Leaders from the liberal US branch of the Anglican church have been barred from participating in any decision-making in the church because of its acceptance of same-sex marriage.

The BBC is reporting on the historic move made at the end of a four-day meeting of 39 Anglican primates in Canterbury, England, last week.

In spite of pressure to relax rules against same-sex couples, the Church of England did the exact opposite and said the U.S. Episcopal Church’s approval of gay marriage represented “a fundamental departure from the faith and teaching" of the majority of Anglicans. The church’s leaders instead pledged to reaffirm the biblical understanding of marriage as that between a man and a woman.

The Anglican church, which represents about 85 million Christians around the world, has been divided on the issue since 2003 when the U.S. branch ordained bishop Gene Robinson, who was openly gay and in a same-relationship with a man with whom he has since been divorced.

Since that time, relations between the two branches were strained even more when the Episcopal church voted last summer to allow clergy to perform same-sex marriages.

As a result of these decisions, further fracturing came about as dozens of U.S. churches broke away from the Episcopal Church and declared allegiance to other groups, such as the Anglican Church of North America.

“Given the seriousness of these matters we formally acknowledge this distance by requiring that for a period of three years The Episcopal Church no longer represent us on ecumenical and interfaith bodies … ,” reads the statement issued by the Anglican communion. “They will not take part in decision making on any issues pertaining to doctrine or polity.”

“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 statement also notes. “The majority of those gathered reaffirm this teaching.”

Even though the three year ban, which is intended to prevent a formal schism in the church, is not referred to as a “sanction” or “punishment”, leaders of the Episcopal church say it will be a source of suffering for their members.

Episcopal Presiding Bishop Michael Curry said the vote would bring "real pain" to gays and lesbians and to Episcopalians "committed to following Jesus in the way of love and being a church that lives that love.”

The Global Anglican Future Conference (GAFCON), comprised of Anglican leaders who are faithful to Christian teaching, were pushing for sanctions and threatened to walk out of the meeting if none were imposed.

The group welcomed the final decision, saying that “This action must not be seen as an end, but as a beginning."

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