[Anglican] Archbishop of Wales Declares Scriptural Support for Same-Sex Marriage

Presidential Address of the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Rev Barry Morgan to he Governing Body meeting at the University of Trinity Saint David, Lampeter, on 14 Sept 2016

I have to confess that over the last 13 years, I have never re-read a presidential address that I have given to this Governing Body. Good job too, some of you may be thinking, once is more than enough for anyone!! Before writing this one however, I decided to re-read the first one I ever gave as the new Archbishop and was amazed to discover that I had spoken about the authority and interpretation of Scripture, the nature of Anglicanism, decision making within the Anglican Communion, and the place of Lambeth Resolutions, all in one address. It smacked a bit of the first sermon of someone newly ordained, when the person includes all the theological insights they have in one go.

The reason I re-read it was because I wanted to see if I had spoken about discerning God’s will through reading Holy Scripture especially in relation to human sexuality. The discussion we had on that at a recent GB was one of the most eirenic, constructive, balanced and prayerful discussions we have ever had in this Body. There was no consensus about how we should handle same-sex relationships and marriage but there was a respectful listening to what each person had to say.

Since that debate, the bishops, as you know, have issued prayers that can be said with those in same-sex relationships and as you might expect, there has been criticism from those who say we have exceeded our authority and ignored biblical injunctions and from those who say that we have not gone nearly far enough in exercising that authority. Be that as it may, the essential question I.......

So what this guy is saying is because the Old Testament talks about homosexuality being a sin, it is ipso facto not a sin anymore. Why? Because everything in the OT is just plain old timey and stupid. Problem is the NT talks about it too.

Romans 1:26 Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.

Romans 1:27 In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed shameful acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their error.

Furthermore Jesus made it clear that the OT is not invalid.

Matthew 5:17 [ The Fulfillment of the Law ] “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.

Matthew 5:18 For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished.

So if anyone sins because of this guy’s declaration he is now more in trouble, than if he kept his views to himself.

James 3:1 [ Taming the Tongue ] Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly.

“Men committed shameful acts with other men...”
I saw a shameful commercial today for Heineken Beer which goes approximately like this:
— A metrosexual guy in a skinny suit says, “Heineken makes it OK to flip another man’s meat”.
— Normal looking guy standing at BBQ grill says, “No”.
— Metrosexual guy says, “Heineken makes a great beer”.
— Normal guy says, “Yeah. Will you get me one?”
— Metrosexual guy says, “If I do will you let me flip your meat?”
— Normal guy says, “Uh, no”.

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