Church of England dismisses Sir Elton John’s claim that Jesus would back gay rights
The Church of England has dismissed Sir Elton John’s assertion that Jesus would have been in favor of gay rights.
The legendary singer last month waded into the Church of England’s current crisis over gay clergy marrying, describing its rules as “old and stupid things”.
He had said: “If Jesus Christ was alive today, I cannot see him, as the Christian person that he was, and the great person that he was, saying this could not happen.
“He was all about love and compassion and forgiveness and trying to bring people together and that is what the church should be about.”
However, the Bishop of Willesden Pete Broadbent dismissed his comments entirely when they were raised at the Church of England’s General Synod yesterday.
He replied: “The House has no present plans to draw on the services of Sir Elton John as theological adviser.”
A spokesperson for Christian Concern was less diplomatic last week, saying: “In terms of Sir Elton’s comments about Jesus, sad to say, these are remarkably ignorant and staggeringly arrogant comments, presuming to dictate to Jesus Christ what he should think when the reality is he has spoken quite clearly on this subject.”
Canon Jeremy Pemberton, who married his same-sex partner in April, was stripped of his Permission to Officiate, while London vicar Andrew Cain says he “fully expects” to be punished for marrying last month.
Pemberton said earlier this week that he was considering taking up legal action against the Church, after he was subsequently unable to take up another job at the NHS, as he was declined the correct licences.
