The Church in Wales has named a new Archbishop who is openly in a same-sex relationship, drawing sharp criticism from the rights group Christian Concern. The appointment has ignited a debate over the Anglican denomination’s commitment to traditional biblical teachings.
The Rt. Rev. Cherry Vann, 66, the bishop of Monmouth, was elected as the 15th archbishop of Wales, becoming the first woman and first lesbian to hold the post. She was chosen by an electoral college composed of clergy and lay members after two days of deliberations at St. Pierre church near Chepstow, according to The Telegraph.
Her biography on the Church in Wales’ website states that she lives with her civil partner, Wendy, along with their two dogs.
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Same-sex civil partnerships and marriages have been legal in England and Wales since 2013, though the Church of England has maintained its teaching that marriage is between a man and a woman.
In 2021, the Church in Wales voted to allow the blessing of same-sex unions.
The Scottish Episcopal Church and the Presbyterian Church of Scotland already permit same-sex marriage ceremonies.
The Rev. Charlie Baczyk-Bell, a gay priest, welcomed the decision, calling it “very significant,” describing it as “a story and a half” for the denomination.
However, the reaction from conservative Christian groups has been strongly critical.
Christian Concern’s Chief Executive Andrea Williams accused the Church in Wales of departing from its foundational principles. In a statement provided to The Christian Post, she said Vann’s open same-sex relationship contradicts the Church’s historic doctrine that marriage is a lifelong union between a man and a woman, and that sexual relationships are reserved for marriage.
Williams said Vann, having sworn to uphold Church teachings as an ordained minister, is now “living in deliberate rejection of those very doctrines.” She noted that her election, with the support of two-thirds of the electoral college, signals that the Church in Wales has institutionally turned away from biblical teaching.
“No Bible-believing Christian can remain under the spiritual leadership of someone who so publicly rejects the clear teaching of Scripture,” she added.
Archbishop Cherry’s predecessor, the Rt. Rev. Andrew John, stepped down last month after only three-and-a-half years in office. His departure followed the release of a safeguarding review at Bangor Cathedral, which found evidence of a culture involving sexual misconduct, bullying, blurred sexual boundaries and excessive drinking.
While the review did not implicate John in any misconduct, he issued what he called an “unreserved and unequivocal” apology, taking full responsibility for the leadership failings under his tenure.
Cherry Vann, originally from Leicester, was ordained as a deacon in 1989 and became one of the first women to be ordained as a priest in the Church of England in 1994. She later served as archdeacon of Rochdale in the Diocese of Manchester for over a decade — at the same time Pakistani grooming gangs were raping underage girls in Rochdale — before becoming bishop of Monmouth in 2019.
The recent scandals within the Church of Wales, particularly at Bangor Cathedral, included reports of inappropriate jokes and language in the choir that left some members feeling unsafe. There were also allegations of humiliation, gossip and weak financial oversight.
The Church of England, meanwhile, remains without an Archbishop of Canterbury following the resignation of the Most Rev. Justin Welby in November. Welby stepped down after the publication of a report detailing his mishandling of abuse allegations against John Smyth, a barrister and alleged serial abuser. The Crown Nominations Committee is in the process of selecting a successor.
