Openly gay Bishop of Grantham welcomes Church of England vote on blessing civil marriages of same-sex couples

The Bishop of Grantham has welcomed a decision by the Church of England to allow the blessing of civil marriages of same-sex couples.

The Rt Rev Dr Nicholas Chamberlain, became the first Church of England bishop to come out as gay back in 2016.

Yesterday (Thursday), its national assembly, the General Synod, voted to back a proposal that permits the blessing of same-sex couples' civil marriages.

The Rev Nicholas said he welcomed the General Synod's endorsement of the House of Bishops' proposals.

He continued: "It is important to me that faithful, same-sex couples will be able to receive prayers of dedication, thanksgiving, and for God's blessing.

"LGBTQ+ people are valued members of the church and, as such, our relationships should be recognised and celebrated."

Having watched the lengthy debate online, the Rev Nicholas commented that he was "struck by the many powerful speeches made by Synod members, often with radically different views about human sexuality and marriage".

He added: "In welcoming the outcome of the vote, I am committed to serving in a church in which diverse views are respected and in which we all seek to walk together, because we are all followers of Jesus."