Professor Helen King has put forward a private members motion for debate at the Church of England\u2019s General Synod that runs as follows:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u2018That this Synod affirm that there are no fundamental objections to being in a committed, faithful, intimate same-sex relationship, and that such a relationship can be entirely compatible with Christian discipleship.\u2019[1]<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Church of England website states that this motion had 161 signatures on 18 February, which is the second largest number of signatures of the four motions listed, and if the number of signatures continues to increase there is the possibility that it could be selected for debate at the General Synod in July.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The language of King\u2019s motion deliberately echoes the language of the motion passed by General Synod in 1975 \u2018That this Synod considers that there are no fundamental objections to the ordination of women to the priesthood.\u2019 This motion paved the way to General Synod passing legislation allowing women to be ordained as deacons in 1986, as priests in 1992 and as bishops in 2014. The purpose of King\u2019s motion is an attempt to pave the way in similar fashion for those in same-sex relationships to be allowed to be ordained in the Church of England.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The motion would not in itself make such ordination lawful, but it would provide the basis on which a measure to allow those in same-sex relationships to be ordained could then be brought forward for debate. The argument would go that because General Synod had voted for King\u2019s motion it had established the principle that \u2018such a relationship can be entirely compatible with Christian discipleship\u2019 and this would in turn mean that it was entirely compatible with the exercise of ordained ministry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This being the nature of King\u2019s motion, the question that arises is whether it would be right for members of Synod to vote for it should it be put forward for debate in July. In the remainer of this post I shall set out the two reasons why I think members of Synod should not vote for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read it all<\/a>.<\/p> I have just published a new blog post 'Why faithful Christians should reject Helen King's private member's motion.'https:\/\/t.co\/bXjhSyRYsT<\/a><\/p>— Martin Davie (@MartinBDavie) March 2, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>