Cardiff Meeting of Churches - Gay Crisis

The Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) www.lgcm.org.ukhas warned delegates attending the Porvoo Churches Leaders Meeting www.porvoochurches.orgbeginning in Cardiff today (16 March 2006) that the Church of England is likely to walk away from this important ecumenical group as part of its struggle to contain the schism within the Anglican Communion over homosexuality.

Representatives of LGCM will be holding private meetings with delegates over the weekend to discuss the recent statement www.cofe.anglican.orgfrom the Church of England Faith and Order Group which threatens the Church of Sweden over its decision to bless same-sex partnerships claiming: “the Church of England will wish to press the point that major doctrinal issues, not only ethical ones, are at stake in judgments of this kind.” As hostility grows towards homosexuals within the larger member Churches of the Anglican Communion particularly in the largest Church in Nigeria where the Archbishop Peter Akinola has supported a new law www.thinkinganglicans.org.ukseeping away basic human rights of gay people, the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams finds himself in a deepening crisis. Speaking in London today the Revd Richard Kirker, General Secretary of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement said: “The Church of England is now faced with a desperate choice. If it continues communion with the Porvoo Churches that welcome and embrace their homosexual members it will be thrown out of the Anglican Communion by the likes of Peter Akinola who are determined to persecute their own gay people. “Rowan Williams must stand up to these homophobic bullies, and the Porvoo Churches should continue their work to fully include gay Christians.” He said Welsh priest and Director of Communications for LGCM, Revd. Martin Reynolds warned that the Church in Wales will find itself having to make a choice to continue to support its lesbian and gay members or follow England in the African led homophobic agenda. Note: Further Information on the Porvoo Churches can be obtained here: / www.cofe.anglican.org

pressoffice@lgcm.org.uk