CoE Bishops attack equality legislation, again

Thinking Anglicans reports that former Archbishop of Canterbury Lord Carey and Bishop Michel Scott-Joynt are in the news attacking UK equality legislation, The Human Rights Act.

Lord Carey is especially concerned about the rights of gays and lesbians under the new law:

Carey suggested (in The Telegraph) that recent legislation was unclear on where the balance of rights fell between different groups. One particularly contentious subject has been the clash of rights between homosexuals and Christians.

“Whatever the explanation, this situation needs urgent review and action from government,” he said.

Bishops of Winchester, Michael Scott-Joynt, believes Christians are less able to practice their faith than in the past:

Bishop Scott-Joynt told the BBC’s World This Weekend: “The problem is that there is a really quite widespread perception among Christians that there is growing up something of an imbalance in the legal position with regard to the freedom of Christians and people of other faiths to pursue the calling of their faith in public life, in public service.

“Probably for the first time in our history there is a widespread lack of religious literacy among those who one way and another hold power and influence, whether it’s Parliament or the media or even, dare I say it, in the judiciary.


Posted by Ann Fontaine on December 28, 2010 4:00 PM | |
Comments (3)

I was unaware that there is a clash between homosexuals and Christians, as Lord Carey seems to think. Does he not realize that they are one and the same, beloved children of God? Does His Grace really believe that you can say, "Some are in the kingdom, others are out"? If that is his theology, perhaps he needs to re-examine from whence this came, and how he can justify it. For shame on both of these bishops.
Lauren Stanley

Posted by laurenstanley [TypeKey Profile Page] | December 28, 2010 5:54 PM

"Bishops of Winchester, Michael Scott-Joynt, believes Christians are less able to practice their faith than in the past."

What precisely in this legislation makes Christians less able to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, house the homeless, care for the sick, visit the jailed, love God, love their neighbors, love their enemies, turn the other cheek, walk that extra mile and treat others the same way we want them to treat us -- which are the ways in which Christ Jesus told us, in his gospel, to practice our faith?

Or have Christians simply forgotten (or are ignoring?) the fact that's all they're really meant to do?

Posted by Gregory Orloff [TypeKey Profile Page] | December 28, 2010 5:54 PM

What I do not understand when this sort of thing comes up is that "Christians" are so willing to deny GLBT folks all sorts of things that most of us would consider kind of basic to life and happiness just so they don't have to have their sensibilities violated. I'd say that's not a very even exchange...what are these righteous Christians being asked to sacrifice besides their sense of superiority?

Posted by Peter Pearson [TypeKey Profile Page] | December 28, 2010 11:16 PM

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