Church of Ireland divided over proposed bill supporting anti-gay discrimination
(Photo: BBC)
The Church of Ireland is split over whether to allow Christians and other religious groups to refuse service to members of the LGBT community.
Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) minister Paul Givan proposed the controversial Conscience Clause Bill that would effectively exempt those with “strongly held” religious convictions from the Equality Act and allow businesses to refuse service based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Prominent religious figure Reverend Adrian Dorrian, who chairs the Church and Society Commission, said that he welcomes the bill.
Rev. Dorrian said, “We will certainly encourage a comprehensive conversation around religious and civil freedom in Northern Ireland and I will be affirming the Church of Ireland’s position that marriage is part of God’s creation and a holy mystery in which one man and one woman become one flesh.”
He suggested amendments to the bill, guaranteeing that it “cannot be used to facilitate discrimination against members of the LGBT community.”
However, his statements have been condemned by Canon Charles Kenny of pro-gay group Changing Attitude Ireland.
“This is more Mr. Dorrian’s views, as he’s known as a social conservative, rather than the views of the Church and Society Commission as they have not put out any official response to the DUP over the consultation.
“He seems to be making this an issue between gay people on one hand and Christians on the other.
“And it’s not. There are lots and lots of members who do not accept the hardline, fundamentalist biblical literalistic line that Mr. Givan and the DUP has as a whole.”
