Vicar declares support for same sex marriage; Christian leader responds.
Anglican Mainstream report.
The Vicar of St Mary with St Alban, Teddington, wrote these words in his ‘Vicar’s Viewpoint’, March 2016:
I believe that we should be affirming and blessing all loving relationships, including same-sex ones. There are plenty of people in the church who may disagree with me. But I sense that the time has come for me to be honest and declare my strongly held conviction. …on the subject of gay marriage I believe the Spirit is already transforming hearts and minds such that we will as a church eventually catch up and embrace it.
Norman Wells later responded with a paper which includes the following comments:
The ministry of the Holy Spirit
Changing attitudes towards homosexual relationships are sometimes attributed to the work of the Holy Spirit in the world. One clergyman writes:
“[O]n the subject of gay marriage I believe the Spirit is already transforming hearts and minds such that we will as a church eventually catch up and embrace it. “
However, since the Old Testament Scriptures were penned as holy men were moved by the Holy Spirit (2 Peter 1:21), and since the New Testament Scriptures were written by the apostles and their close associates who had received revelation from the Spirit of truth (John 14:26; 16:13-16), we have no basis for thinking that the Holy Spirit will lead his people to embrace something at variance with the written Word of God.
The Holy Spirit has not changed in his nature or character; he will therefore not contradict the truths and realities which he revealed to the apostles and prophets, but will rather testify to them. He ever remains the Holy Spirit, whose work it is to promote righteousness and to bring his people into ever increasing conformity to the standards of his Word. To suggest that the Holy Spirit is leading people to adopt and approve patterns of behaviour which the Scriptures describe as sinful is bordering on blasphemy.
Taken from: The Church and human sexuality: Six key issues
Norman Wells is Director of Family Education Trust, but is writing here in his personal capacity.
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