Gay Anglican Ministers Defy Church's Biblical Doctrine by Revealing They Are in Same-Sex Marriages

-

Nearly a dozen ministers within the Church of England are expected to reveal in a letter that they are gay and have married their same-sex partners despite the Church's biblical opposition to gay marriage.

The Guardian reported on Sunday that the letter from the clergy to the Church will ask for permission to carry out blessings for people entering gay marriages.

"Our marriages are legal, celebrated and widely accepted in society," said Andrew Foreshew-Cain, one of the first priests to defy the CofE's ban on gay marriage.

"Yet the Church of England behaves as if they are somehow dirty and imposes penalties on clergy and refuses to acknowledge the marriages of those who wish to make lifelong faithful commitments."

The 80-million strong Anglican Communion took a stand in support of traditional marriage between one man and one woman back in January, when a major meeting of Anglican primates hosted by the Archbishop of Canterbury decided to suspend the Episcopal Church from the worldwide body over its support for gay marriage.

"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 majority of those gathered reaffirm this teaching," the primates stated back then.

Though the Anglican leaders said the suspension was temporary and the Episcopal Church could fully rejoin the denomination if it changes its views, Episcopal Bishop Michel Curry responded that the U.S.-based church has no plans to stop supporting gay marriage.


Same-sex marriage issues gripped the Church of England after it was legalized in England and Wales in March 2014, though the archbishops of Canterbury and York, Justin Welby and John Sentamu respectively, decided that clergy must uphold the biblical definition of marriage, and barred them from entering gay marriages.

The letter from the gay clergy has not yet been sent, but it has already been criticized by conservative Christians.

"They [the signatories] are trying to undermine the authority of the teaching of the Church," Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern, told the Sunday Times.

Welby has in the past said that he is concerned about the Anglican Communion being split apart over the gay marriage debate, especially in the face of more conservative African churches that have threatened to walk out on the communion if it embraces gay marriage.

"I think, realistically, we've got to say that despite all efforts there is a possibility that we will not hold together, or not hold together for a while," Welby said in an interview in 2014.

"I could see circumstances in which there could be people moving apart and then coming back together, depending on what else happens," he added.


Popular posts from this blog

Ontario Catholic school board to vote on flying gay ‘pride flag’ at all board-run schools

-
Image
A Catholic school board in Ontario will vote next week on a motion to fly the rainbow-colored homosexual pride flag at all board-run schools during the month of June. Halton Catholic District School Board (HCDSB) Trustee Brenda Agnew gave notice of her motion titled “supporting our diverse school community” during an April 6 board meeting. Quoting Pope Francis along with LGBT talking points about “equity and inclusion,” the motion calls for the Board’s Director of Education Pat Daly to “direct all HCDSB schools including the Catholic Education Centre to fly the Pride flag during the month of June starting with 2021.” The motion is expected to be voted on by the Board at their next meeting on April 20. With nine trustees, the motion requires five votes to pass. A tied vote results in a fail. The HCDSB states on its website that its mission is to provide “excellence in Catholic education by developing Christ-centred individuals enabled to transform society.” The Catholic Church, basing i...
Read more

Christian baker must make ‘wedding’ bakes for gay couples, court rules

-
Image
DENVER, CO ,  – A Colorado board has ruled that a Christian business owner must make wedding cakes for homosexual "marriages" despite his religious objections. Business owner Jack Phillips came under legal fire in 2012, when he refused to bake a cake for Dave Mullins and Charlie Craig , who had traveled to Massachusetts for a marriage license, and wanted to celebrate in their home state. They sued on the basis of a state law that prevents the application of religious beliefs if one owns a business. The Commission's ruling, which was issued verbally on Friday, orders Phillips to report every three months for the next two years on anti-discrimination training for his staff, and any customers who are refused service at his establishment. "I can believe anything I want, but if I'm going to do business here, I'd ought to not discriminate against people," said one of the Civil Rights Commission 's seven members in a public statement. Phil...
Read more

Australia: Gay Hate tribunals are coming

-
Image
Are Hate Tribunals Are Coming In Canada , it is considered discriminatory to say that marriage is between a man and a woman or that every child should know and be raised by his or her biological married parents.  It is not just politically incorrect in Canada to say so; you can be saddled with tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees, fined, and forced to take sensitivity training. Anyone who is offended by something you have said or written can make a complaint to the Human Rights Commissions and Tribunals. In Canada, these organizations police speech, penalizing citizens for any expression deemed in opposition to particular sexual behaviors or protected groups identified under “sexual orientation.” It takes only one complaint against a person to be brought before the tribunal, costing the defendant tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees. The commissions have the power to enter private residences and remove all items pertinent to their investigations, checkin...
Read more