Secular push for gay marriage among clergy is like Nazi Germany, says leading churchman

Allowing gay clergy to marry would amount to state interference in religion reminiscent of Nazi Germany, a leading Church of England figure has said.

At an Oxford Union debate on Thursday, the Rev Ian Paul, a member of the Archbishops’ Council, argued that those supporting same-sex unions within the Church were allowing the views of the state to ride roughshod over religious teachings.

His comments were challenged by three bishops as well as Matt Hancock, who made an unexpected appearance during the two-hour-long debate.

Dr Paul, a General Synod member, told students that allowing same-sex marriage would be a “clear contravention of God’s word”.

Addressing a motion on whether gay clergy should be able to marry, entitled “This House supports same-sex marriage in the Church”, he said that supporting the proposal was “voting for a church which detaches itself from the clear and consistent teachings of Jesus”.

He added: “If you vote for this motion you are, as a non-religious group, assuming secular authority can determine religious belief.

“You wouldn’t be alone in that, it was true in Nazi Germany, it was true in the Soviet Union. And true today in China and Iran and North Korea”.

Calvin Robinson, an evangelical Anglican deacon and TV presenter for GB News, echoed his comments, saying: “2,000 years of Christian doctrine cannot be altered on the whim of a few bishops.”

“What is God-ordained cannot be adjusted to suit our new liberal progressive views. Marriage is heterosexual, monogamous and should be open to the possibility of children,” he said.

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