Welby admits church has caused ‘great harm’ to gay people

The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has spoken candidly about gay marriage in a new interview – and appeared to admit that the Church of England has caused “great harm” to the LGBT community in the past.

The head of the Church of England discussed its position on homosexuality in an interview with The Telegraph, suggesting that he is sympathetic for recent calls on the church to recognise same-sex marriages, but believes such a move could alienate its followers in other parts of the world.

On the church’s stance on same-sex marriage, Welby admitted: “We are struggling with the reality that there are different groups around the place that the Church can do — or has done — great harm to. You look at some of the gay, lesbian, LGBT groups in this country and around the world — Africa included, actually — and their experience of abuse, hatred, all kinds of things.”

He then said: “We must both respond to what we’ve done in the past and listen to those voices extremely carefully. And do what is possible to be done, which is not always a huge amount. At the same time there are other groups in many parts of the world who are the victims of oppression and poverty, who we also have to listen to, and who find that issue [gay marriage] an almost impossible one to deal with.”

Summing up his dilemma, Welby added: “How do you hold those two things [in balance] and do what is right and just by all? And not only by one group that you prefer and that is easier to deal with? That’s not acceptable.”

Although the Anglican church is legally exempt from performing same-sex marriages, discussions regarding an informal “blessing ceremony” are due to be held soon.

Earlier this month (April) an Anglican chaplain defied the church’s ban on same-sex marriage for ordained priests when he married his long-term partner. Jeremy Pemberton – who is a chaplain at Lincoln Hospital – is thought to be the first clergyman in Britain to have had a gay marriage.

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