The bishops of the Church of England have sided with its conservative wing in refusing to offer any change in the teaching that marriage is between one man and one woman.
The decision prompted cries of outrage among pro-LGBT Christians not convinced by the insistence it was just "the beginning of the process".
After more than two years of private talks at all levels of the Church hierarchy, the bishops said there "are no proposals" to change the doctrine on marriage.
A report announcing the judgment also called for "a fresh tone and culture of welcome and support for lesbian and gay people" and said bishops would offer "maximum freedom" for LGBT couples within the current laws and teaching of the Church.
The report was announced in a briefing to journalists in Westminster on Friday and will be debated by the Church's General Synod when it meets in February.
Speaking afterwards, the Bishop of Norwich, who led a group of bishops in drafting the report, told Christian Today he hoped gay Christians would see a change of tone and approach "which may signal a more general pastoral practice".
Rt Rev Graham James added the question of how to include gay couples in the Church should not be limited to a change in the doctrine of marriage, which he described as a "very recent development".
He said: "But I think we can do a great deal more work in what we say about gay and lesbian people being made in the image and likeness of god being welcomed genuinely true within the life of the Church.
"I hope this is the beginning of the process."
But LGBT campaigners within the CofE are not satisfied.
The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement described the decision as a "complete betrayal" and "unacceptable".
In a joint statement Jeremy Pemberton, chair of LGCM, and Tracey Bryne, CEO, vowed to use the "levers of power available to us and will oppose and challenge your stance where it is intransigent at every opportunity".
Jayne Ozanne, a pro-gay member of the Church's general synod, said the decision was "unbelievable, unacceptable and ungodly".
She said: "I am deeply concerned for the wellbeing of vulnerable LGBT teenagers growing up in many Christian homes, who will continue to be subject to abusive teaching and practices that we know causes depression, self-hatred, self-harm and sadly even suicide.
"Lord have mercy on us all."
Rev Colin Coward, founder of gay lobby group Changing Attitude, attacked gay bishops and said they were "avoiding reality".
He told Christian Today: "What makes me really angry is the betrayal by those bishops who are gay, some of whom I've known for nearly 40 years.
"They betray their friends as they contort themselves spiritually, emotionally, intellectually and theologically in accepting teaching and practice they know to be deeply wounding and offensive to lesbian and gay couples. They relinquish their own integrity and awareness of same-sex intimacy and desire in their adoption of the power and authority granted to bishops."
However, the CofE's more conservative branch largely welcomed the decision.
Ed Shaw, a gay Christian who believes the Church should uphold its position on marriage, praised it for holding "true to Jesus' teaching on sex and marriage".
Shaw is a member of synod and trustee of Living Out, a charity for same-sex attracted Christians who believe sex is only for heterosexual marriage.
He told Christian Today: "We want to help our Church and its leaders encourage people, whatever their sexuality, to follow Jesus and serve his people."
But he added he was concerned about the "current pastoral chaos, which hurts gay Christians like us" and urged the Church to adopt a "culture of welcome and acceptance".
Susie Leafe, director of the conservative Reform grouping, welcomed the decision and said everyone should hear from the report "the gospel of radical inclusion which leads to radical transformation, offered by Jesus Christ".
But she added there were concerns about the proposals to allow "maximum freedom" within the teaching.
"In adopting a framework which seeks to take a middle path between biblical truth and cultural sensitivities, the bishops have ensured theological incoherence and hypocrisy will prevail for the foreseeable future, with all the hurt and confusion that will cause," she said.
"In so doing they have failed in their primary pastoral duty to teach truth and drive away error."
