Kenilworth, 8 November 2012 — Gay humanists have described the appointment of the present Bishop of Durham, Justin Welby, as the new Archbishop of Canterbury as “a retrograde step” as far as LGBT rights are concerned.
The Bishop is part of the evangelical wing of the Church upholding a traditional conservative interpretation of the Bible. He has spoken out firmly against gay marriage and is opposed to gay people serving as bishops.
Veteran gay activist George Broadhead, who is secretary of the UK gay humanist charity the Pink Triangle Trust, said: “His appointment is clearly a retrograde step which is bound to encourage the already predominant homophobic element in the Anglican Communion, especially in Africa. He is admittedly less abrasive than the other possible candidate, the Most Reverend John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, but coming as it does after the very disappointing record on LGBT rights shown by the retiring Archbishop, Dr Rowan Williams, his appointment will come as a blow to those who had hoped for a more gay-friendly choice.”