A claim was made last week that C of E Synod members are involved with Core Issues and attempts are continuing to spread view throughout Anglican communion
A contributor to Changing Attitude UK web site states:
“Homosexuality and the Life of the Church: The Lepers Among us” – This is the title of a book and a conference being held in London on Friday 29 January 2012 at Emmanuel Centre in London. Jim Reynolds, author, will consider compassionate ways of ministering to same sex attracted believers, those who struggle with same sex sins. Same sex sin, says the flier, is a disease of epic proportions, a malignancy spreading through the church.
Yesterday I realised how outraged and angry I felt at the use of the word leprosy in this context. It is foul, and undermines my identity and sense of self and well-being. It’s an attack on the core of my being.
If the conference were likening Jews to lepers (as indeed the Third Reich propaganda specifically did) there would be an absolute outcry, and I suspect legal action. Well, Changing Attitude has asked the Metropolitan Police to investigate because we believe the conference organisers are guilty of a hate crime.
One of the CA National Trustees who is a lecturer in law sent the flyer to a contact in the police force asking whether it breached hate crime laws. They concurred and have logged the complaint as a hate incident (which may or may not be a criminal offence). The key definition is that an incident should be ‘perceived by the victim, or any other person to be racist, homophobic, transphobic or due to a person’s religion, belief, gender identity or disability’.
The conference is sponsored by Core Issues Trust, which believes that celibacy is the only option, homosexual acts being forbidden by the Bible. Two members of the Trust’s Council of Reference are Canon Chris Sugden and Andrea Minichiello Williams, both members of General Synod. Both campaign in Synod on an anti-gay platform, building on the campaign started nearly15 years ago in Kuala Lumpur.
There has been a reluctance in the Anglican Communion to name the poison for what it is – evil – a prejudice that puts the lives of thousands of LGB&T people at risk and causes misery for millions. It is manifest in the Church of Nigeria’s active support for the current anti-same gender marriage act. It is manifest in the campaigns of Anglican Mainstream, the Christian Institute, the American conservative lobby groups and schismatic churches in North America.
It’s time to campaign vigorously for appropriate pastoral and liturgical provision for LGB&T people in the Church of England and the world-wide Communion. It’s time to campaign vigorously for an end to abuse, prejudice and homophobia. We urgently need resources for our campaign. Please click on the donate button below and send a donation or even better, become a supporter.
If you would like to report the flyer and conference to the Metropolitan Police, you can do so online: http://www.met.police.uk/csu/hatecrime.htm.