Church of England suspends introduction of separate services for same-sex couples due to threat of schism

The Church of England has decided to put on hold a plan to introduce separate services to bless same-sex couples. The move, which became known on October 16, 2025, was taken by the Church’s leadership to prevent a possible split caused by deep divisions on the issue.

According to the European Conservative, the bishops took this decision because of fears of deepening conflict between the progressive wing of the clergy and the conservative part of the faithful. At the same time, the possibility of blessing same-sex couples as part of regular church services remains. However, separate ceremonies that could resemble the sacrament of marriage have been temporarily canceled.

The decision was made shortly after Sarah Mullally was appointed as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury. Mullally, known for her progressive views, had previously supported the blessings initiative, which was approved for a three-year trial period back in 2023. However, the blessings were never launched due to a lack of consensus on its practical implementation.

The situation has also provoked a reaction from conservative Anglican communities. In particular, the organization Gafcon, which unites millions of believers around the world, reiterated that the Church of England has «departed from biblical principles.» In their opinion, spiritual leadership should go to those who «defend the truth of the Gospel and the authority of Scripture.»

Recall, the Anglican Church of Nigeria, the world’s largest Anglican congregation with more than 18 million believers, announced its «spiritual independence» and cessation of communion with the Church of England. The reason for such a decisive step was deep disagreement with the liberal reforms carried out by the center, in particular, the decision to bless same-sex unions.