It's not traditions.
It's not conservative ideas
It’s not the law of the land.
It’s the Bible that says homosexual activity and sex outside marriage is sin, even thinking about these things is a sin.
Either Christians believe the Bible or are they not Christians.
Anyone who should know this its the Archbishop of Canterbury!

Me, Liverpool,

Is the Church of England outside the law of the land?

Puzzled, Camberley,

Why do homosexuals call themselves "gay". Homosexuals are not necessarily gay but are homosexual ..I am often gay but never homosexual. Why does the media refer to homosexuals as gay when they are obviously just homosexual.Curious

michael higgins, Stockton on Tees, UK

When will the end come ?...when you see the awful horror standing in the holy place...

Hugh E Torrance, London, Albion

Quoth the ABC in his Advent Letter: "The exchange between TEC [the Episcopal Church] and the wider Communion has now been continuing for some four years, and it would be unrealistic and ungrateful to expect more from TEC in terms of clarification. Whatever our individual perspectives, I think we need to honour the intentions and the hard work done by the bishops of TEC."

This is not leadership. This is more fudge and appeasement for the revisionists from a man who suddenly finds himself in a fight in a round room and seeks a corner to hide in. He has got to go for the sake of saving the Anglican Communion and the denomination itself from more chaos and ultimate disintegration.

William H. Burgess, III, Seminole, Florida, USA

Rowan is acting like Pete Seeger at Newport in 1965, trying to find an ax to cut the power to Bob Dylan. It didn't work then, and it won't work now.

bb

BabyBlue, DC Metro Area, United States

So?

Who cares what these dusty old geezers have got to say?

Joe, Manchester,

the anglican church does not have apostolic tradition. If you want Apostolic tradition come back to the Roman Catholic Church. We are very clear on our position on these issues. Remember the founder of your church was Henry VIII .Not Christ or any of his Apostles.

david Walford, southampton,

In the Portsmouth Diocese 14 years ago at a met a number of young Priest at St Mary's Garden Party openly Gay. But Nobody ever questions the number of Anglican women whom are Lesbian. Peoples sexuality should not be in question as their faith is and their calling provided they are open about their life and not persecuted by the Church because they are not considered the "norm" in society, when are we going to get a Gay or Lesbian Prime Minister.

Peter, Hastings, UK

<The Archbishop said he was writing out of a “profound conviction” that the Anglican Communion was a gift of God and that everyone in it would be “seriously wounded and diminished” if the Church fractured any further.>

Gift from god? Oh perlease, seriously wounded? The religious nutjobs are too easily upset, sensitive souls that they are.
And I wish the men in frocks would stop pretending that they speak for far more people than is actually the case, it's called "lying for jesus" and they'll burn for it.

Alan Cowe, Bixter, Shetland

The Bible is a worn-out old book written by a bunch of Jews to justify their stealing property from the Canaanites (and, lately, the Palestinians) and that has all the divine authority of a candy bar wrapper. Cheers to the Americans and the Canadians for dropping it and taking up the singular revelations of their gay members.

Exercised, Baltimore, USA

I was brought up Episcopalian, and left the church long ago because I could not stomach the hypocrisy. Like other religious organizations, it finds biblical reasons for the bigoted views of it's leaders, and ignores biblical strictures that seem inconvenient or silly.

Most of the Anglican Communion is still against gay people because, they claim, the Bible says God wants us to kill men who have sex together while lying down. The same conservatives, however, have no problems with divorce (condemned in no uncertain terms by Jesus) or lending money at interest (also condemned by Jesus), and would be horrified by anyone who followed God's command in Leviticus to kill children who curse their parents.

Don't let two women who love each other get married, though! It would spell the end of civilization!

Hypocritical cretins, that's what they are.

E Carpenter, New York, USA

Those Anglicans who want a Pope will find that there is one in Rome. He leads the One, Holy, Catholic and Apostolic Church- one has to concentrate rather hard to discern traces of these four marks in the Anglican Church.

Christopher Gillibrand, Brussels, Belgium in exile

Wishing to remain respectful to his Lordship, the Archbishop, I can appreciate his position. However, in my mind, the greater Anglican Communion would be better off without the ultra conservative faction. If that not be the case, then the rest of us will go it alone. The Episopal Church will survive nicely outside the Anglican Communion should it come to that. Look at the mess America is in because of the ultra conservatives in government. Apparently homosexuality is a sin, telling lie after lie is acceptable. If we want to selectively cite bible text to support prejudice, then lets start condemning a number of other antiquated evils also mentioned and conveniently forgotten.

John McIlray, Scottsdale, Arizona, USA

Neil from Cheltenham,

Reading "The wise words of Sir Ludovic Kennedy" you quote, I admire his faith, though don't share it.

Duncan

Duncan, Edinburgh,

The wise words of Sir Ludovic Kennedy come to mind when reading the religious superstitious claptrap from the Archbish of Canterbury and his like. "All gods from time immemorial are fantasies created by humans for the welfare of humans and to attempt to explain the seemingly inexpliccable."

Neil, Cheltenham, England

These people are supposed to be CHRISYIAN. The bible is not even mentioned here. It is the book that all christians have to use, wher else are we going to get the commands of God and of His Christ. Everything else is the teaching of men, that in itself is condemmed by God in his word the Bible. The Bible clearly states that homosexuality is 100% unacceptable in the eyes of God. Or do we as christians listen to the voice of men. The Bible also states that the whole world is lying in the power of the wicked on (Satan) who is blinding the minds of people 1 cor 4:4. To me there is no argument no discussion it is a practice condemmed by God and accepted by man. I know as a Christian who I am going to listen to. NOT MEN!!!

Peter, London, United Kingdom

If the ABC had stood against the gay agenda in the first place he would not be dealing with conservative 'intrusions'. Our first responsibility is to the flock not the ABC. When Common Cause becomes the glue binding the numerous splinters together and conservative parishes and dioceses align with the new North American Province we will no longer affiliate with the Cone or Africa. That will be the point that ++Fred and +KJS will smell the proverbial 'coffee' ++Rowan has set him self squarely on the fence again.

Forgive us for what we have done and for what we have left undone.

Steve L, Brandon, Canada

As an active member of an Anglican church, my reaction to all this disputation between bishops is simply: Who cares?

If all the bishops and archbishops disappeared tomorrow, no one would notice (other than a significant saving in wasted giving).

So there may be an "impaired communion" between the American Episcopalians and the Church of England. What does that mean at grass roots level? Absolutely nothing. Local churches decide that sort of thing, not bishops.

Let's get up to date and recognize that Christianity is a virus, not a corporation. Long live Anglican congregationalism!

David Waters, Cheltenham, UK

Well, Doctor, that puts you on the side of Archbisop Akinola. Would you also go as far as he does, or at least his country does and stone homosexuals to death. Where is your outcry about this? For that matter, where is Akinola's?
You spend too much time worrying about sexual habits in the cerebral and not enough worrying about the hatred inspired by your kind in reality.
Gods (and Jesus') church is about love. See Jesus's two great commandments for reference. Do not look so much at the old Testament.

Willard, New York City, USA

Not a very "Christian" attitude - is it "Love thy neighbour" and all that...There is only one judge - who is Christ the Lord...Amen

pat, fl,usa ex-pat,

As an Anglican I entirely agree with the Archbishop of Canterbury's stance on the socalled "gay" clique within our church. If our church wishes to remain apostolic then it needs to take into account the position of other Christian traditions, viz the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches. Based on biblical teachings and church tradition, they are entirely against the practice of homosexuality. I repeat: the "practice" of homosexuality. The Apostle Paul witnessed its practical aspects in the Greco-Roman culture in which he lived and abhorred it. Of course, we must do everything we can to assist those who, whether by nature or nurture, find themselves to be homosexual but we cannot condone the practice of homosexuality, ie aunal contact, as this is clearly unnatural and therefore against God's intention for the use of our body as the tabernacle of the Holy Spirit. If we are members of Christ's body as Christians then we need to live in Him. How can an ordained priest behave otherwise?

Dr David Green, Athens, Greece

Quite frankly, 'Who Cares?'

Anthony Price, Truro, Cornwall

At last someone showing some leadership in the Church of England.

To label this as behaving like a Pope is completely missing the point and just an attempt at distraction because the message doesn't suit.

Roger T, West Yorks, England

Why so late in the day?

Herbert Thornton, Victoria, Canada

I think that I may be Gay. I am therefore going to join the clergy in order to dispel the thought!

Graham Wharton, St. Albans, uk

Hang on!
26 million Anglicans. 1 million went to church?
Who decided the other 25 million were Anglicans?
I hope the're not including me.

colin, london, england

Forget it Doc. The Episcopalians aren't going to listen to
you unless it suits their agenda.

Jerry Scroggin, Phoenix, Arizona/USA

This is possibly the most impressive Archbishop in 50 years,we must listen to him.

EDWARD SYNGE, TISBURY, uk