Same-Sex Church Weddings Are Only A Matter Of Time, Says First Female Archbishop Of Wales
The new Archbishop Of Wales, The Most Reverend Cherry Vann, has spoken about the decades she spent hiding her relationship while rising through the Anglican Church. In a recent interview, she stated that she believes marriage equality within the church is a matter of when, not if.
Her appointment is a major milestone. Vann is not only the first female archbishop in the United Kingdom but also the first openly gay and partnered bishop to lead a province in the worldwide Anglican Communion.
From the shadows to the pulpit.
For years, Archbishop Vann’s life was defined by a difficult secret. While serving in the Church of England, she and her partner of over thirty years, Wendy Diamond, kept their relationship hidden. The church’s official stance required gay clergy to be celibate.
“For years we kept our relationship secret because I worried about waking up and finding myself outed on the front page of a newspaper,” she recalled in an interview with The Guardian UK.
This changed when she was appointed Bishop of Monmouth five years ago and moved to the more accepting Church in Wales, where clergy in same-sex civil partnerships are welcomed. Now, she says, Wendy joins her everywhere, and it is simply normal.
A trailblazer, not a campaigner.
Despite her history-making position, the 66-year-old does not see herself as an activist. Instead, she views her career as a response to a higher calling, one that gave her the strength to endure the challenges she faced as both a woman and a gay person in the church.
“Without the strong belief that God had called me to the priesthood. I would not have survived,” she told The Guardian UK. “It happens that I’ve lived in a time that’s meant that I’m a trailblazer, but I’m not a campaigner.
Vann has also been frank about the hostility she faced as one of the first women ordained in 1994, describing the anger from some male colleagues who felt betrayed. She hopes the difficult reconciliation process from that time can serve as a model for the current disagreements over sexuality in the church.
So, when can we expect a church wedding?
While Vann’s personal view is clear, her position as a leader requires a considered approach. She acknowledges that many within the church remain opposed to same-sex marriage for theological reasons.
“Gay marriage in church is inevitable, I think: the question is when,” she stated to The Guardian UK.
However, she was quick to add context to her prediction. “There are people who are very opposed, and as leader, I have to honour their position, which is theologically grounded. It isn’t my job to push something through that would alienate a good proportion of clergy.”
For now, the new Archbishop is focused on leading a church that holds deeply divided views, all while representing a future that many believe is just over the horizon.
