Process isn’t sexy but it matters. The Church is in a mess over same-sex blessings

Jan 13, 2024 by Jill

by Rebecca Chapman, Premier:

Failing to follow good process always results in more problems and more pain. That’s why the Church of England’s wranglings over same-sex blessings are bound to continue, says Rebecca Chapman.

Process isn’t sexy and mention of it may elicit groans, but good process ensures that a series of actions to achieve something are done in the right order, in the right way, and it keeps us all safe in the decision we take. We often don’t notice good process, particularly in a church context – it is like a trellis supporting a stunning plant as it grows – it supports and enables, but we don’t really see it. If the trellis collapses, we barely notice the plant and instead the trellis itself becomes horribly visible in its failure. This week’s new Soul Survivor podcast series will leave us in no doubt of the problems and pain that can follow when good process isn’t followed in our churches.

In November, having abstained in previous General Synod votes on same-sex blessings (feeling desperately caught between theologies, traditions and church ‘worlds’), I voted against the motion put to the Synod on the Prayers of Love and Faith (PLF). I did this primarily because of the concerns I had with the process.

The prayers are so contentious that in October, 11 bishops dissented from the plan. While it can be argued that to now have transparency about the diversity of views at the highest levels of our church leadership is no bad thing, it hardly convinces that the process being followed was working well.

The Church of England has an established process for the authorisation of prayers and liturgy, especially those thought to be divisive or contentious, where they are brought to the General Synod for approval by a two thirds majority. This majority was thought to be unachievable for the PLF, so instead synod was asked to vote on a mash-up of a motion, recognising “progress made” by the bishops on the prayers, but not explicitly linked to the papers supposedly supporting it.

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