Fred Phelps and his daughter Shirley Phelps-Roper from the US church which preaches hatred of gays have been banned from entering the UK by Home Secretary Jacqui Smith.
Tuesday, 23 December 2008 09:22
The Pope has caused problems with lesbian and gay campaigners after he declared that saving humanity from homosexual or transsexual behaviour was as important as saving the rainforests from destruction.He said humanity needed to listen to the "language of creation" to understand the intended roles of man and woman and that behaviour beyond traditional heterosexual relations was a "destruction of God's work".
He called on the Church to protect man from the "destruction of himself" saying that tropical rainforests deserved protection but man as a creature "does not deserve any less".
His remarks, in an end-of-year address to the Curia, the Vatican's central administration, have prompted claims that his speech could be used to justify homophobic attacks.
The Rev Sharon Ferguson, chief executive of the Lesbian and Gay Christian Movement, described his remarks as "totally irresponsible and unacceptable in any shape or form".
Church of England parishes unhappy at liberal teachings on homosexuality have been urged to seek alternative oversight from another bishop if their own diocesan bishop expounds “unbiblical” teaching from the pulpit.
A Church of England clergyman was criticised by his own diocese today after he wrote that gay men should be forced to have "sodomy" warnings tattooed on them.
Gay relationships can "reflect the love of God" in a way that is comparable to marriage, according to the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.