Dean of St Albans says Church's gay stance is 'sad'

 

Andrew Grice
Tuesday 24 July 2012 07:59 EDT
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The Church of England's opposition to gay marriage lacks integrity and should be ignored, the Dean of St Albans said yesterday.

Dr Jeffrey John, who is gay and in a civil partnership, welcomed the Government's plans to legalise same-sex civil marriage but said he is "sad because the Church that I love and serve is opposing it."

In a video for the Out4Marriage campaign, he said the Church of England "doesn't speak with integrity on this issue and so, frankly, doesn't deserve to be listened to". He added: "It's true that a gay couple can't have children together, but then again neither can a heterosexual couple if they are infertile or past the age of childbearing. The Church has never refused to marry a heterosexual couple that can't have children, so why refuse gay couples?"

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