And says this: ‘It is disappointing that some people are so narrow-minded.’
Priest suspended for preaching against gay marriage
After being banned for urging church-goers to
sign anti-gay marriage petition, Peter Gowlland says 'It is
disappointing some people are so narrow-minded’
Photo by Nigel Freeman.
An Anglican priest was suspended for preaching against gay marriage
yesterday (4 April), when he asked his congregation to sign a petition
opposing UK government plans.
The 78-year-old Peter Gowlland invited the worshippers at All Saints
Church in Sanderstead, Surrey, to be ‘bold like the apostles’ and sign
the anti-civil gay marriage petition.
As Gowlland shared his views last month about the redefinition of marriage, British newspaper The Telegraph reports two church-goers stood up and advised the parishioners to not sign the petition.
The two women, a retired bishop and the visiting Worldwide President of
the Mother’s Union, told the church ‘there are other views’.
The Archdeacon has now barred Gowlland from preaching for two months.
Gowlland was accused by the Archdeacon as being political in a
religious service, and for bringing up the controversial issue without
consulting the other preachers. He said this led to a ‘regrettable’
disunity of the church.
Gowlland said in a statement: ‘People get suspended for the usual vicar
and choirboy sort of thing but I’ve never heard of anyone being
suspended because people don’t like what you said or the way you said
it.
‘That’s the point of being a preacher, you preach what you think God
wants you to say, the congregation don’t have to agree with you.’
He added: ‘It is disappointing that some people are so narrow-minded.’
While the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York have
opposed government plans to legalise gay marriage, senior religious
leaders in the Church of England have shown their support.
Last month several bishops, vicars and priests wrote a letter to The Times saying the Church of England has ‘nothing to fear’ from gay marriage, and should ‘be a cause for rejoicing’. 
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