Church in Wales approves blessings of same-sex marriages

The governing body of the Church in Wales has approved a bill to make a blessing of same-sex marriages permanent.

It comes after a temporary measure introduced in 2021 meant same-sex couples could have their marriage or civil partnership blessed in a church ceremony.

Several senior figures within the Church in Wales, including the bishops of St Asaph and Llandaff, spoke in support of the proposal before it was passed.

Individual clergy would still be able to opt out of offering blessings to same-sex couples.

Its 143 members voted overwhelmingly to make the service of blessing permanent.

The motion needed a two-thirds majority from each of the three Orders – bishops, clergy, and lay members.

Lay members voted by 48 to eight in favour with two abstentions, with clergy voting 32 to seven with five abstentions, before bishops confirmed the passing of the bill with no objections.

It means the wording, first introduced five years ago, will now be added to the Book of Common Prayer – which includes the standard form for the Church in Wales' common prayers and blessings.

Prior to the vote, the Church in Wales said the proposed permanent change "follows a period of reflection and listening across the Church".

The trial period for the temporary blessing introduced in 2021 had been set to expire at the end of 2026.

During a debate on the bill on Wednesday the bishops of St Asaph and Llandaff, Gregory Cameron and Mary Stallard, spoke in favour.

Bishop Gregory said that he had seen "the damage that rejection of our LGBT brothers and sisters in Christ does" and recounted a story of a young man who had not spoken to his parents for four years fearing what their reaction would be to his homosexuality.

"Please can we not be a church that inflicts such pain, and that I believe is the fundamental choice at the base of this bill," he added.

Bishop Mary said someone close to her had "been in a dark place because of attitudes towards their sexuality", where a "culture of shame [within the Church] told them it was not OK to be gay".

She added that "the Church in Wales did something good and beautiful" by introducing the blessing, albeit temporarily, in 2021.

Rev Rhun ap Robert from the Bangor diocese said that Jesus "never spoke against same-sex relationships", and that what was important was "the quality of a relationship".

But other speakers opposed the bill, including Andy Grimwood, a deacon in St Asaph diocese, who said that friends in the Anglican community from other countries who "uphold the traditional position on sexuality" had been "pained to see what the Church in Wales is proposing".

"My fear is today doesn't bring unity, but it brings division.