Gay Christians receive anti-homophobia award from police

Ekklesia reports

Gay Christians have been presented with an award for their work in combating homophobia.

The award was given to the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) following their support for a controversial advert which appeared in the Independent newspaper, challenging faith-based homophobia.

Introducing the award Kevin Boyle a member of the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the Gay Police Association (GPA) said that Richard Kirker, chief executive of the LGCM, had first come to his attention in June 2000 when he was involved in a police investigation into homophobic attacks against the Rev Follett, the Vicar of Knightsbridge.

At the time the investigation attracted huge media interest. Kevin stated that whilst many in the church had condemned the victim because of his sexual orientation, Richard Kirker had gone on record to urge the Bishop of London not to tolerate the homophobic witch-hunt. Richard Kirker had also supported the police investigation and had supported the Rev Follett throughout the protracted enquiry.

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Archbishop Peter Akinola's Designs on the Church of England

The Church of England Newspaper (Aug 3rd 2007) carries a front page article written by Matthew Cresswell claiming that Archbishop Peter Akinola of Nigeria will ordain a bishop for an English jurisdiction before the Lambeth Conference next year.

The Revd Richard Kirker, Chief Executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement (LGCM) made the following remarks today (3 August 2007).

"It would be perfectly consistent for Archbishop Akinola to start an English version of his Church, and while I am saddened by his divisive intentions there are some few who will find comfort under his brazenly homophobic creed."

"It has been clear for some time that under the guidance of Peter Jensen (the Archbishop of Sydney) the Nigerian Church has been distancing itself from the Church of England and particularly the role of the Archbishop of Canterbury. "

"Peter Akinola has made outspoken attacks on the Church of England’s policy towards Civil Partnership, he has removed any mention of the office of the Archbishop of Canterbury from his Church constitution and has recently announced his bishops will not be attending the Lambeth Conference next year."

"While Archbishop Akinola spreads his brand of religion to England the main concern of LGCM remains that the Church of England does not respond to this schism by increasing its own institutional homophobia – competing with him for the prize of who can be nastiest to gays!"

"Of course we would like the English Church to see that now is the time to stop its homophobic stance altogether, but life just isn’t that simple!" said Mr Kirker.

Further Information
LGCM Press Officer Revd Martin Reynolds
01633 215841
martin.reynolds1@virgin.net

LGCM Office Tel & Fax 020 7739 1249
Christian Homophobia HOTLINE 020 7613 1095

http://www.lgcm.org.uk email lgcm@lgcm.org.uk

Gay bishop is left off Canterbury guest list

From The Times
May 23, 2007
Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent

The openly gay Bishop of New Hampshire, whose consecration in 2003 has taken the Anglican Church to the brink of schism, is to be excluded from the Lambeth Conference next year.

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The gay community in the Church of England said that the decision demonstrated "institutional homophobia".

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The Rev Martin Reynolds, of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, said: "This is flagrant victimisation." Bishop Robinson said that Dr Williams’s decision was a "great disappointment" and "an affront to the entire Episcopal Church".

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Gay Episcopal bishop not invited to world Anglican meeting

By Rachel Zoll
ASSOCIATED PRESS
1:57 p.m. May 22, 2007

NEW YORK – The first openly gay Episcopal bishop will not be invited to a once-a-decade meeting of world Anglican leaders next year, as the fellowship tries to avert a schism over homosexuality. A breakaway conservative U.S. bishop also was snubbed.

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"This decision places the vast majority of American bishops along with others throughout the world in an embarrassing position," said the Rev. Martin Reynolds of Britain's Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement. "If they accept their Lambeth invitations this might appear to support bishop Robinson's victimization, while if they reject the invitation they will abandon our communion to the homophobes."

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Gay Christians Vs Archbishop of Canterbury

Thursday 29 March, 2007

The Reverend Richard Kirker, Chief executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement is unimpressed with a statement from the Archbishop of Canterbury on making the Anglican Communion a "safe place" for lesbian and gay people.

"It is being kind to call this statement too late, too little and too vague." said Mr Kirker.

Only last week, the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement took out a full page advert in the Church Times aimed at highlighting the plight of lesbian and gay people in the many countries where they are still executed, tortured and imprisoned. Kirker is appauled that the Anglican Church continues to turn a blind eye or in some countries, even bolsters homophobic legislation.

He said: "The fact is that the Anglican Church of Nigeria is the leading advocate of a new law there that will put you behind bars for five years just for supporting the rights of gay people. While the Anglican Church in Singapore is behind a current attempt to newly criminalised and imprison lesbians there."

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