English Church attacks Swedish same-sex blessing move: CEN 7.15.09

The Archbishops’ Council of the Church of England has released a withering critique of last month’s decision by the Church of Sweden’s Central Board authorizing rites for the blessing of same-sex unions. The June 26 letter said the move will impair relations between the two Churches and threaten the “fragile unity” of the Anglican Communion. Written by the Rt Rev Christopher Hill on behalf of the Council for Christian Unity and the Rt Rev John Hind on behalf of the Faith and Order Advisory Group to the Archbishop of Uppsala, the letter said the adoption of same-sex blessings by the Church of Sweden was “problematic.” “Although there is continuing debate among Anglicans about human sexuality, the teaching and discipline of the Church of England, like that of the Anglican Communion as a whole as expressed in the Lambeth Conference of 1998, is that it is not right either to bless same-sex sexual relationships or to ordain those who are involved in them.” Read it all in The Church of England Newspaper.