Posted: Christian Today. Saturday, May 5, 2012, 13:54 (BST)
An Anglican lay reader has been told to refrain from ministry after he encouraged parishioners to sign a petition defending traditional marriage.
Complaints were made against Peter Gowlland, a lay reader for 50 years, after he invited members of the congregation at All Saints Church, Sanderstead, to sign the Coalition for Marriage (C4M) petition supporting the current definition of marriage.
Mr Gowlland, 78, was instructed by his Archdeacon to withdraw from preaching and leading worship for two months, despite the fact that the official position of the Church opposes gay marriage and the Archbishops of Canterbury and York have both spoken publicly against changing the definition.
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