Appointment of openly gay Archbishop of Wales branded 'tragic'

Cherry Vann
The Archbishop of Wales, Cherry Vann. (Photo: Church in Wales)

Cherry Vann's appointment as the 15th Archbishop of Wales has been called "tragic" by the head of Christian Concern, Andrea Williams. 

Vann has served as the Bishop of Monmouth for the past five years and succeeds Bishop Andrew John, who retired in July after three and a half years as the leader of the Church in Wales.

She was elected with a two-thirds majority in the Electoral College on the second day of its meeting at the St Pierre Church and Hotel in Chepstow.

She is a lesbian and has been in a civil partnership with Wendy Diamond since 2015. 

The Church in Wales permits blessings to same-sex couples but not gay marriage. 

Commenting on her appointment, she said, "The first thing I shall need to do is to ensure that the issues which have been raised in the last six months are properly addressed and that I work to bring healing and reconciliation, and to build a really good level of trust across the Church and the communities the Church serves.”

Her enthronement will take place at Newport Cathedral in the coming months. 

Andrea Williams, Chief Executive of Christian Concern, said Vann's election was "a clear sign of apostasy" and marked "a tragic moment" for the Church in Wales that demonstrates it "has now institutionally turned away from biblical teaching on sexual morality".  

She called on the Church in Wales to repent. 

“As an ordained minister, and now Archbishop, Cherry Vann has sworn to uphold the teaching of the Church. Instead, she is publicly living in deliberate rejection of those very doctrines," she said. 

“What is a church if it refuses to uphold the doctrines it professes to believe? What does the Church in Wales actually stand for, if not the gospel handed down through the centuries?

“This appointment marks a tragic moment, evidence that the Church in Wales is in open rebellion against God’s Word. It is a clear sign of apostasy."

She continued, “No Bible-believing Christian can remain under the spiritual leadership of someone who so publicly rejects the clear teaching of Scripture.

“God will judge His Church for abandoning the gospel. As James reminds us, those who teach will be judged more strictly (James 3:1).

“And yet, there is hope. My prayer is that this judgment would bring repentance, that the Church in Wales would turn back to God, recover the truth of the gospel it once proclaimed, and again become a faithful witness in this land.”

News
The first Christmas song to be sung in churches
The first Christmas song to be sung in churches

Every Christmas, people sing the song “While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks by Night”. Unlike many other songs and carols that include elements of non-biblical tradition and myth, this song is pure Scripture. It was the first Christmas song authorised to be sung in the Church of England. This is the story …

The story of the Christmas Truce of 1914
The story of the Christmas Truce of 1914

On Christmas Eve in 1914, many men were in the trenches fighting the war, but the spirit of Christmas halted the conflict for a brief period. This is the story …

Report highlights injustices experienced by Christians in the Holy Land
Report highlights injustices experienced by Christians in the Holy Land

Jerusalem Church leaders have released a report detailing the struggles and challenges currently faced be Christians living in the Holy Land.

Have you lost the wonder of Christmas?
Have you lost the wonder of Christmas?

For you who have been followers of Jesus Christ for a long time, maybe the pain and suffering of this world and the darkness you have had to live through this past year has gotten you down to the point of complete and utter discouragement. But all is not lost.