Same-sex marriages and the persecution of African followers clash.
On April 11th canon Jeremy Pemberton, a hospital chaplain from Southwell, Nottinghamshire (UK), wed his long-term partner Laurence Cunnington.
In doing so, Pemberton took advantage of the new laws on same-sex marriages in Britain, but disregarded a ban imposed in February by the Anglican House of Bishops, which stated that: “It would not be appropriate conduct for someone in holy orders to enter into a samesex marriage, given the need for clergy to model the Church’s teaching in their lives.”
The event sparked opposing reactions. Activists expressed delight at the couples’ marriage, while a senior traditionalist cleric told The Daily Mail: “This is a test of the authority of the bishops”.
Within the Church of England itself, liberals and traditionalists are on opposite sides of the fence: the former asking the church to change its mind on sexuality and the latter calling for liturgical discipline.
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Same-sex marriages and the persecution of African followers clash.