Orthodox Anglicans have accused bishops in the Church in Wales of "misleading" statements as it moves towards making same-sex blessings permanent.
Bishops in the Church in Wales have published a 'road map' for the future of same-sex blessings following a four-year trial and a six-month consultation with clergy and parishioners.
During the trial period, same-sex couples in a civil partnership or marriage were allowed to come to Church in Wales churches with friends and family to receive a blessing.
The bishops said that the Church is reaching the point "where it must take major decisions on these matters".
In a pastoral letter to Church in Wales members, the bishops said that "most" responses to the consultation were "in favour of the view that the time is right to offer equal marriage to traditional and same sex couples".
The letter acknowledges that not all feel this way and that "there is a strong part of our Church family that finds such a step difficult to hold within their understanding of fidelity to Scripture, and therefore within our common life".
The bishops go on to say that they believe the "right way forward is to offer Governing Body the opportunity to make decisions on behalf of the Church".
According to the road map set out by the bishops, proposals to make same-sex blessings permanent will be brought before the Governing Body in April 2026. If approved, these will be followed by further proposals in April 2027 to allow the law of the state and of the Church to be changed to permit same-sex marriage in Church in Wales churches.
The bishops said that the proposals would be drafted in such a way as to protect clergy freedom of conscience.
Responding to the road map, Bishop Andy Lines of the Anglican Network in Europe and Bishop Stuart Bell of the Anglican Convocation Europe said it was "distressing" to see the bishops sow "confusion" around the issue.
They took particular issue with wording in parts of the pastoral letter, including a section in which the Welsh bishops say, "Seeking to be faithful to the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the teaching of Scripture, Christians differ in approach: advocates for equal marriage argue from the inclusive love of Jesus, while others highlight faithfulness to the traditional reading of Biblical texts and cannot embrace such new understandings."
Bishops Lines and Bell suggested the wording was a polarising misrepresentation of both sides.
They said, "Such polarisation of the debate suggests that we are either for Jesus or we are for the Bible. That is a caricature of the truth.
"Those who are for the Bible are also for Jesus, and those who are for Jesus should also be for the Bible," they said, adding that Jesus himself repeatedly spoke in favour of "public, exclusive, intimate and heterosexual" marriage.
They said it was "misleading" of Church in Wales bishops to cite the popular Christian maxim in their pastoral letter: “In essentials, unity; in non-essentials, liberty, and in all things charity.”
Bishops Lines and Bell said, "The statement itself is a good rule of thumb for discussion and disagreement, but including it in the road map suggests that this debate over same-sex sexual relationships is ‘non-essential’.
"It would be ‘non-essential’ if the Bible had nothing to say about it, but unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on your point of view) it speaks on the subject at least six times and every time it is negative."
Bishops Lines and Bell also dismissed the suggestion in the pastoral letter that making same-sex blessings permanent need not be a "church-dividing issue" when 85 per cent of the Anglican Communion are opposed to such moves.
"In the last four years there has been an alternative orthodox Anglican church in Wales. We are both for Jesus and his inclusive love, and for Jesus’ Bible and its clear teaching," Bishops Lines and Bell concluded.
