Yesterday we reported on the Anglican Church’s decision this week to suspend the U.S. Episcopal Church for three years from any committees or decision-making within the church over its acceptance of gay marriage and gay relationships.
RELATED: Anglicans Hammer U.S. Episcopal Church with 3-Year Suspension for Support of Gay People
The Anglican Church has not said what the U.S. church would have to do in the next three years for Episcopalians to be restored to full status within the church. The Anglican Church also did not say what would happen should the Episcopal Church fail to change its position on gay marriage.
A “task force” is being created to deal with the situation but the fallout has already begun.
RELATED: U.S. Episcopal Leader Says Church Won’t Back Down on Gay Marriage
British MP Chris Bryant, who is gay and the Labour MP for Rhondda, announced yesterday he was quitting the Anglican Church over the decision:
I've finally given up on Anglican church today after its love-empty decision on sexuality. One day it will seem wrong as supporting slavery.
— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) January 14, 2016
The announcement on Twitter immediately drew some strong reactions:
A woman who calls herself Christian has emailed she is delighted I have given up on the Anglican Church because she says I'm not welcome
— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) January 15, 2016
Email from a Christian. Sexual acts between homosexuals must e seen and can only be viewed as abhorrent.
I hope yr constituents deselect you— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) January 15, 2016
Bryant had a radio interview later to discuss his decision:
“It seems bizarre to me that the Church of England would side with the rampant, ridged homophobes in the Churches in Africa, and not with the liberal Anglicans in the United States of America who have quite rightly, quite sensibly, welcomed lesbian, gay and bisexual people into the Church – Jesus didn’t make these kind of distinctions did he – the whole message of the New Testament was that he went out to people that everybody else thought were outcasts.”
