Archbishop Welby is still opposed to same-sex “marriage” in principle, despite saying that the new gay marriage law is “great”
His comments were made last week in an interview with PinkNews, where he said that the Church of England must “accept…that the same-sex marriage act is law, and that it’s right and proper, it’s the law of the land, and that’s great.”
Given the ambiguous nature of Welby’s statements, the Church of England was forced to re-affirm its official position. The Archbishop’s spokesperson declared that Welby was only referring to Parliament’s right to change the law when he said that it was “great.” The spokesperson affirmed that Welby accepts Parliament’s powers and the Church should demonstrate Christ’s love for everyone.
Welby’s office explained that the Archbishop “remains opposed both to gay marriage and homophobia.”
Welby voted against the Same-Sex Marriage Act last year on the grounds that it could potentially weaken the family and society. He apparently still holds true to these beliefs, the Telegraph reported, even though his recent statements have lent themselves to a variety of interpretations.
Archbishop Welby’s statements come just two days after he “offered an olive branch to the gay community” by publishing rules that say Church of England schools must teach students to “revere” and “honor” homosexuals in an effort to combat homophobic bullying.
These new rules describe the gay lifestyle as “less than God’s ideal,” which one Telegraph reporter called a “euphemism for sin.” Despite being opposed to homosexuality, Welby says those beliefs do not justify bullying or discrimination against gay individuals.
According to these rules, all CofE primary schools must teach children that homosexuality is a “basic fact of people’s lives.” These schools must also implement policies to recognize the needs of transgender students. Secondary school children that come out must be given “unequivocal support” from chaplains and instructors, as well as information regarding their new-found “identity.” The Church of England rules also state that children must be taught to accept that homosexuality is a reality and a normal part of society.
The Archbishop has added that “the love of Christ is universal for all people irrespective of who they are and the Church has to find a way to express that.”
While not disputing God’s love for all people, the church has a responsibility to tell its members what is right and wrong according to the Bible, not to follow social norms. While it is clearly wrong to bully homosexuals, the way to solve the problem is not to become more tolerant of sin (i.e., telling CofE school children that it’s OK to be gay).
As the Church of England leads increasingly towards tolerance instead of confrontation, many are wondering how long the church can maintain its official stance on homosexuality. As one reporter put it: “How can you tell 11-year-olds that it is OK to be gay…but at the same time, theologically, to say that being gay is wrong?”
The solution is to differentiate between sin and the sinner, and teach children how to love their neighbor while still holding true to the Bible. Let us pray that non-Christians will know us by our fruits (Matt. 7:20). We must learn to love our neighbors while not simultaneously condoning sin. Homosexuality is a reality in society but it does not have to become a reality within the Church of England.
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Is Welby a person who has doubts and is thinking about two different things at the same time and can’t make up his mind about anything?
James 1:8
Being double-minded is a problem that can damage Christians and can manifest itself in several areas of their lives.. James uses it to describe someone who is divided in his interests or loyalties, wavering, uncertain, two-faced, half-hearted.
Does this apply to his church?
C of E schools are already betraying their trust; I have withdrawn my Year 5 child from this term’s literacy lessons as the book does not contain a single character with whom he could, or with whom I would wish him to, identify. It is a thinly veiled narrative of gender questioning and, guess what? It is a book recommended by the National Curriculum and endorsed by our LEA, so the teachers assume it must be OK.
I pray you’ll stay strong & encouraged, Busy Mum, keep fighting the good fight xx
Thankyou Mark – I have already quoted the school’s community cohesion policy, declaring that the book represents a ‘barrier to access and participation in learning’ for my child – guess they are in a bit of a pickle now they realise inclusion is for Christians as well as for Sodomites and Muslims!!
Just wait for the compromise, folks, its coming!!!
Opponents of gay marriage argue that it would undermine the institution of marriage, but it’s hard to see how more marriages would be bad for marriage. If anything harms marriage, it is bad marriages where people don’t take marriage seriously – and that’s already too common with heterosexuals. If gay couples in committed relationships are able to formalize their unions as marriages, that can only serve to improve marriage overall by providing more positive role models. Children are already being born to, adopted by, and raised by gay couples in increasing numbers. Children in stable, married households can be better off than those who aren’t because both parents can handle decision-making and parenting without worry. Opponents of divorce often cite the negative effects on children; the same can be said against bans on gay marriages.
More, or indeed any, sham marriages are bad for marriage. And don’t look to the homosexual world for examples of stable households, especially amongst the male network. Show me a ‘monogamous’ male couple and I’ll show you two people of whom at least one is having ‘flings’ outside the pairing. Sad but true.
I couldn’t wait Mark, I left for a bible believing church.
What, honestly, is the point of this guy? I suppose his job is a difficult one, if not impossible: no-one, least of all in his mainly liberal, lukewarm “church” wants him to stand up for anything much, just to smile and “show God’s love to people” (by which is meant to not offend anybody). But, as we know, the Gospel IS offensive.
Christians can’t help but look to this guy for some sort of leadership, some sort of flag to rally to, but we haven’t had anything from an Archbishop of Canterbury, or any of the so-called “Christian leaders”, for a very long time, just vapid, inoffensive grinning and gurning, photo opportunites, and more PC, fit-in-with-a-society-in-free-fall compromised rubbish.
Oh well, another sign of the End Times, I suppose: Maranatha, Lord.