A tearful Justin Welby told the General Synod that he will not be told by MP’s when it comes to blessing same-sex marriages.
The Archbishop of Canterbury addressed the Church of England’s legislative body, during a crunch debate on a historic proposal by bishops to bless gay marriages.
According to The Telegraph:
Synod members will vote on Thursday on the plan, which is designed to be a compromise given that the last decade of discussions have ended with no consensus on lifting the Church’s ban on same-sex marriages.
In the debate in central London on Wednesday, the Church’s divisions were laid bare with dozens of speeches for and against the idea.
Mr Welby fought back tears at one point, while gay members made passionate speeches for the Church to “love them back”. There were boos and jeers as a liberal bishop lashed out at a conservative Christian’s “adversarial approach”.
In an opening speech, Mr Welby said: “I am supporting these resources not because I am controlled by culture, but because of scripture, tradition and reason evidenced in the vast work done over the last six years by so many.
“I may be wrong, of course I may, but I cannot duck the issue any more than anybody else here.
“I ask each member of Synod to vote with their spirit-inspired consciences, scripturally and spiritually guided, and not because groups or lobbies or outsiders have told you to.
“I have heard them over the last two weeks, in Parliament, and being told exactly what to do. I’m not doing any of it.”
Mr Welby’s rebuke of parliamentarians comes after around a dozen MPs are understood to have asked the Archbishop whether the CofE should retain its status as the established church given it continues to refuse same-sex couples a church wedding.
CofE bishops rejected calls to allow same-sex marriages in churches at a meeting in January following six years of debate and consultation.
Instead, they agreed to offer blessings after a civil partnership or marriage, known as Prayers of Love and Faith.
The decision prompted backlash from equality campaigners, some of whom accused the church of discrimination.
With 28 amendments tabled, the landmark vote on this proposal was delayed on Wednesday night until Thursday morning.
