The first out lesbian archbishop of Wales has claimed that she faced “hurtful” anti-LGBTQ+ comments in a WhatsApp chat group for church leaders.
Cherry Vann, who, last month, became the first woman to be elected to the post, told The Times that some Anglican leaders had posted the messages in the WhatsApp group, adding that she can’t bring herself to look at social media for fear of abuse.
The day after she was elected, Vann was added to a WhatsApp alongside every other Anglican primate (most senior bishop or archbishop in a particular Church) in the world. While the majority were pleased for, a couple sent prejudiced messages, she claimed.
Henry Ndukuba, the Archbishop of Nigeria, is alleged to have written: “We do not recognise the so-called Archbishop of Wales and cannot share communion with a Church that has departed from the teachings of the bible.”
Laurent Mbanda, the chairman of Gafcon, a conservative group of archbishops and bishops, reportedly described her election as an “act of apostasy”.
While she found the comments “hurtful”, Vann said: “I just rest in the fact that a lot of people are rejoicing, and I know where God wants me to be.”
Cherry Vann has faced homophobia and discrimination throughout her time in the Church of England, having been ordained in 1994, and felt forced to keep her relationship with partner Wendy Diamond secret for almost 30 years.
“It was an appalling state of affairs. It felt as though I was being dishonest but I didn’t feel at the time that I had any choice. I was living in fear,” she said. When they moved to Wales, they were able to be more-open about their relationship, which “signalled what a massive change it meant being here”.
Vann was the Archdeacon of Rochdale, in the diocese of Manchester, before serving as the Bishop of Monmouth in the Church of Wales.