Justin Welby appears close to tears during emotional debate about blessing gay couples

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby fought back tears last night as he rebuked ‘outsiders’ trying to force the Church of England to change its teaching regarding marriage and blessing services for gay couples.

The Synod, known as the church’s parliament, is considering a motion repenting of the church’s failure to “welcome LGBTQI+ people” by putting forward proposals for clergy to bless same-sex couples.

Within the proposals, the position on homosexual marriage will not change and same-sex couples will continue to be unable to marry in the church.

In a debate last night, members rejected 16 attempts to change the proposal to offer blessings to same-sex couples.

The Synod finally voted in favor of a motion to offer blessings to same-sex couples in civil unions and marriages today.

Justin Welby made reference to being held hostage in Nigeria during his speech

The Archbishop is in favor of offering blessings to same-sex couples

Bishops have so far rejected calls for vicars to perform same-sex weddings, but have apologized for the homophobia people have suffered in the church and suggested new blessing services should be allowed.

However, some traditionalists say this is going too far and will fear that the proposed introduction of gender-neutral language is another example of the church’s attempt to push ever smaller congregations as young people move further apart. .

An emotional Monsignor Justin Welby, who supports blessings for gay couples, criticized politicians who want to force the church to accept gay marriage.

Both Ben Bradshaw of the Labor Party and Chris Loder of the Conservatives have suggested they would consider using anti-church legislation to force it to allow gay marriage.

Drawing on his own experiences being held hostage to his beliefs in Nigeria, where he would be “killed in the morning”, Welby passionately defended members of the Anglican Communion who stand up for their beliefs.

Welby had already said last month that he welcomes the proposals but will not carry them out personally because of his “pastoral responsibility for the entire communion.”

Welby has said that he would not personally make changes because of his “pastoral responsibility for the entire communion.”

Labor Ben Bradshaw has hinted that he would seek legislation to force the change.

During the debate, he added: ‘I’m supporting these resources, I don’t think because I’m controlled by culture, but by scripture, tradition and reason evidenced in the vast work done over the past six years by so many. I can be wrong. Of course I can.

But I can’t sidestep the issue any more than anyone here.

‘I ask each member of the Synod to vote with their spirit-inspired, scripturally or spiritually-inspired conscience, and not because they have been told to by groups, lobbyists or outsiders.

“I listened to them for the last two weeks in Parliament and they told me exactly what to do, I’m not going to do any of that.

‘This is not something I take lightly.

‘There is nothing in my life, in my heart or in my prayers that reaches as high as the safety and flourishing of the people I love in the Anglican communion.’