Human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell has urged local churches throughout the UK to defy anti-gay Anglican leaders.
The move comes after a warning by the Church of England hierarchy that same-sex civil partnerships will be banned in Anglican churches – even after the new regulation came into effect on Monday 5 December, allowing religious organisations to conduct civil partnership ceremonies on their premises if they wish to do so.
But now, Tatchell has hit back – saying their approach is “harsh” and “unfair”.
“I urge individual priests and their congregations to defy this harsh, intolerant ruling. They should go ahead with same-sex civil partnerships, if they want to. This autocratic decision should be defied. It doesn’t deserve respect or compliance,” said Tatchell.
“Many grassroots Anglicans reject this homophobic ruling by the church leadership. They support hosting same-sex civil partnerships in religious premises. The Church of England top brass is out of touch. The Anglican leadership has said the ban will apply unless permission is granted by the General Synod. Given that permission is inconceivable for the foreseeable future, this is an effective total ban."
“There are some local parishes that want to conduct civil partnerships. They’d be happy to host the civil partnership ceremonies of their gay and lesbian congregants. That’s why senior church officials are making this ruling, to pre-empt willing local churches from going ahead with civil partnerships ceremonies. The Anglican leadership is acting in a way that is dictatorial and homophobic. It makes the church look mean, nasty and homophobic."
“While no one is suggesting that churches should be forced to conduct civil partnerships against their wishes, local parishes that want to host civil partnerships should be free to do so. If senior Anglicans say they can’t, the individual churches should go ahead anyway.”