Canon Jeremy Pemberton became the first gay priest to defy the Church of England’s ban on same-sex marriage.
Mr. Pemberton was aware of the Church of England’s disapproval, but proceeded to “marry” his long-time partner Laurence Cunnington earlier this month in front of friends and family.
Pemberton told The Mail on Sunday: “I love this man and I want to be married to him. That’s what I want. It is the same as anyone who wants to get married.”
Pemberton could face disciplinary action from the church.
Last month same-sex “marriages” were legalized in England and Wales, but the Church of England banned gay marriage for its clergy members because it goes against the church’s teaching that marriage is only between a man and a woman. Clergymen are not able to officiate at gay wedding ceremonies or to bless same-sex unions in church.
Pemberton told the church of his plans to marry before he carried out his wedding. The bishop of Lincoln, the Rt Rev Christopher Lowson, was informed by Pemberton himself that Pemberton planned to marry Cunnington. Lowson said that he and Pemberton had a meeting before the “marriage” took place, in which Lowson “explained the guidelines of the House of Bishops.”
In addition, Lowson explained that the Church of England will shortly begin discussing how it will respond to same-sex “marriage”.
This “marriage” does not only affect people in the UK. Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby suggested that by tolerating same-sex “marriage” within the church, Christians could be endangering the lives of other Christians in Africa.
Welby has personally seen a mass grave full of African Christians in Nigeria who were murdered because the citizens of Nigeria were afraid that Christians will force them to become homosexuals. In a country where homosexual acts are punishable with up to a 15-year prison sentence, the impact of a gay marriage within the church affects African Christians more severely than it does Christians in the UK.
Pemberton, a divorced father of five and former parish priest, tweeted after the wedding ceremony: “Thank you to all well-wishers. Nay-Sayers: we can talk another time maybe? Signing off for now—my husband gets my time.”
One author called this “marriage” a “test of strength” between liberals and conservatives in the Church of England.
All eyes are now on the church to see how it will respond. If the Church of England holds true to its traditional teaching on homosexual marriage, it will be holding true to the God’s teaching in the Bible but could face persecution through employment laws (Matthew 5:11-12).
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Another deluded so called “christian”. and i use the term loosely, according to the teachings of God written in his book the bible Pemberton and his husband are Hellbound unless they repent and turn from the sick sad lifestyle choice they’ve made. don’t they understand the word abomination?
And as for the toothless church of england watch them throw open the doors and embrace gay marriage
“That’s what I want”. – Canon Pemberton. What God wants takes second place in his system of priorities.
when the so called established church ends up with people like this it looks like the atheists elsewhere on the CV are right, the UK is definitely no longer a Christian country. What did God do to the Israelites who prostituted themselves to false gods and alien practices.? A scattering for centuries culminating in the holocaust. The UK is yet to experience God’s righteous anger but is will come!
Proverbs 14:12 There is a way that seems right to a man, But its end is the way of death.
Surely a clergy member of the established church doing something reprehensible does not mean the UK is not a Christian country! We’ll see how the Diocese of Lincoln deal with it.
The UK is ‘yet to experience God’s righteous anger’? It has been falling for decades, brother.
It’s tragic to think about how the actions of individuals here in the UK could affect those in Nigeria or elsewhere around the world. Personally I am interested to see how views on homosexuality within the Christian community evolves, as the article says there is definitely a ‘test of strength’ to be contemplated. Last year I read a book on exploring the world from the point of view of homosexuals who want to be part of the Church, definitely a battle of wills and compassion from both sides.
This man needs to be defrocked immediately. He is not fit to lead others in the Christian way of life.
I’m sorry if that sounds harsh, but he clearly doesn’t have a proper grasp of biblical teachings, and puts himself and his own sinful desires before the will of God. How arrogant!