Archbishop of Canterbury: "No Gays"

A divide between the British Anglican Church and the American Episcopal Church, the U.S. branch of Anglicanism, on the issue of affirming homosexuality has the Archbishop of Canterbury warning that the ordination of gay clergy could lead to a “two-tier” church and potentially a rift in the Anglican Communion.

Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams said in a statement released yesterday that while no Anglican has any business reinforcing prejudice against LGBT people, nor questioning their human dignity and civil liberties, he stands behind Anglican tradition with regard to homosexuality:

“Prejudice and violence against LGBT people are sinful and disgraceful when society at large is intolerant of such people; if the Church has echoed the harshness of the law and of popular bigotry -- as it so often has done -- and justified itself by pointing to what society took for granted, it has been wrong to do so.

But on the same basis, if society changes its attitudes, that change does not of itself count as a reason for the Church to change its discipline.”

The ongoing split has many on both sides of the debate closely monitoring these developments.

Just a few weeks ago, bishops at the Episcopal General Convention passed D025, a bill favoring the ordination of gays and lesbians to all levels of ministry. In 2003, openly gay New Hampshire bishop Gene Robinson was ordained in a decision that nearly led the U.S. Episcopal Church to the brink of schism. Several local dioceses have since split from the U.S. body to affiliate with more conservative Anglican bodies abroad.

“This is not a matter that can be wholly determined by what society at large considers usual or acceptable or determines to be legal,” Williams added.