ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (AP) 鈥 Pope Francis was backed by the ceremonial head of the Anglican Communion and top Presbyterian minister in calling for gays to be welcomed by their churches as he again decried laws that criminalize homosexuality as unjust.
The three Christian leaders spoke on LGBTQ rights during an unprecedented joint airborne news conference Sunday while returning home from South Sudan, where they took part in a three-day ecumenical pilgrimage to try to nudge forward the young country鈥檚 peace process.
They were asked about Francis鈥 , in which he declared that laws that criminalize gay people were 鈥渦njust鈥 and that 鈥渂eing homosexual is not a crime.鈥
South Sudan is one of 67 countries that criminalizes homosexuality, 11 of them with the death penalty. LGBTQ advocates say even where such laws are not applied, they contribute to a climate of harassment, discrimination and violence.
During the news conference on the way back to Rome, Francis specifically didn't repeat that 鈥渂eing homosexual is not a crime,鈥 perhaps to not antagonize his South Sudanese hosts, who had originally objected to his comments to the AP.
鈥淚f he (Pope Francis) is coming here and he tells us that marriage of the same sex, homosexuality, is legal, we will say no,鈥 Michael Makuei Lueth, South Sudan鈥檚 information minister, said after the pope鈥檚 AP interview and before his visit.
On Sunday, Francis referred to his Jan. 24 comments to the AP and repeated that such laws are 鈥渦njust.鈥 He also repeated previous comments that parents should never throw their gay children out of the house.
鈥淭o condemn someone like this is a sin,鈥 he said. 鈥淐riminalizing people with homosexual tendencies is an injustice.鈥
鈥淧eople with homosexual tendencies are children of God. God Loves them. God accompanies them,鈥 he added.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, recalled that LGBTQ rights were very much on the agenda of the Church of England, and said he would quote the pope鈥檚 own words when the issue is discussed at the church鈥檚 upcoming General Synod.
鈥淚 wish I had spoken as eloquently and clearly as the pope. I entirely agree with every word he said,鈥 Welby said.
Recently, the Church of England decided to allow blessings for same-sex civil marriages but said same-sex couples could not marry in its churches. The Vatican forbids both gay marriage and blessings for same-sex unions.
Welby told reporters that had been taken up at two previous Lambeth Conferences of the broader Anglican Communion, which includes churches in Africa and the Middle East where such anti-gay laws are most common and often enjoy support by conservative bishops.
The broader Lambeth Conference has come out twice opposing criminalization, 鈥淏ut it has not really changed many people鈥檚 minds,鈥 Welby said.
Friction has been simmering within the global Anglican Communion for many years over its 42 provinces鈥 sharp differences on whether to recognize same-sex marriage and ordain LGBTQ clergy.
Welby has been caught in the middle as both the top bishop of the Church of England and the ceremonial leader of the Anglican Communion, which is one of the world鈥檚 largest Christian communities. Welby has acknowledged 鈥渄eep disagreement鈥 among the provinces over LGBTQ issues and has said neither the Lambeth Conference nor he individually has the authority to discipline a member province or impose demands on it.
The Rt. Rev. Iain Greenshields, the Presbyterian moderator of the Church of Scotland who also participated in the pilgrimage and news conference, offered an observation.
鈥淭here is nowhere in my reading of the four Gospels where I see Jesus turning anyone away,鈥 he said. 鈥淭here is nowhere in the four Gospels where I see anything other than Jesus expressing love to whomever he meets.
鈥淎nd as Christians, that is the only expression that we can possibly give to any human being, in any circumstance.鈥
The Church of Scotland allows same-sex marriages.
Catholic teaching holds that gay people must be treated with dignity and respect, but that homosexual acts are 鈥渋ntrinsically disordered.鈥
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Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP鈥檚 collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.
