Blessing Gay Unions, by David Carlin

The Church of England decided a few months ago to adopt what many regard as a compromise position on “same-sex unions.”  While maintaining its prohibition of same-sex marriage, it will allow its priests/ministers to “bless” same-sex unions.  At the same time, however, it will not mandate such blessings; the choice of whether to bless or not to bless such unions will be left to the individual priest/minister.  Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury – by virtue of that office the leader not just of the Church of England but also of the entire worldwide Anglican Communion – announced that, while he approves of this compromise, he will not himself bless any of these unions.

This might be cited as an example of the historic English talent for “muddling through,” which often involves taking positions that are practically viable though theoretically incoherent.  This arrangement is a theoretically nonsensical compromise between, on the one hand, almost twenty centuries of Christian tradition and, on the other, the anti-Christian (or atheistic) spirit of the age.  It’s a compromise that only an Englishman could be proud of. …