Same-sex marriage could soon be forbidden by Sydney's Anglican Church, with leaked documents obtained by suggesting the local diocese is gearing up to debate a proposed ban.
The internal documents also show the policy would ban “expressions of human sexuality contrary to our doctrine of marriage” as well as the promotion of “transgender ideology” on church property.
The news comes almost a year after the church donated a reported $1 million to the ill-fated “No” campaign during the marriage equality postal survey.
However, it appeared that not everyone in the church was happy with the news, with local LGBTIQ+ Christian organisation taking to social media to share their frustrations.
"Chaplains, priests, teachers, aged care workers, officials at all levels of the Sydney Anglican Church will shortly be banned from speaking in favour of the full inclusion of LGBTIQ+ fellow Christians in that or any church - a move which has brought a swift response from Equal Voices, with the courageous co-chairs of the Sydney branch bravely lifting their voices in protest," the group wrote in a Facebook post.
"Do join this movement if you haven't already."
According to Sydney bishop Michael Stead, the man behind the proposed ban, the move "doesn't represent a change" in the church's position, but is simply a consolidation of their views.
Stead told : “Because the federal government has changed its definition of marriage, the policy makes clear the church’s doctrine of marriage has not changed and that property use scenarios relate only to man/woman marriage."
