Church of England bishops have upheld traditional teaching that marriage can only be between a man and a woman, in a move that will frustrate campaigners for gay rights and risk further alienating the church from wider society.
After two years of intense internal discussion involving clergy and laity ”“ and at least two decades of bitter division within the church ”“ the bishops have produced a report reaffirming that marriage is the lifelong union of one man and one woman.
However, it says church law and guidance should be interpreted to provide “maximum freedom” for gay and lesbian people without a change of doctrine ”“ meaning clergy will have some leeway in individual cases.
While calling for a “fresh tone and culture of welcome and support” for lesbians and gays, the report offers little in the way of concrete change.
Reaffirming the traditional teaching on marriage is not a move at all. It is the wider (secular) society which has moved.