Anglican Church Can’t Grow if It Fails to Accept Gay Reality — But Calm, Reasoned Dialogue Is the Way Forward

Anglican Church Can’t Grow if It Fails to Accept Gay Reality

Recently, Dr. Muriel Porter, a respected Melbourne Anglican laywoman and commentator on religious issues, shared a powerful reflection on the challenges facing the Anglican Church in Australia. She highlighted how the church’s refusal to fully embrace same-sex relationships is holding it back from growth and relevance in the 21st century.

Dr. Porter recounted joyful scenes from a friend’s same-sex wedding — celebrations filled with love and community, though notably outside the Anglican Church. Despite the church’s highest court ruling that blessing same-sex weddings is not against its constitution, only a handful of Australian dioceses have permitted such blessings. Now, Melbourne Diocese, once a beacon of progressive Anglicanism, has elected Archbishop Ric Thorpe, who opposes same-sex wedding blessings. His supporters hope he will revitalize the church through planting new congregations, but Dr. Porter questions whether these new churches will resonate with modern Australians if they continue to reject the reality of loving same-sex relationships.

Thorpe insists that Scripture clearly defines marriage as between a man and a woman, a view shared by many conservatives. However, Dr. Porter and other scholars argue that the few biblical verses cited against same-sex relationships actually address only exploitative or promiscuous behavior, not committed, loving partnerships.

This debate echoes past struggles within the Anglican Church, such as the acceptance of divorce and the decriminalization of homosexuality — changes Melbourne Diocese once championed. It’s disheartening, Dr. Porter notes, that the diocese now seems to be moving backward.

Yet, this recent shift to the Right in Melbourne is not a reason for despair. Rather, it signals the need for more voices like Dr. Porter’s: voices that are rational, calm, and insistent on a proper Protestant approach to Scripture — one that is thoughtful, faithful, and inclusive. Progress will not come from tantrums or division but from respectful dialogue grounded in sound biblical interpretation.

At its core, the church’s message is that God is love, and that love is unconditional — extending to all people, including those in same-sex relationships. Embracing this truth is essential for the church’s growth and witness in today’s world.

🎬 And on a lighter note, with a name like Muriel, it’s hard not to think of Muriel’s Wedding — the beloved Aussie film about finding acceptance and joy. Maybe Dr. Muriel Porter is here to remind us all that the church’s own celebration of love and inclusion is long overdue!

Read Dr. Porter’s full article on The Age