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Recent news items
These are news items that have been posted this year.
November Synod – a welcome decision 18 November 2023 On Wednesday 15 November, General Synod voted to approve the Prayers of Love and Faith and a ‘standalone service of prayers for same-sex couples’. This is one small but welcome step towards what will always be our ultimate goal – equal marriage for everyone. As you may remember, the motion… ... Read more
Living in love, despite the Bishops’ arguments 30 October 2023 Last Friday's Church Times (27 October 2023) had an excellent leader comment, pointing out that "As the row intensifies over how the Church of England acknowledges such [same-sex] relationships, it is easy to overlook that it is about ordinary, unremarkable couples, living and ministering with the minimum of fuss." It is… ... Read more
A present with nothing in the box 27 October 2023 In February 2023 General Synod voted to allow the blessing of same-sex couples and for the odious Issues in Human Sexuality to be given the boot and replaced by new, more progressive, Pastoral Guidance – see https://cofe-equal-marriage.org.uk/b/1Ae for full details. Since then we have been waiting expectantly to hear news… ... Read more
Times clergy poll finds over 50% support for same-sex weddings 1 September 2023 The Times newspaper has conducted a poll of serving Church of England clergy, asking them about various current issues – including beliefs about sex and sexuality, and in particular about same-sex relationships and marriages. Compared with a similar poll in 2014, there has been a dramatic shift towards progressive, inclusive… ... Read more
New Equal Campaign Action 19 August 2023 The Equal Campaign has launched a new Campaign Action, asking people to send a greetings card to their bishop(s) with a brief message of encouragement and hope – see https://cofe-equal-marriage.org.uk/campaign-action-send-a-card-to-your-bishops/ for details. Please consider taking part in this, and tell other like-minded friends about it. ... Read more
Charlie Bell interviewed on The God Cast with Fr Alex Frost 19 June 2023 Fr Alex Frost is the Vicar of St Matthew The Apostle with Holy Trinity (St Matthew's for short), Burnley, an active and inclusive church. Fr Alex is also a prolific podcaster as host of 'The God Cast', interviewing all sorts of people "from bishops to nuns, comedians to celebrities, footballers to… ... Read more
Same-sex Marriage Forced this Priest to Quit 29 March 2023 Recently Channel 4 has created a series of short video documentaries under the title of 'Love Against The Odds'. Overcoming prejudice, trauma, struggles and misunderstanding, these relationships show that even when the odds are stacked against them, love can conquer all. The documentaries are available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLiC_gpE7y050ubK3hWmMNgWyBxhrdwrOP. In… ... Read more
Jayne Ozanne’s letter to the Bishop of London 22 March 2023 On 20 March Jayne Ozanne sent a letter to the Bishop of London, the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Dame Sarah Mullally, who is Chair of the LLF Next Steps Group. The next day Jayne publicly tweeted a summary of the letter and a scanned image of it. The Equal… ... Read more
MP Ben Bradshaw’s Bill to allow SSM in C of E churches 22 March 2023 Ben Bradshaw tweeted to say that his "10 Minute Rule Bill in Parliament tomorrow [21 March] is aimed at allowing those priests, parishes & cathedrals in England that wish to do so to conduct same-sex weddings." Even though the bill is unlikely to be passed, it's good that equal marriage… ... Read more
Evangelical opinion on the bishops’ LLF proposals 4 March 2023 The following letter from eighteen evangelicals was published in a recent issue of the Church Times (3 March 2023 – https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2023/3-march/comment/letters-to-the-editor/letters-to-the-editor). The Equal Campaign approves. For far too long conservative evangelical organizations such as CEEC and the Church Society have claimed that only those who subscribe to their package of… ... Read more
Older news items
The news items below were posted last year or earlier.
The Church in Wales: first blessing of same-sex couple 16 November 2021 In September 2021 the Church in Wales voted to allow blessings in church of couples in a same-sex marriage or civil partnership (see https://cofe-equal-marriage.org.uk/church-in-wales-blesses-ssm/). Now the first such couple has received a blessing, as reported by the BBC in this excellent news article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-59269916. They are Fr Lee Taylor, priest-in-charge… ... Read more
A friendly chat between two archbishops? 14 November 2021 On Sunday 14 November 2021 the Campaign for Equal Marriage in the Church of England issued the following statement, which is also available as a PDF document. On Friday 12 November the Archbishop of Canterbury issued a statement to say that nine days earlier he had had an online meeting… ... Read more
Zoom LLF Workshops discontinued (for now) 23 October 2021 A workshop to explore the content of the LLF resources from an inclusive perspective NB As there is now less demand for these workshops we have decided not to offer any more for the time being. If you would like to come to a workshop if we decide to restart them,… ... Read more
Do you feel safe in your church? 10 October 2021 2021 Safeguarding LGBT+ Christians Survey Please complete this important 'Safeguarding' survey launched today, 10 October 2021. It takes about five minutes to fill out. Here's the link: https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/TQTLBYV. The survey is being launched on World Mental Health Day, which also coincides with the Church of England’s first 'Safeguarding Sunday'. It… ... Read more
Living in Love and Faith: some great articles coming up 22 September 2021 Over the next few weeks the Equal Campaign will be reproducing some helpful articles, by various authors, commenting on different aspects of the Church of England's 'Living in Love and Faith' project. Except where indicated, these articles have been previously published on ViaMedia.News and the Modern Church website; the authors… ... Read more
Church in Wales Pastoral Letter 19 September 2021 On 14 September 2021 the Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, issued a pastoral letter to his diocese concerning the Church in Wales's recent decision to allow the blessing in church of same-sex couples after a marriage or civil partnership – see this recent news item. It… ... Read more
General Synod 2021: Inclusive Candidates 15 September 2021 The 2021 elections for the General Synod of the Church of England are now upon us – voting opens this Friday! This is an absolutely crucial election, as it will effectively decide whether the Church is willing to move forward to become more inclusive. The Equal Campaign has been working… ... Read more
Church in Wales has given C of E a “gospel-inspired lead” 12 September 2021 In its latest issue (10 September 2021) the Church Times reports the Bishop of Liverpool, the Rt Revd Paul Bayes, as saying the vote to enable same-sex civil partnerships and marriages to be blessed in the Church in Wales is a “creative and gospel-inspired lead” for the Church of England. “I am heartened and encouraged… ... Read more
The Church in Wales blesses same-sex marriages and civil partnerships 6 September 2021 On Monday 6 September the Governing Body of the Church in Wales voted, after a passionate and moving debate, to allow the blessing of same-sex marriages and civil partnerships in its churches, and authorised a liturgy to be used in these services. The required two-thirds majority was achieved in all… ... Read more
Equal on BBC One’s ‘Sunday Morning Live’ 4 September 2021 We have been contacted by BBC One to invite us to take part in a discussion on whether faith groups in Great Britain need to become more inclusive to members of the LGBTQIA+ community. This is sparked off by the fact that on 6 September the Church in Wales (which… ... Read more