Religion

News

Russian Church hopes new head of Anglican Church will not allow female bishops, same-sex marriage

Moscow, March 25, Interfax - The Moscow Patriarchate expects Justin Welby, the new Archbishop of Canterbury, to adhere to the norms of Christian morals and the church system.

"We know that the Anglican Church is now going through a difficult time and various views, positions, and parties co-exist in it. However, we really hope that the traditional understanding of Christian morals and the church system will prevail in this polemic," Metropolitan Hilarion of Volokolamsk, the head of the Synodal Department for External Church Relations, said during a meeting between Welby and representatives of the Orthodox Churches who attended his enthronement.

The introduction of the institution of female bishops will lead to the elimination of even a theoretical possibility of the Moscow Patriarchate recognizing the church hierarchy of the Anglican Church, the communications service of the Department for External Church Relations reported on Saturday.

"I would like you to know about that and take our opinion into account when this issue arises again," Metropolitan Hilarion said.

Metropolitan Hilarion also said he is hoping Justin Welby will firmly defend the traditional biblical understanding of marriage as a union between a man and a woman "to prevent secular society from forcing on the Church of England the recognition of some forms of cohabitation which were never considered marriage by Christian churches."

Welby responded by saying he appreciates the comment, adding that the position of the Church of England on the issue of marriage is absolutely clear and it has recently confirmed that marriage is a life-long union between a man and a woman.

Print this page

Home

News

.	Customize latest news

• Russian Muslim leader: Crimea has the right to choose to become part of Russia 07 March 2014, 10:04
• Acting Ukrainian president is a pastor and its prime is a scientologist 05 March 2014, 17:28
• Patriarch Kirill to meet with heads of Orthodox Churches in Istanbul 05 March 2014, 16:04
• Kadyrov orders to provide housing to Orthodox priests 05 March 2014, 10:01
• Crimean authorities promise to fight against Hizb ut-Tahrir 03 March 2014, 16:39
• Ideas calling for revision of moral values are dangerous - Lavrov 03 March 2014, 15:36
• Russia slams Western countries' attempts to "flirts" with Islamist rebels in Syria 03 March 2014, 10:11
• Russian patriarch asks Turchynov to stop ethnic discrimination 03 March 2014, 10:10
• Patriarch Kirill prays for peace in Ukraine 03 March 2014, 10:05
• Tatarstan mufti calls on Ukraine's Muslims to resolve disputes peacefully 28 February 2014, 14:35
• Stepashin meets Pope Francis 27 February 2014, 11:23
• Moscow urges Kiev to stop nation from sliding to religious confrontation 27 February 2014, 10:01
• Patriarch Kirill calls for end of violence in Ukraine 26 February 2014, 17:09
• Orthodox Christian fund wants to buy Kutuzov monument removed in Ukraine 26 February 2014, 16:00
• Old Russian icons are taken from Kiev exhibition ahead of schedule to escape the danger of damage 26 February 2014, 13:04
• Locum tenens of the Kievan See is skeptic about prospects of the dialogue with schismatics in the "time of trouble" 26 February 2014, 12:48
• World Russian People's Council threatens with legal prosecution to those who try to capture churches in Ukraine 26 February 2014, 12:12
• Moscow Patriarchate welcomes Metropolitan Onufry's election as head of Metropolitan Diocese in Kiev 26 February 2014, 10:01
• Metropolitan Onufry elected locum tenens of Kievan Metropolitan See 25 February 2014, 14:34
• Ukraine synagogue attacked 25 February 2014, 11:31
• Patriarch Kirill calls on Ukrainian authorities not to interfere in church affairs 24 February 2014, 17:53
• Patriarch Kirill prays for peace in Ukraine standing on his knees 24 February 2014, 16:57
• Tajik Islamists file lawsuit against special services, state-run television 21 February 2014, 16:03
• Requiem service for those killed in Ukraine held in the Kiev Laura of the Caves 21 February 2014, 10:54
• Renovation of Basilica of the Nativity in Bethlehem will cost 20 million 19 February 2014, 16:54
• A medical station set up on the grounds of the St. Michael's Cathedral in Kiev 19 February 2014, 15:42
• Ukrainian Orthodox Church calls for halt of bloodshed in Kiev 19 February 2014, 14:55
• Gay marriages don't make Russia, Europe closer to each other - Russian MP 19 February 2014, 14:00
• Detained terrorist group led by Osh mosque deputy imam - Kyrgyz police 19 February 2014, 12:33
• Patriarch Kirill's visit to Sochi was a great event for sportsmen, head of his press service says 19 February 2014, 10:01

Other news