Church of England blesses same-sex couples for the first time, but they still can’t wed in church

By JILL LAWLESS
Associated Press

LONDON (AP) — Priests in the Church of England have blessed same-sex partnerships for the first time. However, same-sex couple still can’t get married in church amid deep Anglican divisions on the issue. Catherine Bond and Jane Pearce had their union blessed Sunday at St John the Baptist church in Felixstowe, in eastern England. Both are associate priests at the church. The church voted in February to allow clergy to bless the unions of same-sex couples who have had civil weddings or partnerships. But it also endorsed the doctrine that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. Public opinion surveys consistently show that a majority of people in England support same-sex marriage, which has been legal since 2013.