As a gay man and a practising Anglican, I was heartened to read Ben Bradshaw’s comments (C of E must welcome gay people or face questions in parliament, says MP, 4 October).
I joined the Church of England because I perceived it as welcoming, open-minded and able to balance the importance of tradition with the demands of modern life. It’s been distressing to see the church take a harsher stance towards the LGBTQ+ community recently, especially after the embarrassment of this year’s Lambeth conference.
With alternative episcopal oversight, the Church of England was able to find a compromise that allowed women to be ordained to the episcopacy while not compelling conservatives to fall under their diocesan authority. Although compromises like this never make everyone happy, it showed that the church could find a middle path that at least kept progressives and conservatives talking to each other.
I see no reason why a similar provision cannot be made to allow priests and ministers to perform same-sex marriages if they choose to while not compelling conservatives in the church to do so. We might do well to remember Romans 14:5-13, and Saint Paul’s admonishment: “Therefore let us not judge one another any more, but rather resolve this, not to put a stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.”
Sean Pearce
Saltdean, East Sussex
Ben Bradshaw asserts that the “C of E is not there for lesbian and gay people. And not only that, but it is actively homophobic, cruel, hurtful and institutionally hostile.”
While there is some truth in that, there are also examples of the church being absolute exemplary in its embrace of LGBTQ+ people. I and my civil partner are members of the congregation at St Martin-in-the-Fields in London, where we feel welcome, included and indeed celebrated for who we are in every respect. Through this church I have met many people in the Church of England who share that vision.
It would help Ben Bradshaw’s mission if he would acknowledge the examples of good practice, as well as pointing out the bad. He could do worse than attend the lecture being given on 17 October at St Martin’s by Peter Tatchell, among others, if he would like such an example.
Jonathan Still
London
