LLANDDUDNO, Wales, UK — Dr. Barry Morgan, the Archbishop of Wales, on Tuesday lent his support to same-sex marriage during a meeting of the Church in Wales’ governing body, and gave an impassioned plea for Anglicans to be more tolerant towards homosexuals.
“All life-long committed relationships deserved the welcome, pastoral care and support of the Church,” said Morgan. “(Christians) need to show how the Gospel of Jesus is good news for gay people.”
Mogan had to ask itself whether it would “protect and support pastorally, faithful, stable, lifelong relationships of whatever kind in order to encourage human values such as love and fidelity and recognize the need in Christian people for some public religious support for these”.
Unlike the Roman Catholic Church, which follows theological doctrine dictated by the Vatican, the Church of England is filled with Bishops who hold a variety of views on controversial topics such as homosexuality and the consecration of women bishops.
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The majority of the archbishop’s address dealt with the ongoing debate over the competing theological arguments surrounding same-sex marriage, even though the current government proposals only effect civil marriages and will not force religious organizations to conduct weddings for same sex couples.
However, Morgan has called on his church to support the government’s desire to allow gay men and women to marry in a civil environment.
“If the legislation to allow civil marriage is passed, I cannot see how we as a church, will be able to ignore the legality of the status of such partnerships and we ought not to want to do so,” he said.
Morgan also said he was concerned about the welfare of gay people whom he feared could feel uncomfortable and unwelcome in churches over the coming months as prime minister David Cameron’s backed proposals for same-sex marriage are debated nationally.”
