Stephen Cottrell says church to give new blessings to same-sex couples

But the position on gay marriage will not change and same-sex couples will still not be able to marry in Church of England churches.

The plans, to be outlined in a report to the General Synod, which meets in London next month, will allow same-sex couples to come to church for services including prayers of dedication, thanksgiving and God’s blessing following a legal marriage ceremony.

The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “Two years ago one of my oldest, dearest friends died. He was a priest, he was in a life-long, stable, committed, faithful partnership, he was gay.

“I went to his civil partnership ceremony 15 years ago and, as you know, you can’t have prayers or readings from the Bible at civil partnerships. That was great to be there but I was so sad that this faithful, faithful relationship could not in any way be acknowledged by the Church.

“All that now changes. For the first time, people in same-sex marriages, in civil partnerships, they can come to the Church, their relationships can be acknowledged, dedicated, they can receive God’s blessing. No, it’s not same-sex marriage, it’s not everything that everybody wants.

“This is a real step forward for the Church of England, it’s not what everybody wants, but it’s something really important, and I also want to emphasise that when we do issue all our proposals on Friday, this will include an apology to LGBTQI people for the ways in which they have been excluded from the Church.

“What I want to emphasise is that with these proposals, people who have entered into a same-sex marriage or who are in a civil partnership will be welcomed into the Church at a service of dedication and acknowledgement of that relationship – that is a change from where we are at the moment, and a step forward for the Church of England.

“It’s not what everyone wants and we’re not all agreed with one another within the Church of England on this. Further changes require big legislative change where we don’t think at the moment there would be majorities for that.”

The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell

The synod will debate the proposals next month.

The bishops’ decision, which does not represent a formal change in doctrine, comes after they finalised a report into the church’s position on sexuality following five years of debate and consultation.

They will issue a formal apology on Friday to LGBTQ+ people for the “rejection, exclusion and hostility” they have felt within the church because of its previous stance.

The church said it was issuing pastoral guidance to its ministers and congregations and urged them to welcome same-sex couples “unreservedly and joyfully”.

Mr Cottrell added: “We are deeply sorry and ashamed and want to take this opportunity to begin again in the spirit of repentance which our faith teaches us.

“This is not the end of that journey but we have reached a milestone and I hope that these prayers of love and faith can provide a way for us all to celebrate and affirm same-sex relationships.”

Jayne Ozanne, a prominent LGBTQ+ campaigner and a member of the synod, said the bishops’ decision not to allow same-sex marriages was “utterly despicable”.

She said: “I cannot believe that five years of pain and trauma has got us here."