An Anglican church in the New South Wales town of Armidale reportedly asked it’s organist to separate from him husband, live a celibate life and undergo religious counseling in order to keep his position at the church.

The ABC has reported that Peter Sanders, the church’s organist married his husband early last year. After he was given the list of requirements for him to retain his position he declined, and subsequently stopped attending church services.

Sanders told the ABC that he found it deeply troubling that his faith and marriage could not be aligned.

“It was our respective parishes, in the past, that had helped us to accept ourselves and live the life that we believe God intended us to live as gay Christian men,” he said.

The Archbishop of the Armidale Diocese, Reverend Rod Chiswell, has denied that Sanders was dismissed from his role, saying he and the Dean of the church had only sought “pastoral conversation” with the couple.

The move to allegedly ostracise the couple however has not gone down well with other parishioners, and had been criticised by other leaders within the Anglican church.

OIP Staff

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