Not sure I understand what this fully means, but it’s unexpected:
“The Church of England was in disarray over homosexuality this evening after the General Synod refused to endorse the bishops’ controversial policy on gay ‘marriages’.
The House of Bishops issued pastoral guidance in 2005 saying that gay clergy could enter into civil partnerships, but only if they first assured their bishops that they would abstain from sex.
But conservatives and liberals unexpectedly united today to reject a description by the bishops of their guidance as a ‘balanced and sensitive attempt’ to apply Church teaching to civil partnerships. Instead, the Synod supported a motion acknowledging deep splits over the issue and encouraging the bishops to review their policy.
The Synod decision will be seen as a slap in the face for the bishops, who presented a unified front in defence of their guidance today even though they are themselves profoundly divided.”
Read the rest here.
I’m not surprised, actually. The policy is absurd.
It may be ridiculous, but it’s hard to see what else they could do. I doubt there’s the will in the Synod to declare in favor of same-sex blessings, and trying to deny clergy their civil rights could possibly get the bishops in trouble with Parliament.
Jon
Heh. Shows ya what I know.
The article in question is from February of this year.
It happened, but not at the present General Synod going on right now.
(Thanks to Simon Sarmiento for pointing this out over on Episcopal Cafe.)