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Gay News: Gay rights activist Peter Tatchell has accused Rowan Williams of being an appeaser of homophobes.
By: Nigel Robinson
Rowan Williams
Rowan Williams
Archbishop speaking with "forked tongue"
27 September 2010
Tatchell was referring to an interview which the Archbishop of Canterbury gave to The Times magazine on Saturday 25 September.
In it the Archbishop said that he would accept a gay bishop, but not one who was having a sexual relationship with another man, as that would not meet the “traditional” standards which the clergy are required to observe.
Tatchell called the Archbishop inconsistent and hypocritical on the issue.
“Although he says he is willing to accept a gay celibate bishop, he blocked the appointment of the celibate gay cleric, Jeffrey John, as Bishop of Reading,” Tatchell said.
“Before he became Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan supported gay inclusion and equality. Now he victimises gay clergy like Jeffrey John and goes out of his way to retain within the Anglican Communion some of the most hateful Christian homophobes in the world.”
Tatchell went on to say that church unity seemed more important to the Archbishop than the human rights of gay men and lesbians. He also said that the Archbishop’s attacks on pro-gay Anglicans had been far stronger than his criticism of Anglican leaders who advocate discrimination against gays.
“An Archbishop is supposed to be a moral leader,” Tatchell said. “On gay human rights, Rowan is a follower. He's an appeaser of homophobes. He'd never make similar compromises over racism within the church. Why the double standards?
“Rowan is a deeply conflicted soul. He's torn between his kind, liberal inner heart and a seemingly heartless collusion with Anglican advocates of anti-gay prejudice and discrimination.
“It is two-faced for him to believe one thing in private and say something different in public. He is not being true to himself.
“He’s allowed himself to become a prisoner of the conservative, homophobic Lambeth Palace mafia.
“Rowan is speaking with a forked tongue on the issue of gay clergy and equality. He looks weak and cowardly compared to the inspired moral leadership against homophobia voiced by Archbishop Desmond Tutu.”
