General · 13 February 2026
Church of England ends gay blessing plans costing £1.6m
The General Synod has officially stopped work on creating stand-alone services to bless same-sex couples in churches. Bishops cited legal and religious obstacles for halting the project, which had already cost roughly £1.6m during the planning process. Archbishop Stephen Cottrell expressed regret for the distress caused to all sides, though members voted to continue discussing the complex topic in future working groups.
Reported by BBC · How we write briefs