Ex-Archbishop: ‘Slap in the face not to consider blessings for same-sex couples’
It would be a “slap in the face” if the church does not consider blessings for same-sex couples, according to the former Archbishop of Wales.
Bishop John Davies made the comments while discussing the fact that currently there isn’t a formal provision to recognise gay relationships in the Church in Wales, ahead of a meeting of its governing body in September.
He suggested although service of blessing would stop short of a full marriage ceremony, it would be wrong for the church not to consider changing the rules.
In an interview with Adrian Masters for Face to Face on ITV Cymru Wales, the former Bishop of Swansea and Brecon, who became Archbishop of Wales in 2017, said: “It’s an issue that’s been facing the church for a very long time.
“And it’s been facing the church because everybody’s understanding of the dynamics of human relationships, human love, human sexuality, human psychology and so on have grown.
“Simply to say that because it’s always been so it must never change I think is a slap in the face to an awful lot of people who see something valuable in the church, but to some extent still feel rejected by the church.”
‘Change’
The outgoing Archbishop also said the church needs to change in order to attract younger audiences.
He said: “I think we need to look in the mirror and say what have we got to offer them, what is there that’s attractive, how flexible are we in terms of when we actually put services on?” he said.
“So much else goes on in society now on a Sunday. There’s no use grumbling about it.
“There are seven days in the week, we could be doing so much more at other times.”
The full interview with Bishop John Davies on Face to Face with Adrian Masters on ITV Cymru Wales, is due to be aired at 10.45pm, today.
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A caring God doesn’t need a middle man.
Yet one more example of the fact that the very persistence of religion teaches us how primitive we are as a species. Hanging on to ancient superstitions for some kind of comfort for the weak of mind and character – think of the hypocrisy involved. It not only obstructed and undermined science in the age of Galileo and Copernicus, it has also survived Darwin, whose theory of evolution had shocked it more sharply than anything physics did.
How about this – Yet one more example of the fact that the very persistence of the Welch language teaches us how primitive we are as a nation. Hanging on to ancient traditions for some kind of comfort for the weak of mind and character – think of the hypocrisy involved. It not only obstructed and undermined the progress of the Welsh people, it has survived modernization, the implementation of which shocked it more than any violent repression did. Read Kierkegaard, Simone Weil, Rabbi Wolpe, Al-Ghazali, Maimonides, John Thatamanil, DZ Phillips, Anthony Kenny, Peter Geach and you may develop a… Read more »
To compare religion with the Welsh language is nonsense. Christianity from the beginning was a political construct designed to protect the powerful and control the peasants who fell for it for a variety of reasons. The Welsh language was a mode of communication mostly for the lower end of society. Throwing out names of famous scholars to support your case, without explanation, is a standard attempt at intimidation. As for hypocrisy I will spare you the embarrassment ..I have personally known Bishops and other leaders in the CofE and the Church in Wales.
Time for the church to move on as has society has.
The Church in Wales could do with using the Welsh language more too instead of reducing it as happens now.
Shepherd wanted; only wealthy ex oilmen, bankers and lawyers need apply…