THE Church in Wales will vote in 2027 on allowing same-sex marriage in church, after a decision taken by the Bench of Bishops this week.
In a pastoral letter released on Thursday morning, the Bishops write that proposals to “allow the law of the state and of the Church to be changed to permit same sex marriage in our Churches” will be introduced in the Governing Body in April 2027.
At its meeting next April, the Governing Body will vote on making permanent the blessings for same-sex couples which it has permitted in church since 2021.
In September, the Governing Body discussed its options, as the initial five-year period for which the blessings were allowed neared its end.
The Bishops acknowledge this “listening exercise” in their letter, and write that “ most of those who spoke did so in favour of the view that the time is right to offer equal marriage to traditional and same sex couples.
“Nonetheless, there is a strong part of our Church family that finds such a step difficult to hold within their understanding of fidelity to Scripture, and therefore within our common life.”
The Bishops acknowledge that “deep convictions will still vary on this matter, and . . . in seeking to hold the family of God together, those deep convictions of conscience will have to be respected”.
No one will be forced to “act against their consciences by participating in such provision”, the statement says. But the Bishops express their conviction that the Church “can disagree in charity and yet offer liberty on this matter, and commit ourselves to finding a consensus in discernment on the way in which the Church in Wales can affirm same-sex couples in their commitment to each other before God while respecting diversity of understanding”.
The announcement was welcomed by the campaign group Together for the Church of England. “For some time, our sister Church has shown an admirable clarity in listening carefully to different views and in moving forward the debates and decisions on the issue of same-sex relationships. We offer our support and solidarity to our Welsh siblings in Christ as they continue to discuss this call of the Holy Spirit.”
The statement expresses “trust” that the Church of England will “learn from those less inhibited by the possibility of change”.
If the Church in Wales decides to permit same-sex marriage, it will become the second Anglican Province in the UK to do so, a decade after the Scottish Episcopal Church made that step (News, 16 June 2017).
Next Tuesday, the Governing Body will meet to discuss how to fill the vacancy in the see of Bangor, after the retirement this summer of its occupant, the previous Archbishop of Wales, the Most Revd Andrew John (News, 28 June).
His retirement followed a public apology for his part in failings at Bangor Cathedral, in the wake of two reports that recorded concerns about “weak financial controls” and “inappropriate behaviours” (News, 27 June).