Ahead of
enthronement Justin Welby says he backs church opposition to same-sex marriage
but is 'clear about homophobia'
guardian.co.uk,
Peter Walker, Thursday 21 March 2013
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| Justin Welby is to be enthroned as the archbishop of Canterbury on Thursday afternoon. Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA |
The new
archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, has highlighted the challenge faced by
the Anglican church over gay relationships ahead of his enthronement on
Thursday, saying he has friends who are in long-term gay relationships of
"stunning" success.
The 105th
archbishop of Canterbury and leader of the worldwide Anglican community, who
will become the first holder of the office to be enthroned by a woman at the
afternoon ceremony, has written to Peter Tatchell offering to discuss his
attitude to gay marriage after the veteran campaigner criticised it in an open
letter.
In a
pre-enthronement interview with the BBC, Welby said that while he did not have
doubts about the church's policy in opposing same-sex marriages he remained
"challenged as to how we respond to it".
"You
see gay relationships that are just stunning in the quality of the
relationship," the 57-year-old said, adding that he had "particular
friends where I recognise that and am deeply challenged by it".
"The
Church of England holds very firmly, and continues to hold to the view, that
marriage is a lifelong union of one man to one woman. At the same time, at the
heart of our understanding of what it is to be human, is the essential dignity
of the human being. And so we have to be very clear about homophobia."
Questioned
as to whether the church could simply ignore some gay relationships, he
replied: "It's not a blind eye – it's about loving people as they are and
where they are. You'll find that in every church and you'll find that because
it imitates the character and the practice of Jesus himself."
Separately,
the Times reported that Welby had emailed Tatchell after the campaigner
released an open letter ahead of the enthronement questioning Welby's rejection
of gay marriage.
The letter
said: "You claim that you are not homophobic but a person who opposes
legal equality for LGBT people is homophobic – in the same way that a person
who opposes equal rights for black people is racist."
Welby
reportedly emailed Tatchell to thank him for the "very thoughtful"
letter and ask whether the pair could discuss the issue "without the
mediation of the press".
Tatchell
said he was pleased by the reply, saying no previous archbishop, "not even
Rowan Williams", had made such overtures.
Welby, an Eton-educated former oil industry executive who joined the church as a vicar in
Warwickshire, will be enthroned at Canterbury cathedral in front of 2,000
guests, including Prince Charles and the prime minister, David Cameron. Among
the crowd will be representatives of other major religions.
He will be
led to the diocesan throne by the Venerable Sheila Watson, the archdeacon of
Canterbury. He will then be led by the dean of Canterbury, the very rev Robert
Willis, on to the marble chair of St Augustine, marking his appointment as head
of the Church of England.
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Justin
Welby strikes three times on the cathedral door with
his pastoral staff. Photograph:
Chris Ison/PA
|
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