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Archbishop Compares Gay Relationships To Marriage
August 07, 2008 12:46 PM
Eliza Browning, ABC News, London
The leader of the Anglican Church is making headlines in Britain today because it was revealed that he believes homosexual relationships are “comparable to marriage” in the eyes of God.
In letters written eight years ago before he became Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr. Rowan Williams compared gay relationships to marriage and questioned the Anglican Communion’s traditional doctrine that homosexuality is sinful.
“I concluded that an active sexual relationship between two people of the same sex might therefore reflect the love of God in a way comparable to marriage,” Williams wrote.
The letters, which have been reviewed by ABCNews.com, were leaked to the British media last night. They were part of a private exchange between Williams and Deborah Pitt, a psychiatrist and evangelical Christian from South Wales.
Williams, who was appointed Archbishop of Canterbury in 2002, is the principal leader of the Church of England. The leak of the letters comes just weeks after Williams presided over the Lambeth Conference, a meeting that happens once a decade to unite Anglican bishops.
Many see the release as an attempt to undermine the position of the archbishop, who has come under attack by more conservative members of the Anglican Church for his liberal views on homosexuality.
Conservative leaders of the Anglican Church see the letters as a “betrayal.”
The Rev. Canon Chris Sugden, executive secretary of an orthodox group of Anglican leaders called Anglican Mainstream, told ABCNews.com that the content of the letters represents a “real tension that must be in the archbishop’s own mind.”
“One hears a discussion with himself," Sugden went on to say. "He believes the Church should change over time, but his duty is to uphold the teaching of the Church.”
Sugden said this “inner conflict” reflects the controversy surrounding homosexuality facing members of the church. Tensions over the issue were made obvious in 2003 after the Episcopal Church, the Anglican body in the U.S., consecrated the first openly gay bishop, Gene Robinson of New Hampshire.
As archbishop, Williams has tried to hold a traditional line on homosexuality for the sake of the church, but the letters show his liberal views on the issue. And the letter expresses hope that the church will relax its rules to be more accepting of gay relationships.
"The Bible does not address the matter of appropriate behaviour for those who are, for whatever reason, homosexual by instinct or nature," he wrote.
A spokesperson for the archbishop declined to comment on the letters and did not provide information about whether or not the archbishop knew how the letters were leaked.
Stonewall, a leading gay rights advocacy group in the U.K., welcomes the views expressed in the letters.
“It’s refreshing to see the archbishop’s liberal comments in the public domain,” Gary Nunn, a spokesperson for Stonewall, told ABCNews.com.
Nunn added that many members of Stonewall believe that faith leaders inadequately reflect their followers’ religious objections to lesbian and gay sexuality. He said that many held “significantly more moderate views of homosexuality than is often claimed on their behalf,” Nunn said.
August 7, 2008 in Eliza Browning | Permalink | User Comments (314)
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good for him! I believe that someday, the religious organizations will understand this.
Posted by: cturple | Aug 7, 2008 1:10:24 PM
This is a mockery of Christ and the word of God. May he repent and seek the truth for what it is.
Posted by: Joseph | Aug 7, 2008 1:11:21 PM
I sure hope you're right, cturple. Unfortunately, this news will likely be met with plenty of venom from the religious sector.
Posted by: kading24 | Aug 7, 2008 1:13:53 PM
Of what use is an archbishop who turns his back on Scripture and leads others to do the same. "The blind leading the blind," as Christ foretold.
Posted by: Russ | Aug 7, 2008 1:15:47 PM
Thank you Joseph for proving my point. Does anybody really think that Jesus Christ, who was supposed to be all-loving and accepting, would shun homosexuals? Is there room for hatred anywhere in Christianity?
Posted by: kading24 | Aug 7, 2008 1:15:50 PM
The Bible even states same sex is not good. Did he not read about Sodom and Gamora ? I gues not Even the Mathew,Mark,Luke and Jhon report it is not right. Has he read the Bible or Interpeted to his meaning.
Posted by: ART | Aug 7, 2008 1:17:24 PM
Would someone who knows the Bible point me to anything Christ said about homosexuality? I am not talking about the OLD testament (remember, Christ died for the forgiveness of sins, so anything from the OLD testament is a forgiven sin). I want something in Christ's own words.
Posted by: Mark | Aug 7, 2008 1:19:31 PM
Um, Landreth conference wrapped up this past week-end, not 'weeks' ago. Hello ABCnews, how about some more oversight before you go publishing items as front-page material.
Posted by: fred | Aug 7, 2008 1:20:35 PM
Oh no! Compassion coming from a man of God. We can't have that. Stone him!
Posted by: jock59801 | Aug 7, 2008 1:22:17 PM
How can this man honestly write, "The Bible does not address the matter of appropriate behaviour for those who are, for whatever reason, homosexual by instinct or nature,"? Apparently, he's never read any of these Biblical passages (Deuteronomy 23:17; 1 Kings 14:24;15:12;22:46; 2 Kings 23:7; 1 Corinthians 6:9), or he does not believe the Bible when it says that God is "the same yesterday, today and forever". Perhaps he is privy to God changing His mind on this subject??? God was pretty clear in his abhorence of the practice of homosexuality when he destroyed Sodom (from which we get the word "Sodomy") and Gomorah. If you're going to call yourself a Christian, then you can't just thumb your nose at the teachings of scripture (and Christ, himself)...these are the basis for the Christian faith.
Posted by: prm | Aug 7, 2008 1:24:06 PM
How refreshing!! Someone that will speak his mind and stand up to the "churchs" backwoods doctrines.
Posted by: dlbos | Aug 7, 2008 1:24:14 PM
Hey, Joseph, the "word of God" says you should love everybody as you love God. God created gay men and women in a Godly image; therefore, any relationship between people of the same sex is holy in the eyes of God. End of my sermon.
Posted by: what665 | Aug 7, 2008 1:24:43 PM
Why oh why do Christians focus so much time and energy on this one issue. There are plenty of "sins" mentioned in the bible yet this one seems tobe their obsession. One more reason I choose to not be a"christian" Any god I would choose to worship would not be a part of such a hateful mob.
Posted by: M Marino | Aug 7, 2008 1:25:47 PM
Why would God (if He exists) create an entire group of people that He hates, condemning them to burn in eternal hellfire and damnation? And why,for people who think homosexuality is a choice, would gay people willingly submit themselves to a lifestyle where they are ostracized from society, outcast from their families, denied basic rights and subjected to possible hate crimes? "Ooh, pick me! Where do I sign?" she said sarcastically.
Posted by: whateva | Aug 7, 2008 1:26:08 PM
Its about time. Its all about "Peace and Harmony". The way 2 people express love for each other is a personal experience. Marriage is a union between 2 people regardless of , color, race, religion, culture or genrder. No God condems love and peace only the translations do
Posted by: TeeJay | Aug 7, 2008 1:28:23 PM
I wonder if this would ever be an issue in a British election as I'm sure it would be in the United States.
Posted by: bhciapol | Aug 7, 2008 1:28:25 PM
Jesus Christ was gay!
Posted by: John | Aug 7, 2008 1:29:28 PM
I guess the Archibishop hasn't read the Bible in a long time. There was homosexuality then as well as now. If the guy actually would read it, there are places where this issue is addressed. God made Adam and Eve, not Adam and Adam. How could they procreate? There is a reason, duh! Nature doesn't select a man to mate with a man! God clearly states this in the Bible. I didn't make the rules, nor should the Archbishop change no matter what "society" thinks is best.God made the rules for mankind, we shouldn't change them to keep ourselves from feeling guilty. I have a friend who is gay, I love him as much as all my other friends. But I will tell him that it is not "Christian" since he goes against God's wishes.
Posted by: justrighttoo | Aug 7, 2008 1:29:46 PM
Here ya go Mark>
Mattithyah 5:17-19—
17 Do not even think that I have come to destroy the Laws or the Prophets; I have not come to destroy them, but to establish them.
18 For truly I say to you; Unless heaven and earth pass away, one yodh—the smallest of the letters—will in no way pass from the Laws, until all things are perfected.
19 Whosoever, therefore, will break one of the least of these Laws, and will teach men so, he will be called the least in the Kingdom of Yahweh; but whosoever will do and teach them, the same will be called great in the Kingdom of Yahweh.
Mattithyah 7:21-23—
21 Not everyone who says to Me; Teacher! Teacher! will enter into the Kingdom of Yahweh, but only he who does the Will of My Father (found in the OLd Testament) Who is in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day; Teacher! Teacher! Have we not prophesied in Your Name, and cast out demons in Your Name, and in Your Name performed many wonderful works?
23 But then I will declare to them; I never knew you. Get away from Me, you who practice iniquity; you who break the Laws of Yahweh!
1Cr 6:9 (KJV) Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of Yahweh? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate (homosexuals), nor abusers of themselves with mankind,
Posted by: Karl Fountain | Aug 7, 2008 1:30:45 PM
This is why fundamentalist Christians are usually very conservative. The "rules" are more important than compassion. Especially the rules written 2000 years ago.
Posted by: jock59801 | Aug 7, 2008 1:30:55 PM
Like the Catholic Church has not been desecrating, changing and raping the word of God for nearly 1800 years anyway, other than the Nation of Islam, the Catholic Church and her children, (other Sunday worshippers), is the most evil denomination on earth.....damn hypocrites!!!!
Posted by: Just when you thought you got away with something, TRUTH comes a smacking!!! | Aug 7, 2008 1:31:30 PM
For those of you who think that speaking out against the practice of homosexuality is a sign of bigotry or hatred, take a look at what the Bible says: "Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals,[a] nor sodomites" - 1 Corinthians 6:9. This does not mean that homosexuals cannot be forgiven, or that God does not love them, but like any other "sinful" practice, for them to be forgiven, they must repent (i.e., turn away from that behavior) and ask for forgiveness. The Bible teaches that God is love and that Christ came to pay the penalty for our sins so that we could be reconciled to God, but we must repent of sin and turn to God, accepting the forgiveness made available through Christ. We cannot continue to engage in behavior that God has clearly defined as sinful (this includes immoral heterosexual activity, as well...it's not just homosexuality). Either we seek after God and shun our sinful desires, or we will serve our sinful natures and hate God...there are no two ways about it.
Posted by: prm | Aug 7, 2008 1:33:03 PM
Go ahead, any of you without sin, I dare you to throw the first stone. Homosexuality is as natural for me as fornication is for you.
Posted by: ah | Aug 7, 2008 1:34:10 PM
How is it that a so-called learned man, a teacher of the scriptures, can make such a ludicrous statement -- "The Bible does not address the matter of appropriate behaviour for those who are, for whatever reason, homosexual by instinct or nature"?
Yes it does. Very specifically, I might add...
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, which you have from God? You are not your own; you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." (1 Corinthians 6)
Oh, and here's another one...
"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." (Proverbs 3)
Appropriate behavior is that you (straight, gay, whatever) daily present your body as a "living sacrifice, HOLY, acceptable to God which is your reasonable service." (Romans 12)
"As you, through the weakness of your flesh, presented your members as slaves of uncleanness, and of lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so NOW present your members as slaves of righteousness for HOLINESS."
We were ALL at one time slaves to unrighteousness... how then should we NOW conduct ourselves? Simple. We should live as those who have been SET FREE! Our lives should be lived out IN GRATITUDE to the One who freed us...
Posted by: Jon | Aug 7, 2008 1:36:02 PM
justrighttoo - "I didn't make the rules...we shouldn't change them to keep ourselves from feeling guilty." - So do you need these rules to keep you from acting on your true feelings?
Posted by: jmengate | Aug 7, 2008 1:37:07 PM
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