A report from the House of Bishops to be discussed by the Church’s General Synod on 15 February upheld the teaching, recognised by canon law, that marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman.
But it also concluded that the current advice on pastoral provision for same sex couples – which allows clergy to provide informal prayers for those marrying or forming a civil partnership – is not clear enough and should be revisited.
It also called for a ‘fresh tone and culture of welcome and support’ for lesbian and gay people and those attracted to people of the same sex throughout the Church of England. It calls for new guidance to be prepared about the kind of questions put to candidates for ordination – irrespective of their sexual orientation – about their lifestyle and general morality.
