Church Of England: So Sorry

The Times: Letter Of The Week

Sir, I was present at the opening of the new headquarters of the Evangelical Alliance, at which Archbishop Welby spoke. He spoke about the ability of the Christian message to change lives and communities for the better and the power of prayer. Several great stories concerning fostering, overcoming racism and a long-term ex-prisoner becoming a new person through reading the Bible were told.
He only mentioned the gay issue when during a Q&A session a journalist from The Guardian immediately raised the question. The Archbishop sighed and replied, “I had hoped not to mention that issue today.” This, and your report (Aug 29) of the event, is further evidence to me that it is not the Church which is obsessed with sex, but the press.

Dr Derek Tidball
Leicester 

The Times.

Archbishop Welby: The Sin Of Pride

An archiepiscopal enthronement is a joyful thing. A leader is welcomed by a community who, for all their differences, recognise something greater than themselves and want to be good and love their neighbour. Why, why, why, does the unifying moment have to be sabotaged, as it was in a widely reported BBC interview, by cornering him into reaffirming the old tedious, hobgoblin issue of the Church’s opposition to same-sex marriage? Just when it seems that cautiously, painfully, religious liberalism is growing?
Christian churches are weirdly obsessed with below-the-belt intimacies. The Church of England still rejects “homosexual practice” as contrary to scripture, won’t ordain “active” homosexuals or bless gay partnerships. All Christian churches should try a moratorium, promising for five years to utter not a word about consensual, non-violent, monogamous genital goings-on. Just concentrate on cruelty, dishonesty, avarice, pride and injustice, and render unto Eros his due. Reiterate the stuff Jesus actually did say (he was remarkably quiet on the subject of sex, only taking the trouble to deplore the stoning of adulterers)...

When I first saw this headline I thought it was a wonderfully caustic comment on the pride and cruelty of the Church of England.
Bit disappointed it wasn't, but still a good comment piece in the ever-so pro gay marriage Times today by Libby Purves.

Archbishop Welby: Some Of My Best Friends Are...

The new archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has highlighted the challenge faced by the Anglican church over gay relationships ahead of his enthronement on Thursday, saying he has friends who are in long-term gay relationships of "stunning" success.
The 105th archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the worldwide Anglican community, who will become the first holder of the office to be enthroned by a woman at the afternoon ceremony, has written to Peter Tatchell offering to discuss his attitude to gay marriage after the veteran campaigner criticised it in an open letter.
In a pre-enthronement interview with the BBC, Welby said that while he did not have doubts about the church's policy in opposing same-sex marriages he remained "challenged as to how we respond to it".
"You see gay relationships that are just stunning in the quality of the relationship," the 57-year-old said, adding that he had "particular friends where I recognise that and am deeply challenged by it".
"The Church of England holds very firmly, and continues to hold to the view, that marriage is a lifelong union of one man to one woman. At the same time, at the heart of our understanding of what it is to be human, is the essential dignity of the human being. And so we have to be very clear about homophobia..."

The Guardian. 
This line - "while he did not have doubts about the church's policy in opposing same-sex marriages he remained 'challenged as to how we respond to it'" - is a spectacular exercise in doublethink.
But that's religion for you. 
As ever, thanks for nothing!

PS Here's Tatchell's letter.