The first lesbian and partnered woman to be elected Archbishop of Wales, Cherry Vann, has spoken out against critics.
Cherry Vann was elected Archbishop of Wales in July, becoming the first female and also lesbian leader of the Church in Wales.
“Archbishop Cherry’s appointment is a source of great joy and celebration,” Reverand Rosemary Hill said in a statement.
Reverend Hill is the leader of the Open Table community in the East Cardiff Ministry Area.
“For LGBTQIA+ Welsh Anglicans, this is a momentous occasion,” Hill said.
“That demonstrates how far the Church in Wales has come in terms of equality and inclusion in the last decade,”
“These are turbulent times for the Church in Wales,”
“And we hold Archbishop Cherry and her civil partner Wendy in our prayers as they start this new chapter in their lives and vocations.”
Controversy over Vann’s appointment
More conservative members of the community have voiced their disapproval at Vann’s appointment.
Faith leaders from the GAFCON network of conservative churches in the global Anglican Communion rejected the decision.
“The Church of Nigeria … condemns, unequivocally rejects and will not recognise the election of … Cherry Vann as Archbishop of Wales,” Archbishop of Nigeria, Henry C Ndukuba said, following the news.
“As a matter of urgency, the Church of Nigeria believes that this moment calls for prayer for the Church of Wales,
“Hoping that the Church of England will not follow in her steps.
“We should hold them in our prayers with a clear message that hope lies only in true repentance and godliness.
“Otherwise, this church will lose complete relevance in the divine scheme for the people of Wales, and the leaders in compromise shall not be spared in time of judgment.”
“I know where God wants me to be’
The day after she was elected, Vann was added to a WhatsApp chat alongside every other Anglican primate in the world.
Not all the comments were positive.
Turning the other cheek, Vann said she would “rest in the fact that a lot of people are rejoicing,”
“And I know where God wants me to be.”
Speaking to Premier Christian News, Vann shared that she had always known that she was gay, but had never felt rejected by God.
“I never heard God say to me, ‘Who you are is wrong, who you love is wrong, you are living in sin’.” she said.
“I have never heard that from God.”
“Christians hold different views on all manner of subjects.
“Divorce, remarriage, abortion, assisted dying, to name but a few.
“We are not all of one mind on most things.
“And the Church changes its position.
“It learns a broader understanding of God’s love.”
‘We’re all children of God’
“My understanding is that the kinds of relationship that the Bible [condemns are ones that] are purely for sexual gratification… abusive,” Vann said.
“They are not talking, in my view, about long-term loving relationships that I and many other LGBT+ people enjoy.
“I cannot see how loving somebody as I love my partner could be wrong.”
Cherry said that it would be “very sad” if people felt they had to leave the Anglican Church because of her appointment.
And stated she “would ask them to reconsider.”
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