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U.K. Bishop Tells Gays to Change and Repent

by neilabraham | July 5, 2009 at 02:47 am

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Ahead of a divisive week facing Anglicism in the U.K., an outspoken senior Church of England bishop stressed the importance of the church returning to its Biblical teachings and holding true the foundational values that Christianity represents such as marriage between a man and a woman and that homosexuality is sinful and needs to be repented of.

He said, "The Bible’s teaching shows that marriage is between a man and a woman. That is the way to express our sexual nature"

"We welcome homosexuals, we don’t want to exclude people, but we want them to repent and be changed."

However he did not single out homosexuality in his remarks, by adding that "it is not just homosexuals who need to repent, but all who have strayed from the Bible’s teaching.

A new coalition of evangelical and Anglo-Catholic parishes will be established tomorrow with the support of Dr Nazir-Ali. They plan to return to Biblical foundational teachings which many hope will bring about Christian revival in a country that has strayed from its traditional Christian heritage.

Source:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/religion/5744559/Change-and-repent-bishop-tells-gays.html

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Adric Verion (not verified)

at 16:02 on July 5th, 2009

I don't think there is a real story here - although the article does try to give an anti-gay slant that isn't actually in the bishop's words.

QueensHart

at 07:32 on July 6th, 2009

Legalism is not effective pertaining to this particular issue. One cannot force anyone to repent of any sin which means missing the mark towards wholeness. The gospel is about love, tolerance, forgiveness. If someone is not born gay and lives the style because they choose it for lack of masculine and feminine role models they live the best way they know. The gays have rights just as everyone does. So does religion . It has the right to teach what it ascribes too. I personally feel it should never be the focus of any religion which should be about connecting to the soul. When one truly connects to the soul...then they do whatever they need to live in peace...regardless of the way they were born. This kind of rhetoric just pushes anyone away from the real opus of their lives ..connecting to God.

Roy C

at 11:52 on July 6th, 2009

There is a story in the context of the continuing back-and-forth of what attitude the Anglican church will take about homosexuality.

I don't know that this position will work. I mean, it may work in driving out practicing homosexuals from the congregation, but the real problem is that your sexual identity essentially happens to you.

neilabraham

at 15:32 on July 6th, 2009

I really do think the Bishop is trying to embrace homosexuality and bring them into the fold rather than drive them out.

This Bishop is quite controversial in his remarks, but what he is also about to try and achieve through the union of the Catholics and the Anglicans is really quite an accomplishment if he can do it. It is very big news that some Anglican and Catholic Parishes are trying to combine again after years of division.