Church of England bishops have stopped plans to trial separate blessing services for same-sex couples, saying the measure, that stoked deep divisions, needed to secure greater backing from the Church's governing body.

Some clergy members of the Church of England are defying a recent decision by the House of Bishops to effectively block blessings for same-sex couples, with one priest calling the decision “illegitimate.”

Pope Leo was joined by King Charles to pray together for the first time since the British monarchy split from the Catholic church.

As Sarah Mullally becomes the first female Archbishop of Canterbury, her rise could influence the Vatican’s debate over women in ministry.

England is in political meltdown — there is social unrest — and the state Church is in serious decline. While all three of the above are related, it is the church that belies division within the “United Kingdom.

Bishop Sarah Mullally’s appointment as the first female Archbishop of Canterbury has been hailed as historic as well as devastating as she faces the challenge of uniting a fractured global church.

Sarah Mullally will begin the role early next year and will be the first female church leader since women were allowed to become bishops in 2014.

Given Lenny Henry wants the British state to pay £18tn in slavery reparations, perhaps we should be thankful that the Church of England wants to cough up “only” £100m as part of its Project Spire, the Church Commissioners’ proposal to invest in “communities affected by historic transatlantic chattel slavery”.