I’m a bleeding-heart liberal cleric –but the Church of England must not accept gay marriage

Feb 15, 2017 by Jill

by George Pitcher, Telegraph:

This week sweethearts of the same sex were able to exchange Valentine cards purchased, for the first time, from that bellwether of Middle England’s tastes, Sainsbury’s. And on Wednesday the General Synod of the Church of England meets and will be asked, inter alia, to “take note of” (that is, approve) a report from its bishops that holy matrimony can only ever be between one man and one woman.

Cue siren voices from the gay and transgender lobby claiming cruelty and heartlessness from our established Church, discriminating against those Christians of the same gender who want to celebrate their lifelong, loving commitment to each other in vows made before their God. Surely further evidence, if it were needed, of an institution stuck in its bigoted past and out of touch with its own committed and loving clergy and congregants?

Well, no. For a start, the Church isn’t a supermarket, responding to the demands of customers, though it may look like it sometimes. But, more importantly, the House of Bishops, led in this instance by the estimable Bishop of Norwich, Graham James, who is no creepy old patsy, has got its report about right. And I say that as one of the Church’s hand-wringing, bleeding-heart liberals.

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