Church of England halts blessing same-sex couples
After the approval of trial blessings in 2023, the Church was unable to agree on how to conduct them in practice.
On October 16, 2025, it became known that Church of England bishops have halted the planned trial of separate blessing services for same-sex couples, emphasizing the need for broader approval from the Church’s governing body. This was reported by the resource European Conservative.
Plans for standalone same-sex blessing ceremonies have been frozen amid fears of a wider rift between the Church’s progressive leadership and its conservative base. Meanwhile, the possibility of blessings within regular services remains, but the conduct of separate ceremonies resembling weddings has been temporarily canceled.
The step was taken shortly after the appointment of Sarah Mullally as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury. Mullally, known for her progressive views, previously advocated for blessings that were approved for three years in 2023. However, the services never began as the Church could not agree on practical implementation.
It should be recalled that the organization Gafcon, which unites millions of confessing Anglicans worldwide, has reiterated that the Church of England has "departed from biblical principles" and lost the spiritual leadership that should pass to those who "uphold the truth of the Gospel and the authority of Scripture."
Previously, the UOJ reported that the Turkish government is tightening penalties for LGBT propaganda.
