Sam Allberry, a pastor at St. Mary’s Maidenhead in the U.K. and an editor at the Gospel Coalition, addressed the Church of England’s General Synod in London this week, affirming traditional marriage despite discussing his own same-sex attraction.
“I am same-sex attracted and have been my entire life,” Allberry proclaimed. “By that I mean that I have sexual, romantic and deep-emotional attractions to people of the same sex.”
But despite these feelings, the faith leader said he remains firmly committed to his stance in favor of traditional marriage.
“Sexuality is not a matter of identity for me, and that has become good news,” he said. “My primary sense of worth and fulfillment as a human being is not contingent on being romantically or sexually fulfilled, and this is liberating.”
He went on to say that the “most fully human and complete person” in history was Jesus and, considering Christ’s own behavior, he said it’s evident that sexuality isn’t essential to one’s standing as a full and complete human being.
“He never married, he was never in a romantic relationship and never had sex,” Allberry said. “If we say these things are intrinsic to human fulfillment, we are calling our savior subhuman.”
Watch Allberry’s comments below:
The pastor also made it clear that he’s not alone as a same-sex attracted person who believes in the “traditional understanding of marriage being between a man and a woman,” as he’s met hundreds of people like him who fully embrace that paradigm.
Allberry also expressed his concern that the Church of England — which has been bitterly divided over the issue of same-sex marriage — will potentially undermine the biblical understanding of one man and one woman forming a marital bond.
The pastor’s proclamations come as the Church of England’s General Synod voted to reject a church report that recently recommended that the denomination continue its opposition to gay nuptials, as the Independent reported.
The Church of England is made up of three houses and, because one of those houses rejected the document, the report couldn’t stand. The BBC has more:
The House of Bishops voted overwhelmingly (43-1) in favour of the document and its proposals, and the House of Laity – made up of ordinary members of the church – backed it by 106 votes to 83.
But to win approval the report had to win backing in all three houses and the House of Clergy – made up of vicars, rectors and priests – rejected it by 100 votes to 93, with two abstentions.
In effect, this means the Church of England’s ruling body voted not to “take note” of the document.
Bishops will now have to produce a new report on the issue.
The vote was non-binding, but certainly throws yet another wrench into the denomination’s same-sex marriage dispute.
(H/T: Gospel Coalition)
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