A leading UK newspaper has reported that a senior Anglican bishop has commissioned the first official Church of England service to recognise homosexual relationships and co-habiting heterosexuals.

The Sunday Times reported that the Bishop of Lincoln, John Saxbee has given orders to his staff create the liturgy for non-married couples to be able to come and give thanks to God for their relationship.

Although the move steers clear of forming a marriage service, it has angered a number of traditional Anglicans.

The blessings given unofficially to gay relationships in churches has been increasing this past year, with a 10% rise to 300 in England last year.

It is unprecedented that a diocese or bishop has authorised a rite for homosexual relationships. Saxbee has seemed to sneak by current Anglican directives and has argued that the new service is "consistent with current Anglican guidelines" as it does not attempt to bless or give sanctification to the relationship, but is simply a thanks for a friendship.

Many critics, however, have indicated their anger at the move and have stated that the distinction that Saxbee has made is semantic and damages the churches efforts to uphold the sanctity of marriage.

The chairman of the conservative pressure group Reform, David Banting said, "Who’s kidding who? Would liturgy for this sort of relationship have come forward for friendship’s sake were it not for the pressure from the gay lobby?"

Reform claim to be the largest evangelical group within the Church of England.

Reports have come out that of four books that have been prepared to help plan the services, three of these are "gay prayer books".

Saxbee has been at the centre of heated debate before within the Anglican Communion, when 2 years ago he publicly backed a vicar to bless a same-sex union. At that time he reported, "I have indicated I would not stand in the way so long as he abides by my condition that they must not be made to look like marriages."

The Lincoln Liturgy Committee have drafted the service, which is chaired by the Archdeacon of Stow, Tim Ellis. It is proposed that a welcome and opening reading will be chosen from approximately a dozen passages regarding the nature of friendship. The couples will later step forward to the altar and then thank God for their relationship.

Afterwards the couple will be able to declare their commitment and exchange gifts. The service will be offered to close friends, and not only to couples who are in an intimate relationship.

The Rector of Owmby in Lincolnshire, Peter Godden who is the secretary of the Liturgy Committee further enflamed the argument by saying, "We do recognise that the service will be used by same-sex couples, but we have not provided any specific references to any kind of relationship or friendship."