Shoots of equal marriage and partnership in the Church of England: a harvest rooted and nurtured through practical theology

Abstract

From 2020 in England, civil marriage and civil partnership are legal for all couples. The Church of England is protected in civil law from change to its traditional theology of marriage between one man and one woman, so that only mixed-sex couples may marry in Church of England churches. A service is permitted for mixed-sex couples after a civil marriage, but no services are provided for same-sex couples or after civil partnerships. In this paper, qualitative research with practising members of the Church of England interrogates a widening gap in pastoral practice, between participants’ desire to welcome couples seeking a service with blessing and the lack of provision of liturgies by the Church. Interpretation of participants’ narratives of their own marriage or civil partnership as embodying mutuality and fidelity lead to consideration of liturgies of blessing for two people from the premodern era. I propose that contemporary marriage and civil partnership may be interpreted as unions of Christian harmony and peace which can be celebrated with blessing in church. I interpret emerging theologies of marriage and vowed friendship (expressed in civil partnership) within the Church of England as renewing the Church’s traditional three benefits of marriage: mutuality, fidelity, and choices for parenting and nurture, in ‘pro/creative’ relationships.