In a landmark move toward inclusivity, the Church of England has voted to remove a decades-old clause that labelled homosexuality as “dishonourable” from its clergy selection rules, as first reported by Attitude Magazine. The decision was made on 15 July during a meeting of the General Synod — the Church’s governing body of bishops, clergy, and lay members.
Photo Credit: The Church of England
At the centre of the vote was the 1991 document Issues in Human Sexuality, which, for over 30 years, has been used to assess the eligibility of prospective clergy. The document stated that “homosexual practice [is] especially dishonourable” and expected LGBTQ+ individuals to commit to lifelong celibacy. Though originally intended as a teaching resource, it has often functioned as a gatekeeping tool, particularly used to exclude queer candidates from ordination.
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The Church has now acknowledged that the document’s “tone, language, and some of the assumptions in ‘Issues’ are now contextually inappropriate and appear prejudicial and offensive to many people.”
Photo Credit: The Church of England
The motion passed overwhelmingly, signalling broad support within the Church for the change. However, Church officials stressed that this vote does not represent a shift in official doctrine or teaching on sexuality and marriage. It is also separate from the ongoing Living in Love and Faith process — a wider initiative examining Christian perspectives on identity, sexuality, and marriage.
Still, the symbolic importance of the move is being felt. Rev. Charles Bączyk-Bell, a gay Anglican priest based in London, welcomed the decision in a statement:
“It opens the way for liberalisation of the church’s policy on same-sex relationships and means we can stop using it as a kind of reference text.”
The vote comes at a tense time for the Church, which is currently facing internal disputes over the implementation of same-sex blessings, formally known as Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF). The clash between traditionalist and progressive factions has highlighted deep divides on how to reconcile faith with the lived realities of LGBTQ+ members.
While the road to full inclusion remains long and complex, the removal of this discriminatory language from clergy guidelines is being hailed as a significant step forward for queer Anglicans and their allies.
REFERENCE: Attitude