Justin Welby: Church of England loses bid to block same-sex marriage legal challenge

Church of England loses challenge at High Court in row over same-sex marriage

Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, had previously said that same-sex marriage was "not something that the church could ever condone"

The Church of England has lost a legal challenge to block a judicial review of its decision not to allow same-sex marriage in churches.

The High Court ruled that the Church of England's decision was "arguable" and that there was a "sufficient interest" in the case to allow it to proceed to a full judicial review.

The legal challenge was brought by Jayne Ozanne, a prominent campaigner for LGBTQ+ rights and a member of the Church of England's General Synod.

Ozanne argued that the Church of England's decision was discriminatory and violated the European Convention on Human Rights.

The Church of England has said that it will "carefully consider" the court's ruling and will "continue to defend the church's position."

Archbishop of Canterbury: Same-sex marriage 'not something that the church could ever condone'

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has said that same-sex marriage is "not something that the church could ever condone."

Welby made the comments in an interview with the BBC, in which he said that the church's teaching on marriage was "clear" and that it could not be changed.

Welby's comments have been criticized by some LGBTQ+ activists, who say that they are out of step with the views of many Anglicans.

A recent survey by the Church of England found that 59% of Anglicans support same-sex marriage.

Church of England General Synod votes against same-sex marriage

In February 2023, the Church of England's General Synod voted against a motion to allow same-sex marriage in churches.

The motion was defeated by a vote of 250 to 185, with 10 abstentions.

The vote was a blow to LGBTQ+ campaigners, who had hoped that the Church of England would follow the lead of other churches, such as the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Church of Wales, which have both voted to allow same-sex marriage.

Conclusion

The Church of England's decision not to allow same-sex marriage has been met with mixed reactions.

Some people have welcomed the decision, saying that it is in line with the church's traditional teaching on marriage.

Others have criticized the decision, saying that it is discriminatory and out of step with the views of many Anglicans.

The legal challenge to the Church of England's decision is likely to be closely watched by LGBTQ+ campaigners and by the wider public.