Speaking to an audience of born-again Christians the Archbishop of Canterbury called them to repent of their treatment of gays and lesbians. The Telegraph reports:
The Most Rev Justin Welby told an audience of traditional born-again Christians that they must “repent” over the way gay and lesbian people have been treated in the past and said most young people viewed Christians as no better than racists on the issue.
Archbishop Welby, who as a young priest once opposed allowing gay couples to adopt children, said the church now had to face up to what amounted to one of the most rapid changes in public attitudes ever.
While insisting that he did not regret voting against same-sex marriage in the House of Lords, he admitted that his own mind was not yet “clear” on the wider issues which he was continuing to think about.
The archbishop of Canterbury has said his stance against gay marriage could be seen as “wicked”. Justin Welby said he stood by his decision to vote against same-sex marriage legislation, but said that could be seen by some as akin to “racism and other forms of gross and atrocious injustice”.
Speaking at the opening on Wednesday of the Evangelical Alliance’s new premises in King’s Cross, London, he said society had evolving views about sexuality, and many younger people thought opposition to gay marriage was “plain wrong”.