Activists Demand LGBTQ+ Equality In Church Of England
Dozens gathered outside Lambeth Palace on 23 January to demand equality for LGBTQ+ people in the Church of England.
The peaceful demonstration was organized and led by Jayne Ozanne, a gay Christian activist who chairs the Ban Conversion Therapy Coalition, and took place ahead of a reception for around 100 parliamentarians.
Activists stood in silence as they held candles and placards, which had messages such as “Apology not accepted, Archbishop!” and “Discrimination is not a Christian value!”
It was attended by Church of England clergy, ordinands, and lay members from around the country – including General Synod members.
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“God is not homophobic and so neither should we be,” Ozanne told Gay Times ahead of the protest. “It is long past time that the Church changed its attitude towards LGBT+ people and stopped treating us as second-class citizens, especially as we know that discrimination leads to significant levels of harm and abuse.”
Church of England bishops have recently refused to back same-sex marriage, proposing that couples who get married in a civil ceremony may have their union blessed in church.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, faced backlash after stating the position on same-sex marriage was made to “seek the common good” though acknowledged it will “go too far for some and not nearly far enough for others.”
Some even accused him of failing to end the discrimination many LGBTQ+ people face in the CofE.
Despite the church’s position, a majority of members believe that same-sex marriage is a fundamental right.
A YouGov poll commissioned by the Ozanne Foundation found more than half (55%) of respondents to said same-sex marriages should be allowed in the church. Less than one in 10 (9%) believed same-sex marriage to be “wrong” in some capacity – a decrease in comparison to recent years.
Speaking to around 40 protesters outside his official residence in London, the Archbishop stated that religious institutions are “deeply divided” over same-sex marriage. “To get something through – to get equal marriage – would need legislation, and legislation has to carry by two-thirds in each house of Synod,” he explained.
Ozanne said it was “good and brave” of Welby to meet with those at Lambeth Palace. “He listened to our hurt and anger over being treated as second-class citizens, but I still don’t believe he really understands the harm that conservative church teaching causes,” she continued.
“That said, I’m glad that he offered to deal with any priest who we can prove is practicing ‘conversion therapy’. What saddens me most is that he made it very clear that his priority remains the unity of an institution, for which the ‘cost’ is LGBT+ lives.
“That is deeply unjust – our priority as Christians should always be to protect the most vulnerable and marginalized, which I believe here are LGBT+ people growing up in conservative churches and countries.”
Peter Tatchell, a prominent human rights activist, called Welby’s visit a “good PR move” that “did not move anything forward.”
“It was good that the Archbishop came out to meet us but he didn’t say anything of substance,” he told the PA news agency. “He just reiterated his stance opposing same sex marriage – and that is discrimination.”
Read related myGwork articles here:
Church Of England Apologizes For “Shameful” Treatment Of LGBTQ+ People
Church Of England Bishops Refuse To Allow Same-Sex Marriage
Calls For Church Of England To Allow Same-Sex Marriages
Church Of England's First Nonbinary Priest: Queer People Are A “Blessing To The Church”
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