The head of Christian Concern is horrified that a gay chaplain has married his partner

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Christian Concern CEO Andrea Williams has slammed a senior clergyman for marrying his same-sex partner and has urged for the Church of England to take action.

Canon Jeremy Pemberton, a hospital chaplain from Southwell, Nottinghamshire, married Laurence Cunnington in a “very joyous, very happy” ceremony in front of family and friends on Saturday.

Liberal Anglicans described the ceremony as “wonderful” and expressed hopes that it would lead to the Church of England accepting same-sex marriage.

But Andrea Williams, chief executive of Christian Concern and a member of the General Synod, said it was “extraordinarily disappointing” that a clergyman “would defy the Church’s teaching, but more importantly defy God’s teaching as clearly set out in the Bible”.

“The Archbishop of Canterbury should set out a clear stand and the bishops should set out a clear stand – for the good of the people, the good of the Church and the good of the nation – what marriage is: between one man and one woman,” The Independent reports Ms Williams said.

Last week, Ms Williams commented on the resignation of a gay teacher in Birmingham by claiming that school children were being indoctrinated into homosexuality.

She told a local BBC radio station: “Let’s be clear, the parents were not complaining about the teacher being gay, but rather that he was promoting homosexuality in books designed for five-year-olds. Little children do not need to be made aware of sexuality and gay and lesbian relationships.

“These are thoughts that wouldn’t enter into the minds of little children and parents have a right to know what their children are being taught in school.”

She added: “Same-sex relationships are not a norm”.

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