London, England, Jun 18, 2008 / 20:15 pm
The Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York on Tuesday released a statement in response to news that two Anglican clergymen who exchanged vows in May in a version of a marriage ceremony. The archbishops voiced “very great concern” and referred to previous Anglican teachings against sexually-active same-sex unions.
The same-sex ceremony, which used formal rites, took place at St. Bartholomew the Great Church in London in May. It was conducted for Reverend Peter Cowell and Reverend Dr. David Lord, who were already civil partners. According to BBC News, the couple reportedly exchanged vows and rings in front of hundreds of guests.
The ceremony was criticized as blasphemous, not in keeping with the regulations of the Anglican Church and for adding to the controversy over homosexuality within the global Anglican Communion.
Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams and Archbishop of York John Sentamu, the two highest-ranking clergymen in the Church of England, said in their Tuesday statement “We have heard the reports of the recent service in St. Bartholomew the Great with very great concern. We cannot comment on the specific circumstances because they are the subject of an investigation launched by the Bishop of London.”