The Church of England is poised to rethink its centuries-old doctrine of marriage to accommodate same-sex couples, the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have signalled.
In a letter to a leading Anglican gay rights campaigner, the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, said that Church’s teaching on sexuality was a “matter for discussion” during a series of special meetings being held behind closed doors.
The letter, sent on behalf of himself and the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Most Rev Justin Welby, he said the “outcome” of the discussions was still open.
His comments make clear that the Church has not ruled out reconsidering its traditional teaching that marriage is only between a man and a woman and that sex outside of marriage is a “sin”.
But senior clerics have repeatedly acknowledged that any change to the Church of England’s position on the issue could trigger a split.
Last month its US sister church, The Episcopal Church, was partially excluded from the global Anglican Communion for changing its official definition of marriage to include same-sex unions.
Dr Sentamu’s comments came in a reply to Jayne Ozanne, a gay member of the decision-making General Synod who co-ordinated a letter signed by more than 100 senior Anglicans calling on the Church of England to “repent” of its attitude towards homosexuality.
Archbishop Welby launched a process of “facilitated conversations” last year aimed at achieving “good disagreement” between liberals and traditionalists over the issue of sexuality.
The meetings, taking place in small groups, are being overseen by a team of “facilitators” led by the Archbishop’s reconciliation director, Canon David Porter, a Belfast-born peacemaker.
Much of the General Synod’s main annual meeting in York in July is to be given over to the special meetings from which ordinary churchgoers, the public and the media will be excluded.