--- description: The three-year suspension was over same-sex marriage title: Episcopal Church Suspended from Anglican Communion Over Same-Sex Marriage image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4100e496e39a56c9/6988793acf40a816c1c417d3/anglican-communion-suspends-episcopal-church-same-sex-marriage.jpg?branch=production&width=3840&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  * [U.S.](/section/us/) ## U.S. Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close # Episcopal Church Suspended from Anglican Communion Over Same-Sex Marriage  by [Julia Zorthian](/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 14, 2016 9:21 PM CUT  The Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. The Washington National Cathedral in Washington, D.C.Paul Whitfield—Getty Images/Dorling Kindersley  by [Julia Zorthian](/author/julia-zorthian/)  ## Julia Zorthian Update your preferences in [Account Settings](/account/preferences/) Close Jan 14, 2016 9:21 PM CUT The International Anglican Communion has [suspended](http://www.cnn.com/2016/01/14/world/episcopal-church-suspended/index.html "undefined") the U.S. Episcopal Church over its acceptance of same-sex marriage. This discipline means the Episcopal Church [will not be able](http://www.primates2016.org/articles/2016/01/14/statement-primates-2016/ "undefined") to participate in internal Communion decision-making, serve on internal committees, or represent Anglicans in meetings with faith groups. Leaders of the 38 provinces within the Communion decided on the suspension during a meeting in England on Thursday, CNN reports. “Recent developments in the Episcopal Church with respect to a change in their canon on marriage represent a fundamental departure from the faith and teaching held by the majority of our provinces on the doctrine of marriage,” said the Anglican archbishops [in a statement](http://www.primates2016.org/articles/2016/01/14/statement-primates-2016/ "undefined"). “The traditional doctrine of the church in view of the teaching of Scripture, upholds marriage as between a man and a woman in faithful, lifelong union.” The suspension occurs following multiple years of [disagreements about sexuality](https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2016/01/14/anglican-communion-suspends-the-episcopal-church-for-3-years-from-committees/ "undefined"), among other issues. The statement said there will be a task group to maintain communications between the Anglican Communion and the U.S. Episcopal Church, so that the relationship may be restored in the future. ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/4181518/episcopal-church-suspended-anglican-communion-same-sex-marriage/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/4181518/episcopal-church-suspended-anglican-communion-same-sex-marriage/"},"headline":"Episcopal Church Suspended from Anglican Communion Over Same-Sex Marriage","datePublished":"2016-01-14T21:21:56.000Z","dateModified":"2026-02-22T14:09:03.830Z","description":"The suspension will last for three years","url":"https://time.com/4181518/episcopal-church-suspended-anglican-communion-same-sex-marriage/","keywords":["Religion"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4100e496e39a56c9/6988793acf40a816c1c417d3/anglican-communion-suspends-episcopal-church-same-sex-marriage.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Julia Zorthian","jobTitle":null,"url":"https://time.com/author/julia-zorthian/"}],"articleSection":"U.S.","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt4100e496e39a56c9/6988793acf40a816c1c417d3/anglican-communion-suspends-episcopal-church-same-sex-marriage.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"anglican communion suspends episcopal church same sex marriage","caption":"anglican communion suspends episcopal church same sex marriage","creditText":"Paul Whitfield—Getty Images/Dorling Kindersley","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"/section/us/","name":"U.S."}},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/4181518/episcopal-church-suspended-anglican-communion-same-sex-marriage/","name":"Episcopal Church Suspended from Anglican Communion Over Same-Sex Marriage"}}]}] ```