The LGBTQIA magazine Instinct reacts strongly to a decision by the Synod of the Church of England (the Anglican church) to quietly shelve discussion of blessing samesex unions. Their writer Eugene guides us through this frustrating debacle.

In a decision that has sparked profound disappointment, the Church of England has formally abandoned proposals to introduce official blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples in its churches. The ruling General Synod voted against proceeding with the plans, citing entrenched "theological and legal barriers".

The outcome follows a six-year process of consultation, known as the Living in Love and Faith initiative, which reportedly cost approximately £1.6 million. Critics have labelled the result as a costly failure to enact meaningful change, leaving the Church's position on same-sex unions unchanged.

During the emotionally charged Synod debate, bishops offered an apology for the "hurt and division" caused to both traditionalists and LGBTQ+ advocates. This attempt at balance was met with scorn by many who saw it as a false equivalence. The Reverend Charlie Bączyk-Bell, a gay priest present at the vote, tearfully described the entire process as a "facetious charade," arguing that for LGBTQ+ Christians, the debate was a painful dissection of their very being by the institution they call home.

The Archbishop of York, Stephen Cottrell, acknowledged the "anger and disappointment" in the room. The Synod's primary tangible outcome, however, was a proposal to continue discussions indefinitely, a move that has been criticised as an inadequate response to decades of hurt and exclusion.

The decision highlights a central tension for many: the belief that God creates all people, set against the refusal of some religious institutions to fully bless the loving relationships of gay and lesbian individuals. For its detractors, the Church's stance raises difficult questions about a version of faith that, for many, results in ongoing pain and marginalisation.