Indeed, while a prohibition on blessing same-sex couples and ordaining gay or lesbian clergy can only be inferred from Scripture, the practices tolerated by the church, and practiced even by some of the bishops themselves, are contrary to Scripture's express, literal word. Remarriage after divorce Scripture declares that the remarriage of a divorced man or woman is the moral equivalent of adultery. This was the position of the church until well into this century, earlier Lambeth Conferences making their rejection of marriage after divorce abundantly clear. Remarriage after divorce is contrary to Scripture, yet the church tolerates it and blesses it. Mixed marriage Scripture forbids a Christian woman entering into a marriage with a non-Christian man.
Mixed marriage is contrary to Scripture, yet the church tolerates it and blesses it.
Second marriages by clergy are contrary to Scripture, yet the church tolerates it and ordains them. It is no more contrary to Scripture to bless a same-sex couple than to bless a couple one of whom is divorced or not baptized. It is no more contrary to Scripture for a gay person to be ordained than it is one who has taken a spouse after widowhood. From the standpoint of the literal text, the former are, if anything, less contrary to Scripture. The bishops might argue that homosexuality is contrary to natural law.