality, relationships and marriage”. The process has caused enormous division in the church, with many evangelicals viewing the push for prayers, blessings and even ‘weddings’ for same-sex couples as an abandonment of the Scriptures.
Despite this, the Synod agreed to form working groups to further explore the possibility of implementing same-sex civil marriages for clergy and standalone church services for blessing those in same-sex relationships.
Division
Archbishop Stephen Cottrell said: “I know many of us would rather not be talking about LLF. I know many of you are feeling hurt, angry, confused, perhaps bitterly disappointed about where we are.
“And one thing we all know is that we remain divided over these issues, and I am deeply sorry for that, but what I do rejoice in is that we continue to hold on to one another.”
The Archbishop of York acknowledged: “These have not been easy or straightforward things to make decisions on. There are still many areas where we have not reached agreement.”
‘Damaging’
According to figures released ahead of the General Synod, the number of people on the Church’s electoral roll has dropped almost 20 per cent between 2019 and 2025.
General Synod member Revd Dr Ian Paul warned the CofE has “squandered time and goodwill on divisive and damaging debates”.
“In some dioceses, we are seeing young people come to faith, and new churches being planted and grafted – real signs of growth. But elsewhere there is serious decline.”
A spokesman for the CofE stated: “Numbers can fluctuate for a range of practical reasons, including renewal cycles, local administrative practice and individual choice, and should be read alongside wider data on worship, participation and church life.”
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