Lesbian Archbishop Wants Unity at any Price. The first female Archbishop of Wales has called for "unity" and says that the global Anglican Church should not "be divided" by her selection to the role.

COMMENTARY

By David W. Virtue

www.virtueonline.org

November 10, 2025

In the world of fantasy ecclesiastical politics, calling for unity in a global church that is bitterly divided over homosexuality, is a bit like asking Bibi Netanyahu to surrender his IDF forces to Hamas in the hope that peace would come to Gaza.

Elected in July, Cherry Vann, who is also the Bishop of Monmouth, became the first female leader of the Church in Wales, as well as its first lesbian in a same-sex relationship, attracting criticism from orthodox voices, most notably in the Global South.

The lesbian archbishop believes that her appointment was "the right role for me at this time, for the church and for Wales". No mention of whether God approves of the anointing; it’s just good for the folk in Wales who don’t know any better.

The first female Archbishop of Wales called for "unity" and said that the global Anglican Church should not "be divided" by her selection to the role.

Addressing those who had been "less supportive", she said she had taken on the role "because this is what God has called me to do".

So where on God’s green earth or Holy Writ does she get that from? If God had called her, He would be denying his own written word that expressly forbids those kinds of sexual relationships. Paul writing in Romans (1:25) “They exchanged the truth about God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen. Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural sexual relations for unnatural ones.

Has God reversed himself?  Has he now said unnatural relationships have now been made acceptable because a 21^st century cleric says so? No such hint is given in creation, scripture or tradition.

Secondly, the Global South is not “less supportive” they have down right rejected her appointment; they don’t recognize her election or office and never will. Yes, this is a game changer and when you throw the Church of England election of Archbishop Sarah Mullally into the mix you have a recipe for schism.

Global South leaders have called for a “reset” of the communion without the Church of England or its archbishop as the titular head of the church.

It is ironic that Vann says this about her appointment while the Church of England is grappling with same-sex blessings in a deeply divided church that might well see it split if the revisionists get their way. For the moment ‘local option’ a favorite tactic of The Episcopal Church, is being exercised by liberals in the Church of England.

Church of England bishops have commended Prayers of Love and Faith for use in existing church services for stable, committed same-sex couples to receive prayers of blessing. But opponents say gay relationships are un-Biblical and their vigorous opposition has seen calls for a parallel organization with their own bishops, clergy training and money.

The truth is the Anglican Communion has been wrestling with homosexuality since 1998 when Lambeth Resolution 1:10 was forged and passed. That resolution has been the accepted gold standard on sexuality, later reinforced by the Jerusalem Declaration.

There will be no unity on the issue with more than 70 percent of the communion’s provinces having disengaged themselves from the Church of England over the election of a woman archbishop in the person of Sarah Mullally.

The Most Rev. Vann said Saturday's enthronement ceremony would be a "momentous occasion for me and for the country of Wales, the Church in Wales, and the wider Anglican Communion".

"Clearly, there are people who are rejoicing that we have a woman archbishop in Wales and an archbishop who is a member of the LGBT+ community and living in a civil partnership. And I think the reason that I was elected to this role is because people in the wider church in Wales feel the same."

Her appointment follows the retirement of former Archbishop Andrew John which came after the publication of two reports highlighting safeguarding concerns and misbehavior at Bangor Cathedral in Gwynedd.

One can dream about peace on earth, but reality always imposes and turns everything inside out.

Archbishop Vann will sooner or later discover this, as her church slowly disappears and she is left standing with her crook and miter in the narthex looking at an empty cathedral. God is never mocked. Never.

END