Gay Appeal for C of E to Remain Established

Andy Foster from Birmigham, a gay Christian within the Church of England, disagrees with the view of a variety of progressive organisations including the National Secular Society, that the Church of England should be dis-established as the formal church in the country. Mr Foster says “this will not help gay Anglicans.”. He writes “It is nearly 20 years since the defenestration of Jeffrey John showed how much power a well-organised lobby of alien, homophobic neo-evangelicals have gained in the church. The feeling of hopelessness grows with every year and every pronouncement from the House of Bishops. Parliament must not disestablish the church. That would entrench the power of these homophobes, probably for good. It can legislate for the Church of England. It should pass an act to enshrine equality for LGBTQ+ people: an amendment to the existing Equality Act, to bring the church within its scope, might do the job.”