Archbishop of Canterbury meets with Anglican LGBT clergy

Archbishop of Canterbury Dr Rowan Williams has attended a meeting of the Clergy Consultation - a support group for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered and intersex clergy and their partners.

Dr Williams yesterday (29 November 2007) presided and preached at a service of Holy Communion and later addressed the members present, responding to questions.

The Rev Colin Coward, Director of Changing Attitude, has been a member of the Consultation since 1979 and was Convenor from 1994 to 1997, and was present at the meeting. The Consultation meets under Chatham House rules, which specify that comments made must remain non-attributable.

Coward commented: “The Archbishop of Canterbury met with over 80 members of the Consultation yesterday. He preached on the lectionary readings for the day, A Day of Intercession and Thanksgiving for the Missionary Work of the Church. He then spoke to the members present about the constraints which are affecting the Church of England and the Anglican Communion. He responded to questions and listened to our response."

The Changing Attitude director continued: “The Archbishop addressed us in his sermon and his remarks which followed as mature, adult Christians. As Director of Changing Attitude, I felt that the tensions we experience in our work was acknowledged by Dr Williams. We experience ourselves as being at the centre of an intense dispute about the presence of LGBT Christians in our Communion." Read more
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